Today’s technology allows you to get access to almost any information with your fingertips! That being said, pen and paper is always a great thing to keep with you, a little notepad that can be carried in a pocket and pen (take a spare pen just in case) can certainly help with any communication issues especially in the UK from taxi drivers, to check in staff at the airport to flight attendants or even the person you are sat next to on the aircraft.
If you are travelling abroad, not everyone will be able to read and write English so the pen and paper method for communication may fall down a little but this is where technology excels. That being said, most established resorts in most countries do have English speaking staff or guides.
Your smartphone is very smart indeed. Firstly communication, there are so many apps you can use from the simple notepad so you can write questions on the phone and show it and allow someone to respond on your phone. Speech to text apps are also great where the app listens to the speech and translates to caption text in real time – try Easy Talk pro or Dragon Anywhere. If you struggle to communicate in English, apps like google translate will allow you to show someone words or sentences in their own language and then you can translate their response back to you.
Google maps gives you a navigation tool which means you will not have to ask people for directions. Most countries have a form of taxi service which is online, like Uber, where you can order you taxi, input where you want to go and track it without any verbal communication.
Whatever you do, ensure you keep your technology safe and powered up for whenever you need it, take a power bank with you as some apps may drain your battery.
