I’m sitting here in a cafe in Mexico City. I had to come down here for some meetings, and as I finished up my last meeting for the day, I had to make a decision. I could go back to my fantastic AirBnB which is super comfy and continue to work and write back there, or I could look up some great places on Yelp to go grab some coffee, maybe a treat, and benefit from some free WiFi. Once I decided that was a much better option for an amazing afternoon in Mexico City, I jumped on my Uber App, entered the address and away I went!

I wonder if we truly understand how the smart phone really changed everything, and how some disrupter apps have changed how we experience travel. The three apps I mentioned above are my lifeblood when it comes to diving into experiencing a city, and even though my Spanish is just above “meh,” I am able to get around easily. And even though my Spanish is actually better than “meh,” when all else fails…Google Translate to the rescue.

I continue to be amazed at how many people are wary of AirBnB, especially when it comes to international travel. I got a one bedroom apartment with a full kitchen that is literally five minutes from the airport. For just over $20/night, I am set up in a place that is clean and convenient. I rely on the reviews of people that have already stayed at the place I am looking at, and this helps me to feel like I can book a place to stay with confidence.

But let’s not forget why I am so in love with Uber! I use Uber all over the world. Taxi drivers please close your eyes and cover your ears for this next part. I haven’t had the best of experiences with taxi drivers, especially internationally when I don’t speak the language. But in Uber, I can type in the address, I see exactly what I am going to pay, I don’t have to worry about what I am asked to pay being different than what’s on the screen, and to top it all off, I am amazed at the little bonuses that Uber drivers give to enhance the experience. And then to top it off, you get the chance to rate your driver and experience in real time. I felt like the problem with taxi drivers internationally is that I had to be able to communicate clearly where I wanted to go. Uber’s got my back with this, and the synergy with the maps app of choice by the driver has allowed me to enjoy the ride.

I am not normal by any stretch of the imagination: I get that. I see the world through the lens of opportunities waiting to be experienced. The excitement of peoples and cultures never gets old for me. I want so many other people to dive in and seize the opportunities that travel offers. I had a conversation with someone this week that asked where I would direct someone that wanted to travel, but didn’t know if they could afford it. I gave them a Europe option (Ah, Prague…how I love thee) and a South America option (Did someone say Lima?!?). Both options are amazing places that are so reasonable to visit if you’re willing to do a little homework. By the way…both these places I recommended can be done on the cheap through utilizing these apps I talked about. And there are amazing ways to get to these places for significantly less than you think for airfare.

So dive in! Use the tools that make travel so much more fun and enjoyable. Take the plunge and see the world. Eat some food, take a ride and stay in a home away from home…and make memories that will make your life richer!

One more app that you may want to look at for airfare…
Recently, I have had amazing luck with an app called Momondo. What I like most about it is that it seems to take a different approach in how it looks at flight itineraries when it comes to layovers. I have seen flights with Momondo that have come in so much cheaper than Kayak because it isn’t afraid to shoe you flight options with longer layovers. I am not afraid of 20 hour layovers in amazing cities. For the opportunity to save hundreds of dollars for the cost of a hostel for a night, you may get the chance to spend time in an amazing city for little cost. Check it out, because it saved me a ton of money since I started using it. I have not abandoned my long-time friend Kayak…but Momondo has definitely been a game changer!