Remember in the old days when you plan a trip? Or even in the not-so-old days when you get a guidebook and plot out on a map all the interesting places you read about so you can find your way there. I used to have so much trouble reading maps properly I’d navigate us in circles and get lost when trying to find a place I wanted to see. I would also take forever planning trips and we’d book and plan months or maybe even a year ahead. These days are long behind us as technology makes it totally easy to book a trip to a new place instantly and naviagate virtually anywhere. As I’ve talked about on the blog before, I am partnered with Verizon for my wireless plan services and a Google Pixel 2 phone that is so much fun to use. Verizon also let me try out a Verizon Travel Pass on our our recent trip to Italy. This service was invaluable as we drove around on the last part of our trip and it helped with maps, translating, and finding incredible places to eat and visit. It also provided peace of mind because I booked us into a cool Agriturismo in the middle of what felt like nowhere and having cellular connection when you feel far from everything is always reassuring.
How soon do you book a trip before you leave?
We booked our trip the month before we left and did not have a ton of time to plan ahead so a lot of our planning was done on the fly. If you do this too, just check to make sure your passports are up to date. (We did not and you can read about how to get a passport in Seattle in 24 hours, if you happen to make the same mistake we did.) Also, I’m so curious, how soon before you want to leave do you plan your trip? How do you choose the places you want to go with your family?
Learn another language just by using your phone camera
We used the Google translate app to magically read words from Italian to English instantly. It was mind-blowing to look at my phone’s screen and see the Italian words I could see in real life in front of me automatically change into English. I think this even helped us think we were learning the language a little faster than if we looked things up in a phrase book. The kids could confidently order “piccolo nociolla gelato per favore” and it was fun to see what the words around us meant everywhere we visited.
No need for Pocket WIFI systems
If the Verizon Travel Pass includes the area you are visiting, then it eliminates the need for buying a SIM card (which might be a hassle or impossible if your phone is locked) or renting a pocket WiFi system for your trip. We’ve used a pocket WiFi system on a few other trips but it is so much easier when you can just use your own phone and not have to worry about carrying around or having to charge another device.
Never feel disconnected from the rest of the world or people you love
But the most reassuring thing about having the Verizon Travel Pass was that we were able to freely travel between places without worrying about losing connection to the things that we need to feel comfortable. We could access maps and phone for reservations. We could call for help if we got lost. This is so freeing when we travel and especially when we travel with kids. On the last night of our trip the Agriturismo I booked ended up being in an extremely remote area down a long pot-hole filled gravel road in a dense forest. There was no WiFi and we had to leave early in the morning in the dark to make our flight from Italy back to the USA. Having the Verizon Travel Pass was so helpful for our peace of mind because we knew we could probably get help if anything went horribly wrong. I’m thankful we were able to try it out on this trip. Do you feel like you need to be connected when you travel? Have you tried Google Translate anywhere else in the world?
(PS. As stated above I have partnered with Verizon and this post is a sponsored post and as always the viewpoints and opinions in this blog are mine.)
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)
One thought on “Family Travel done bold, bravely and planned on the fly with Verizon Travel Pass”
Comments are closed.