Chalo World Travels

Using a credit card while traveling has some perks.  Most credit cards are accepted worldwide and offer great flexibility to pay for large or small items, and you can accumulate points!  The credit card will automatically convert the foreign currency to the local currency so you can pay the balance from your home bank account.  This sounds ideal but you will lose much of your hard-earned money in fees and exchange rates that favour the bank.  Fees add up quickly and you don't want to have this shock when the credit card bill arrives.  Over the years, we have learned various strategies to save money while abroad, the Wise Debit card is our preferred payment method. What is Wise debit?  This card works just like a debit card from your bank, except that you can use it in many countries around the world for a fraction of the cost.  Payment is made via a physical or virtual card, it's easy to add Wise to Apple Pay or Google Wallet so you can tap and go....

Mobile plans for data and voice are relatively cost-effective in your home country, but if you use that same mobile plan while traveling in another country, prepare for added costs that may shock you.  Most mobile providers will work outside your region (called roaming), but fees for this service can double the normal monthly charge. Data service on your mobile device is a necessity; the most convenient method is via cellular networks that keep you connected during your travels.  Some travellers can get by with WiFi from their hotel or cafe but sacrifice convenience while out and about.  For our trip to Thailand two years ago, we purchased a SIM card in that country, providing us with Data services for 30 days.  The Thailand SIM card worked well, but it required us to swap out the SIM card from our home country - don't lose it! Enter the eSIM.  This technology has been available for a few years, but we used it for the first time in Portugal.  The eSIM is an...

After landing at Lisbon airport (LIS), an easy way to reach the city centre is via the Metro system.  The airport has a station that is walking distance, a quick and convenient method to reach your hotel/residence.  You will have to walk down a number of stairs/escalators to reach the Metro platform, some elevators are available, but not to all levels. Before entering the Metro, a ticket can be purchased via self-serve kiosks.  The kiosk machines display local and English language; choose accordingly before purchasing.  In our case, four travellers planned to use the Metro to reach downtown Lisbon and rides to Sintra for a day trip.  The best option for us was to purchase a "navegante occasional card"; each traveller requires their own card, costing 0.50€ each. The kiosk machine will provide the card and load it with funds for public transit.  We opted to load 10€ to each card for travel about 6 times per card.  Each time we use the system, the individ...

Before leaving to Portugal, we wanted to track the travel path during our visit.  Although Google Maps is a great resource for navigation and locating points of interest, an interesting platform popped up on a search called Find Penguins .  This app will automatically track your location while you move around and create a map of your travels.  Find Penguins has been available for over 10 years, we just discovered it now. To make the most of this platform, travellers create Footprints, at any point of interest during the trip.  A Footprint allows for photos, videos and text to be added (similar to a Facebook post), additionally, your phone will log the GPS coordinates along with the elevation and local weather along the way.  During a trip, a number of Footprints can be created, which help to document the trip with photos/videos along with text to help you remember the details.  The best part is that this platform is free! Well, what does Find Penguins get f...