If you are in Rome for the first time, or for only a couple of days, you will inevitably end up with the crowds at the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, or St Peter’s Basilica. But if you know where to look, Rome’s less well-known and less crowded attractions can offer a lot more.

Where to go

A district which has a lot to offer is the Trastevere across the Tiber from the heart of the city. This is a great district to wander around. It’s easy to get lost and has lots of small places to eat and drink – the funky Grazia & Graziella is a personal favourite.

An unexpected treat in Rome is several surviving early churches in the Roman rectangular basilica style featuring re-purposed Roman marble. Pre-dating the Great Schism between Rome and the Orthodox Church, they contain some distinctive Byzantine mosaics. Don’t be put off by later additions such as Renaissance or Baroque porches. Three or four of these early churches are in Trastevere. Worthy of special mention is Santa Maria in Trastevere, San Crisogono, and St Cecilia in Travestere.

Where to stay

A great base with easy access to this area is the conveniently located Hotel Ponte Sisto. There is a small supermarket almost next door, a gelateria on the corner and any number of outdoors eateries in the nearby Campo de Fiori.

It is less than 15 minutes on foot to the Pantheon, about 25 minutes to the Colosseum and Forum, and just 5 minutes across the Ponte Sisto into Trastevere.

What to do – Eat

One of the great highlights of Rome is the (light) eating: working through all the major food groups – pizza, gelati, coffee, orange juice – all of which are excellent and reasonably priced.

The pizza, of course, is thin-crusted, not overladen with a mish-mash of ingredients, and quite cheap. Indeed, if two of you have pizza and beer for lunch, it is quite likely the beer will cost more than the pizza.

Gelati is ubiquitous and excellent. At most cafes and bars the orange juice is freshly-squeezed when you order. Surprisingly, you can get excellent beef in Rome, often cooked fairly rare. Try upmarket Girarrosto Fiorentino where meat is a speciality.

What to do – Culture

Of course, while in Rome you will want to visit the famous Imperial Forum. But, in many ways, more impressive is the under-visited massive and well-preserved multi-level Trajan’s Market nearby. It is located across the road which was pushed through the whole site by Mussolini and next to Trajan’s Column.

There are three very old and picturesque remains in Rome which are still in excellent condition. The 62 BC Ponte Fabricio bridge which is across the Tiber to the Isola Tiberina, the small round Temple of Hercules, and the Temple of Portunus. Both are about 2^nd century BC and situated near the Ponte Palatino.

Another not overly-crowded Imperial remnant is Augustus’ Altar of Peace (Ara Pacis) with wonderful crisp reliefs dating from 13BC. It is enclosed in a modern glass pavilion.

The Baths of Caracalla, even in their present stripped-bare condition, are massive and hugely impressive. Compare them with the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli (Piazza della Republica) carved out of the remains of just the vast frigidarium of the Baths of Diocletian

Another spectacular site readily accessed independently by train from Rome, which is less than an hour from Termini, is the archaeological site of the old Roman port of Ostia. With extensive remains of buildings two and three storeys high, it is best visited first thing in the morning.

What to expect

When travelling to Rome, or anywhere else, for that matter, a little bit of advance information and organisation can save much aggravation and ensure that you actually get to see the sites.

There is no point arriving at the Vatican Museum or the Colosseum only to spend two hours in a queue to get inside.

The internet is a great gift to travellers. You can purchase tickets online in advance (or, at the very least, check out opening hours and best visiting times). Many attractions which may be a little challenging to get to yourself like Hadrian’s Villa are readily accessible on a variety of tours. These vary in convenience and price from coach loads to small groups to personalised tours and can be easily compared on sites such as Viatour.

What experiences are on your Rome bucket list? Let us know in the comments!

Former President, Barack Obama, has said on the subject:

It ought to concern every person, because it’s a debasement of our common humanity.

It ought to concern every community, because it tears at the social fabric.

It ought to concern every business, because it distorts markets.

It ought to concern every nation, because it endangers public health and fuels violence and organised crime.

I’m talking about the injustice, the outrage, of human trafficking, which must be called by its true name—modern slavery.” 

It is a global affront to human rights and its eradication remains an ongoing challenge.

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking is recognised as an international crime, defined under international law to encompass the forced use of persons for exploitation.

According to Article 3 of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, human trafficking is:

the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.”

Sexual exploitation is the most documented form of abuse, followed closely by forced labour, forced marriage, organ removal, warfare and domestic service.

Global Slavery Index reports that 161 countries are responding to the issue of modern slavery. Of those 161 countries, 124 countries criminalised human trafficking in line with the UN Trafficking Protocol, however, convictions are reportedly low. In 2011, of 7206 prosecutions for trafficking, only 4239 resulted in convictions, while 41,210 victims were identified.

Who does modern slavery impact?

Anyone can be a victim of modern slavery.

Statistics show that there are 27-36 million victims in modern slavery at any given time.

68% are victims of forced labour exploitation, in economic activities such as agriculture, construction, domestic work or manufacturing. 22% are victims of sexual slavery. Of this statistic, 21% or are children.
The remaining 10% of individuals are in state-imposed forms of forced labour.

The majority of victims are female, making up 55% of all trafficked victims globally, with trafficking of children on the rise (approximately 20%, although this statistic increases in some regions).

How does modern slavery occur?

There are a number of factors that make persons vulnerable to human trafficking and modern slavery. Often things like the absence of protection and respect for basic rights, physical safety and security and access to basic necessities such as food, water and health care. Other factors such as displacement and conflict play a role.

Victims are often recruited through false advertising for what appears to be genuine employment, such as in cleaning, waitressing or farming.

Where is human trafficking most prevalent?

Human trafficking occurs all over the world and has been documented in 167 countries.

The crime is often carried out by traffickers who are of the same nationality as the victim, which accounts for why statistics show the trade is usually limited to a national or regional context.

By proportion to population, the countries with the highest estimated prevalence of victims of modern slavery are:

• Bangladesh
• Cambodia
• China
• India
• North Korea
• Pakistan
• Qatar
• Uzbekistan

Human trafficking also occurs in popular travel destinations throughout Europe – including England – and North America.

Unsurprisingly, countries with the lowest estimated incidence of modern slavery by the proportion of their population are:

• Luxembourg
• Ireland
• Norway
• Denmark
• Switzerland
• Austria
• Sweden
• Belgium
• United States
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand

Many factors contribute to the low incidence of human trafficking in these countries, including greater economic wealth, higher government response, low levels of conflict, political stability as well as a commitment to protecting basic human rights and fighting modern slavery.

The unexpected difference you can make while travelling

As global citizens, we not only have a responsibility to ourselves but also to other humans.

We all have the power, however small, to make choices that contribute to the promotion and protection of basic rights and that make a positive and lasting change and that can transform lives.

If you know where to look, there are countless ways that you can be a more informed, responsible and ethical traveller. Making small, seemingly insignificant, choices (like choosing one travel company over another) can make a difference at a grassroots level in the fight against human trafficking. Here are a few of our favourites ways you can help:

1. Research your accommodation and tour operators

Tour operators or hotels often have policies on human trafficking, which are included on their website.

The Code (of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism) is an industry-driven initiative designed to prevent sex trafficking of children worldwide through education, awareness, tools and support.

Commercial sexual exploitation of children under 18 years (which includes child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, the prostitution of children, and child pornography) involves children being bought and sold for sexual purposes. It’s a crime that often occurs in hotels, which is why responsible tourism companies are encouraged to voluntarily become members and implement the Code’s principles to help fight exploitation of children.

You can search the full list of companies who have already joined the Code and choose to stay at and support hotels, hostels or other travel industry service providers who are committed to keeping children safe.

If your tour operator does not openly communicate its position on child sexual exploitation, why not suggest that they take a stand and demonstrate their corporate social responsibility by becoming a member of the Code?

2. Take photos of your hotel room

Traffickcam is an app that allows users to upload photos of their hotel room while travelling.

No matter where you travel, this is a simple, easy and positive step you can take to actively make a difference in the fight against human trafficking. The app works by helping authorities identify the locations in which sex trafficking crimes occur as victims are often positioned and photographed on the beds of hotel rooms.

All you have to do is upload 4 pictures of your hotel room, enter your hotel and room number and hit ‘submit.’ The app works because sex traffickers post online ‘advertisements’ of victims posing on beds in hotel rooms. By taking images of your room, and contributing to a database of over 1.5 million images of hotels snapped from around the world, you can help investigators to match the inside of hotel rooms with images taken of victims of sex trafficking. This helps law enforcement locate sex trafficking rings, save victims and prosecute offenders.

3. Identify a victim

Sometimes victims of slavery are held away from the public, however, in many situations victims are hidden in plain sight. They may work frontline in restaurants, on farms, at hotels, at construction sites, and in beauty salons. There is a good chance that you have already come face-to-face with a victim of modern slavery without realising it.

Being informed, being observant, staying aware of your surrounding as well as some of the common indicators of modern slavery may mean that you can help to identify a victim of trafficking.

General signs may include situations where a person is:

• Living with their employer in poor conditions
• Paid very little
• Submissive or fearful of their employer (or their interactions with others are tightly controlled)
• Speaking in a way that seems scripted or rehearsed
• Without any travel documents or their employer holds their travel documents (for example at the airport or in other transport hubs)
• Dressed inappropriately
• Appears to be under-aged, or
• Showing signs of abuse.

There may also be over-the-top security or guards on site.

If several of the above warning signs are present, and if you are able to speak with the person you suspect is a victim of trafficking without putting yourself, or the suspected victim in any danger, the US Department of State recommends discreetly asking the following questions:

• Can you leave your job if you want to?
• Can you come and go as you please?
• Have you been hurt or threatened if you tried to leave?
• Has your family been threatened?
• Do you live with your employer?
• Where do you sleep and eat?
• Are you in debt to your employer?
• Do you have your passport/identification? Who has it?

The most important thing is to avoid endangering anybody, including yourself, by doing something reckless like confronting the suspected trafficker or raising your suspicions aloud at the time.

Instead, follow your instincts and report your concerns to local law enforcement (if reliable) or to a global or local NGO which is known to combat trafficking in the area. If the victim is foreign, you can also contact their embassy (contact details below).

4. Be a conscious and safe traveller

On your next overseas trip, you can volunteer your time or donate to local charities that are working towards the eradication of modern slavery.

While it is important, wherever possible, to play a part in helping to fight the proliferation of human trafficking by being conscious of your surroundings and reporting suspicious behaviour, it is equally important to be mindful of your personal safety while travelling.

The reality is that anyone can become prey to a human trafficker, so avoid taking unnecessary risks, placing yourself in dangerous situations, travelling to particular regions alone.

If you can, try to travel in groups and make sure that you leave a copy of your current itinerary (as well as your local phone number) with family and friends. Check the travel advisories associated with your destination countries before travelling and register with Smart Traveller.

A difference to be made closer to home?

On a day-to-day basis, we might consider the impact of human trafficking in Australia.

Have you ever stopped to think about who produces the clothes you wear and where the food you eat comes from?

Further Information

To report a suspected case of human trafficking or offer authorities a tip while overseas, contact:

• European National Human Trafficking Hotlines
• Abolishion Hotlines Listed Alphabetically by Country
• National Human Trafficking Hotline
• US Domestic Trafficking Hotlines

To report a suspected local case of human trafficking in Australia contact:

• Australian Federal Police (AFP) by filling out an online form; or
• Call 131 AFP (131237); or
• Email AOCC-Client-Liaison@afp.gov.au

To access free legal services if you, or someone you know, has experienced trafficking or slavery in Australia contact:

• Anti-Slavery Australia

Further Reading

• For comprehensive reports on human trafficking by region and country visit the Global Slavery Index.
• For a look at the Australian context visit Freedom Partnership
• To watch an awareness-raising video from Crimestoppers UK visit Read the Signs
• For an extensive journalistic investigation into human trafficking visit Lydia Cacho’s Slavery Inc
• For a documentary on sex trafficking and abuse recommended by United States State Department. visit Price of Sex.
• For a comprehensive look at preventing and addressing forced marriage in Australia visit My Blue Sky
• To download the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) global report on trafficking in persons click here.

How many slaves work for you?? Find out by taking the slavery footprint survey.

You probably set yourself some pretty ambitious goals earlier this year:

• Find a new job (one that challenges and interests you – hopefully it pays better than your current role);
• Lock in some adventure travel plans (or, at the very least, plan more weekend mini-breaks);
• Spend less money on nights out, gigs and festivals;
• Spend more money on sensible life planning (like saving for a car or your first home).

But it’s already 1/4 of the way into the new year, and you find yourself still reading the same book you started over Christmas.

Half your time is spent living vicariously through Facebook, which drip feeds you images of your friends who are embarking on Attenborough-esque Galapagos Island adventures. Their updates – involving 1am evacuations with life vests after their boat unexpectedly hits rocks and floods their cabin – make you sick with longing that you were chasing life and bobbing on a life boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Because, ultimately, the perspective offered by the narrow beam of your flashlight when travelling always trumps the dim existential illumination provided by your work cubicle.

So take control. Regroup – and book those cheap flights before the year gets away from you!

1. Travel At The Right Time

When you choose to travel heavily influences the price you pay for flights.

If you decide to travel during peak season, for example, you can commit yourself to paying double the price you would pay during off-season.

2. Subscribe To Alerts

Email alerts from your preferred airlines will tell you when sales and hot deals are on.

Keep your eyes peeled to grab special deals before anyone else.

3. Book Ahead

As a general rule, booking between
6 weeks to 8 weeks before your planned departed date is ideal for securing the best and cheapest flight prices.

4. Price Comparisons

Check a range of sites to make sure you are getting the best deal on your flights.

The below flight price comparison websites are a good place to start:

• Expedia
• LastMinute
• Webjet
• Skyscanner
• I Want That Flight
• Zuji
• Kayak

5. Fly Mid-Week

This is usually the quietest and cheapest time to travel.

Fridays and Sundays are generally the most expensive days to fly. Avoid booking on these days wherever possible.

6. Go Incognito

Use a private browser (such as Google Chrome using an incognito window) when searching for flights.

This prevents airlines from tracking your browsing history on Monday, for example, and jacking up prices for the flights you are interested in purchasing when you come back to buy your tickets on Tuesday.

7. Pay Now, Save Later

Never ever think that you can manage your overseas trip without travel insurance.

You could need insurance for any number of scenarios, including:

• an unexpected cyclone that leaves you stranded in Fiji and needing to change flights and travel plans; or
• a violent sandstorm in the Namibian desert which destroys your digital SLR camera; or
• your suitcase, including your laptop, being stolen in Bangkok; or
• a tree coming out of nowhere, while snow boarding in Whistler, which leaves you seriously injured and needing to be medically evacuated out of Canada.

Travel insurance is an essential safety net for the myriad of reasons you cannot foreshadow running into while travelling. Use the cash you save on cheap flights to buy a comprehensive travel insurance policy: the few hundred dollars you invest here can save you thousands in the long run.

Further Information

For some of the cheapest and most comprehensive travel insurance visit:

• World Care Travel Insurance

What countries are on your ‘must visit list’ this year? If you had the money to book an overseas holiday departing next week, would you drop everything and go? Let us know in the comments section below!

Economy flights are a lot like a cheap bottle of wine.

When you first meet, they promise to be your best friend, who will take you on exciting and exotic adventures.

Until you spend a few hours together, and realise it was all a trick.

The unmistakable and heady cabin aroma floods your senses, mixing with faint undertones of excrement that steadily waft your way. You realise that you have unwittingly become part of something unfit for human consumption.

In the first of our Laws Of Travel Etiquette Series, we examine the social laws of aeroplane seat reclining, how to avoid antagonising other passengers, and whether you can be held criminally liable for in-flight offences.

Terrible Tales

Like the first drops of bad wine, long haul flights are an emotional and psychological ordeal.

From cramped seating and sleep deprivation, to cupboard-sized bathrooms and shrieking children, it is not hard to see how a small indiscretion can quickly spiral into full-tilt passenger-on-passenger madness.

In a recent budget airlines horror story one woman recounted an 8-hour assault on her senses by a fellow passenger’s bare feet she described as smelling like the ‘anus of satan.’

Other common mid-flight experiences involve couples found licking each other’s fingers, children becoming seat kickers, and bathrooms becoming fully fledged war zones.

In these conditions, a seat reclined an inch beyond acceptable standards can rapidly spark arguments and lead to violence. The proliferation of ‘air rage’ over reclining seats has seen many planes diverted and resulted in passengers being kicked off flights at unscheduled destinations.

In one recent incident, a man using a banned device called the ‘knee defender’, which attaches to a passenger’s tray table and disables the reclining mechanism of the seat in front, was verbally abused, had water thrown on him and caused the flight to be diverted. In another case, two people had to be subdued by air marshals over a seat reclining disagreement.

So when is it considered okay to recline your seat?

The Laws Of An Acceptable Seat Recline

Patrick Smith from Business Insider describes people who thrust their chairs back at full speed, leaving a split second to recover laptops, personal items or drinks, as ‘assault recliners.’

With ever-dwindling personal space and cramped airline conditions, there are few situations these days that warrant reclining your seat to maximum capacity. To survive a long haul flight and avoid antagonising those around you, it is essential to keep calm and accept the situation.

The more you drink in your surroundings, the more tolerable the experience will become.

When deciding whether to recline, always peek behind to check:

1. If the person behind you has reclined their chair. If they have, feel free to recline yours to a lesser or equivalent angle – never more
2. If the person is sleeping or has their tray table up. If so, recline only as far as you reasonably need to be comfortable
3. For long haul flights, people are generally more considerate of the need for extra space. If you do want to recline, try to wait at least 45 minutes after take off. On longer flights passengers tend to move around the plane, retrieve personal items from overhead lockers or under their seat. This extra grace period allows everyone to get settled and comfortable without causing any angst.

If you decide to recline, do so slowly!

Social Offences And Times When You Should Not Recline

There are many situations where breaching someone’s personal space with your seat is in poor taste. Avoid reclining your chair when the person behind you:

1. Has a baby on their lap
2. Is working on a laptop, especially if their tray table is open
3. Is eating or has drinks on their table
4. Is not immediately visible. For example, because they are retrieving a blanket from under their seat or are leaning forward to reach the in-flight magazines. The last thing you want to do is render someone unconscious with the dull thud of your seat back.
5. For short flights, avoid reclining at all (1-2 hours). Unless you have a medical condition, everyone can endure a couple of hours of discomfort.

‘Altitude Sickness:’ What Happens If You Behave Poorly On A Flight?

Just because you are flying over international waters does not mean that you are above the law.

Every airport is covered by a local policing agency. Losing your temper and abusing other passengers or flight attendants, getting drunk and interfering with flight crew, assaulting another passenger or flight attendant or generally behaving in a way that is disorderly or lewd is punishable by fines, arrest and imprisonment in the city where you land.

Alarmingly, the incidence of crimes of opportunity, such as sexual assaults on flights are increasing. In many cases, women are groped by a passenger next to them and are too shocked to report it. In a flight from Japan to Hawaii, a woman was attacked and trapped in the bathroom with the offender, before flight crew were forced to break the door off the hinge to free her.

In a recent Australian case, a man repeatedly punched a sleeping passenger in the face and was charged with assault on landing. In another recent incident, a man from Perth has been fined $10,000 and ordered to pay over $58,000 for aggressive and abusive behaviour causing a Virgin flight to turn back to its departure city.

Flights and air travel are generally governed by aviation legislation. In Australia, these subjects are covered by the Crimes (Aviation) Act 1991.

Cases of air rage and other offences carried out on a plane can attract criminal charges, for example:

• Acts Of Violence

Whether directed at another passenger or crew members, an Australian citizen can be charged with this offence even if it occurs when the flight is over another country.

• Endangering Safety

Many laws govern both passengers and crew who deliberately or recklessly endanger the safety of other passengers or the flight itself. For example, a passenger trying to open a door.

• Assaulting Crew

Assaulting a crew member on board an aircraft is an offence that is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

• Carrying Dangerous Goods

If you carry or place dangerous goods on an aircraft, or have them with you (in your bag or your pocket, for example) while on a flight, you can be charged and face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

• Hijacking

Under Australian law this an offence when committed on a domestic flight or by an Australian citizen on a flight in another country.

Travel Safe

These days, safely and comfortably navigating air travel is a nuanced experience. Be conscious of your own behaviour, and the behaviour of those around you. If you decide to recline your seat, make sure you do it in a respectful way that treats other passengers the way you would like to be treated.

Remember that if a passenger near you is behaving in an agitated manner, or makes you feel uneasy, you are within your rights to request to move seats.

If you are assaulted in-flight, report the incident to flight crew immediately. They are trained to deal with assaults and will make arrangements for the offender to be dealt with.

Less than one hour without wi-fi makes most of us lapse into a form of digital amnesia – forgetting that our computers and devices can still work without it. For jet junkies, the internet has revolutionsed travel.

Storage on smartphones and tablets has removed the need to carry bulky itineraries, tickets, bookings, maps and guidebooks. Finding accommodation and booking transfers or activities now takes little more time than connecting to a local signal.

Except if you’re travelling through Africa …

Navigating the developing world offline is an art form. Here are our top tricks for finding secret WiFi hotspots, as well as the best apps to make this uncomfortable digital narrative less traumatic.

Five phases of wi-fi mourning

 1. Denial and isolation

When faced with substantial connectivity issues, our first reaction is to deny the reality of the situation. It’s a standard defence mechanism to cope with the shock of not having immediate access to the internet.

The crushing truth is that, in most African countries, a reliable high-speed internet connection is about as common as a purple carrot. No matter how much time you spend convincing yourself otherwise, your social network is now isolated to just you and your trusty travel buddy.

The reasons for Africa’s ongoing connectivity problems are numerous and complex. R. Les Cottrell provides an excellent analysis of the main issues.

2. Anger

As the effects of denial fade, the reality of the situation will begin to seep in. You may find yourself irrationally directing anger towards strangers, friends or even inanimate objects. Learn to suppress the rage and embrace the limitations of your new environment.

Nowadays cafes or restaurants advertising FREE WI-FI are easy to find in most Southern African cities.

Most cafes have a daily data allowance from local internet service providers and apportion this equally among tables.

Data packages, especially in countries such as Botswana are very expensive so, while you may be able to access wi-fi at your table, you will be assigned a quota that cuts out immediately once it has been reached.

To prevent network abuse, cafes and restaurants have internet usage restrictions that range from
30 minutes or 50MB to 2 hours or 200MB – whichever comes first.

At certain hotspots, you may not be able to access wi-fi because the total daily data limit has already been exceeded by the restaurant (or the internet may be down citywide). A rolling blackout or load shedding is another likely cause.

To increase your chances of getting connected, ask whether wi-fi is available at your table and how much data allowance you will receive before being seated. You can then plan your time effectively.

3. Bargaining

Other common reactions to sudden and diminished access to the internet are feelings of helplessness and anxiety. You may experience an overwhelming need to regain control.

Compulsive phone checks (for available networks) and furtive attempts to guess the wi-fi passwords of strangers are common manifestations of this phase. The good news is that there is hope.

Many large chain cafes and restaurants provide stable connections through a local carrier called AlwaysOn.

The top food and internet hotspots across Southern Africa (including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe) include:

• Mugg & Bean
• Wimpy
• McDonalds
• Seattle Coffee Company
• Café Europa
• Col’Cacchios
• Fego Cafe

Most wi-fi networks are password protected and available at your table on request.

Hotels such as CityLodge Hotels, Sun International, Tsogo Sun Hotels and Protea Hotels also offer complimentary wi-fi access. A daily data limit usually ranges between 100MB and 500MB.

Smaller establishments are sometimes prone to weaker and unstable internet connections meaning that your connection can drop out multiple times during a session. Be wary if you are working in the cloud because your data may not be saved.

A number of apps can locate free wi-fi hotspots but sometimes it’s worthwhile checking electronics stores like Incredible Connection that use (often unprotected) wi-fi networks for their display items.

4. Depression

Avoid this stage altogether by investing in a local SIM card with a data plan.

If you are arriving in South Africa, purchase a SIM at the airport as soon as you land since airport vendors are less restrictive about foreigners buying SIM cards. In most South African tech stores it is very difficult to purchase a SIM if you are a non-citizen and do not have a local ID.

Ensure that your phone is unlocked from your Australian carrier or it will not work with a foreign SIM.

The most trusted phone carriers with the best coverage and speeds include:

• Mascom (Botswana)
• Orange (Botswana)
• MTN (Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe)
• Vodacom (South Africa)

Generally, prepaid credit will not exceed more than between $10-15 depending on the latest currency conversion. The cost of data compared to most Western countries is very expensive. So unless you are prepared to haemorrhage a cool $75 on Youtube, try to keep your data usage to normal web browsing only.

If you can afford it, a SIM card with a large data package gives you the benefit of tethering your phone as a mobile hotspot for laptop and tablet use.

Remember, Africa is not a country; it’s a continent. This means that you will need to repeat this process by buying a new SIM card each time you cross a border.

Like Europe, each country has its own international dialling codes and local phone carriers.

5. Acceptance

The final stage is characterised by social withdrawal. You may even start to experience a sense of calm as your brain adjusts to thinking offline.

The following travel apps are designed for offline usage and slow connections:

• Evernote – store all your files in the cloud (maps, documents, business cards, pdfs, photos and itineraries). Information is synced to all your devices and can be saved for offline viewing. This removes the need for a wi-fi hotspot.

• Firechat – an ‘off the grid’ messaging app that allows you to chat and send photos to people near to you without an internet connection or mobile phone coverage. It works by crowd-sourcing signals from other phones around you.

• WhatsApp – the most reliable way to message friends and family when you’re travelling. It does require an internet connection or 3G network, however, in countries with unstable phone coverage, the overwhelming benefit of WhatsApp lies in being able to see that your message has been delivered to the recipient’s phone.

• Wi-Fi Finder – search for wi-fi networks near you anywhere in the world. Download the offline database in order to locate wi-fi hotspots without a network connection.

• CityMaps & MapsMe – store maps for offline viewing.

• Spotify – download and store music and playlists for offline listening.

O-tip: If you can, travel with an iPad or tablet. An iPad will almost always connect to a slow or unstable internet connection at times where your computer is not able to.

We don’t know why this works, it just does.

Don’t be sad, be smart

Travelling without internet is a singular experience. No one can understand the full spectrum of emotion you will endure and nothing can prepare you for it.

Although coping with limited bandwidth is a challenge, you can achieve surprising results by mapping out your time before connecting, prioritising your tasks and working efficiently.

Further information

• For information about travelling safely throughout Africa and the latest travel advisories visit: Smart Traveller.
• To purchase affordable travel insurance before you leave visit: Worldcare Insurance.
• To book an African adventure visit: G Adventures.

What strategies do you use when travelling without internet? How do you cope with tech-related grief? Tell us in the comments section below!