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Gigapass blog: travel connected, without the small print

Comparisons Best eSIM for Thailand: islands, cities and days to spare Bangkok, islands and long transfers. Which plan fits a trip that's usually longer than people reckon, and what to check before paying. Nerea Aguilar 7 min Read

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Comparisons Best eSIM for the United States: what changes with your kind of trip A week in New York and a road trip through the west aren't the same. What to check on coverage, days and data before you buy. Nerea Aguilar 8 min Comparisons Best eSIM for Japan: how to pick yours without overbuying There's no single best eSIM for everyone: there's one that fits your days and how you travel. The five things that decide it, in order. Nerea Aguilar 8 min Comparisons How to choose a travel eSIM: the seven things that decide it Comparing eSIMs on price per gigabyte is the most common mistake. These seven points explain why two similar-looking plans aren't worth the same. Nerea Aguilar 9 min Comparisons eSIM, pocket wifi or local SIM: the three ways to have data abroad Three ways to get online abroad, with their real advantages and their strings attached. Which wins depending on the trip, the group and the country. Nerea Aguilar 8 min Comparisons Unlimited eSIM or one by the gigabyte: which you actually need Unlimited is reassuring and hardly ever necessary. When each one pays off, what small print to read, and how to tell which group you're in. Nerea Aguilar 8 min Before you buy How much data work video calls use An hour-long meeting, screen sharing and sitting in a room with fifteen people don't cost the same. The figures, and how to get through a working day. Claudia Ferrán 6 min Before you buy Working while travelling: building a connection that won't leave you stranded One connection isn't enough when your work depends on it. How to build redundancy, how much data to allow for, and what to check on arrival. Claudia Ferrán 7 min Before you buy International SIM cards: what they are and when they're worth it A card that works in many countries sounds ideal and isn't always. How they work, what you pay, and when there are better options. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Before you buy Where to buy a travel SIM: the four options and their catches At the airport, in a shop in the country, online before you leave, or as an eSIM. What each one wins on and where the small print is. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Before you buy Prepaid credit or a fixed data plan: which suits you abroad One is spent as you use it and the other is fixed from the start. Which fits which kind of trip, and what to check so nothing surprises you. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Before you buy My SIM isn't working abroad: the checklist Eight checks ordered from most to least likely, which work the same for a physical card and for an eSIM. Bea Nogales 5 min Before you buy A local SIM per country or a regional plan: which wins on a multi-stop trip It depends on how many borders you cross and how many nights you stop in each place. The simple rule that settles almost every case. Rubén Ortega 5 min Before you buy How much data TikTok uses per hour It's the app that empties a data plan fastest, and the one you notice least while it happens. The figures, and the setting that halves them. Dani Requena 6 min Before you buy How much data Netflix and streaming series use on a phone Watching a series abroad on mobile data is the fastest way to finish off a plan. The figures, the settings, and what to download beforehand. Bea Nogales 5 min Before you buy How much data YouTube uses, by quality setting From 300 MB to over 2 GB an hour, and you pick the difference yourself in a menu. The figures by quality and how to set it up before you travel. Bea Nogales 6 min Before you buy How much data Spotify and music streaming use Less than you fear, and more than it looks on a road trip. The figures by quality, and why it's worth downloading before you leave. Dani Requena 5 min Before you buy How much data Instagram uses when you're travelling Reels and stories are what really empty a data plan. How much each part uses, and the settings that halve it. Dani Requena 7 min Before you buy ESTA, eTA, ETA and the rest: what electronic entry permits are They aren't visas and they can't be ignored either. What each one is, where to actually apply, and how not to overpay for it. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Before you buy Countries with internet restrictions: what to expect and what to prepare Some services don't work, others come and go, and the rules change. How to find out beforehand, what to prepare, and what not to promise yourself. Rubén Ortega 6 min Before you buy SIM card or eSIM: how they differ and which suits travelling It's the same line delivered two different ways. What actually changes when you travel, which phones take which, and which gives you fewer problems. Dani Requena 5 min Before you buy A month of travel: how much data you need and how to split it On long trips the sums break down: the countries change, the usage changes and so does your discipline. How to estimate it, when to buy in stages, and what to watch. Claudia Ferrán 7 min Before you buy What your operator charges outside the EU, and how to find out before you fly No guide can tell you your price, because it changes by plan and by zone. What it can do is show you how to look it up in five minutes. Dani Requena 7 min Before you buy You fly tomorrow and haven't thought about internet: here are your options You have hours, not days. The four possible ways out, ordered by speed, with how long each takes and what can go wrong. Dani Requena 6 min How it works An eSIM's APN: what it is and when you have to touch it You hardly ever need to, and when you do, nothing browses at all. What the APN is, where to change it, and why it isn't the eSIM's server address. Bea Nogales 5 min How it works eSIM on iPads and tablets: when it's worth it and how to install it Tablets with mobile connectivity have supported eSIM for years. When a plan of its own is worth it, and when tethering from your phone is better. Bea Nogales 5 min How it works Turning off, deleting or reinstalling an eSIM: three buttons that aren't the same One is reversible, one isn't, and the third depends on your provider. What each does and which one you want in each situation. Bea Nogales 5 min How it works Data-only eSIM or one with a number: which you actually need Most travel plans are data only, and for nearly everything that's enough. When you genuinely need a local number, and what the alternatives are. Dani Requena 5 min Before you buy One eSIM for two phones: what works and what doesn't A profile lives on one handset, but there are two ways for both of you to travel connected. Which one suits which kind of trip. Dani Requena 6 min How it works Tethering from an eSIM: when you can, and what it uses In most cases yes, and it uses more than people reckon on. How to switch it on, what limits it, and how much data to allow for. Dani Requena 6 min How it works How to check how much data you have left on your travel plan Your phone's counter and your provider's don't measure the same thing. Where to look for what, why they never match, and how to keep track without fretting. Bea Nogales 5 min How it works Changing phone with an eSIM installed: what you lose and what you don't The profile doesn't travel across with your photos. What to do before you set up a new handset, how the transfer works, and what happens if the old phone won't turn on. Bea Nogales 6 min How it works An eSIM's QR code: what it is, why it works once, and what to do if you lose it Inside that square there's a server address and a key. What they mean, why it can't be reused, and how to install without it. Bea Nogales 6 min How it works When to install and when to activate your eSIM: getting the timing right Installing and activating aren't the same thing, and confusing them costs days of your plan. What to do at home, what to leave for arrival, and what to check first. Dani Requena 7 min How it works Is an eSIM secure? What it protects, what it doesn't, and what's on you It can't be taken out of the phone, and that changes things for better and for worse. Which risks are real, which are myths, and what's worth having switched on. Dani Requena 6 min Before you buy Unlocked or locked to an operator: why it matters for an eSIM It's the second condition for installing an eSIM and the one most people find out about too late. How to check, how to unlock it and how long it takes. Dani Requena 6 min Before you buy How long 1 GB of data lasts when you're travelling A gigabyte goes a long way or lasts twenty minutes, and the only difference is video. What fits inside one, and when it falls short. Dani Requena 6 min Before you buy How much data Google Maps uses on a trip Far less than almost everyone thinks. How much it uses navigating, how much searching, and why downloading the map changes everything. Dani Requena 7 min Before you buy How much data WhatsApp uses: messages, calls and video calls Messages are practically free, calls cost little and video calls are another story. The figures, and what to switch off before you travel. Dani Requena 7 min Before you buy Which iPhones have eSIM, model by model Every iPhone from the XS onwards has eSIM, with caveats by generation and by country of purchase. What each one supports and how to check in twenty seconds. Dani Requena 6 min Before you buy Which Android phones have eSIM: Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi and the rest On Android it depends on the model and on the country it was sold in. The families that have it, and the check that never fails. Dani Requena 6 min Before you buy Will I get my bank's text messages with a travel eSIM? Yes, as long as you leave your usual line active for texts. How to set it up, what can go wrong, and what to sort out before you leave. Dani Requena 6 min How it works Your usual SIM and a travel eSIM at once: how to set it up A compatible phone runs both lines switched on. What to pick for each, how it looks on screen, and the usual mistakes when setting it up. Dani Requena 7 min How it works The eSIM isn't working: the checklist, in order It's nearly always a setting and hardly ever the eSIM. Eight checks ordered from most to least likely, to sort it out in minutes. Dani Requena 7 min How it works Installing an eSIM on iPhone: the steps and the names that confuse people On iOS it's quick, and there are two screens where everybody hesitates. Which ones, what to choose on each, and how to set it up for your trip. Bea Nogales 5 min How it works Installing an eSIM on Android, step by step and with each brand's quirks The menu is called something different on every manufacturer, and that's where everyone gets stuck. Where it lives on each, and what to do if the option isn't there. Bea Nogales 5 min On the road Roaming in the European Union: what it really covers and what it doesn't If your line is from an EU country, your data travels with you inside the Union, with details worth knowing: fair use, countries that look in and aren't, and the small print. Nerea Aguilar 7 min On the road Switching your phone on when you land can cost you: do it in this order The first ten minutes after a long flight burn the most data, and nobody is looking at the screen while it happens. The right order, step by step. Nerea Aguilar 6 min On the road What to do if you lose your phone abroad Your line, your ticket and your bookings go with it. The steps in order, what you can do from another device, and what to set up beforehand. Claudia Ferrán 7 min Expats Local line or your home-country line when you live abroad: which for what The answer is both, each for its own job. How to split them, when to move to a local line, and why a travel plan isn't made for living somewhere. Bea Nogales 6 min Destinations Roaming in Switzerland: the European country that falls outside European roaming Switzerland is surrounded by the European Union and is not part of it. What operators do with that case and how to avoid the surprise. Irene Salazar 6 min On the road Free airport wifi: what it is good for and why it is not enough It gets you out of a fix and lets you down exactly when you need it most. How to connect properly and what happens once you leave the terminal. Nerea Aguilar 6 min Expats Paperwork on arrival: the order that saves you the runaround Registration, ID number, bank, healthcare and address. Almost every step depends on the one before it, so the right order saves weeks. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Destinations Internet on a US road trip: what to sort out before you set off There are stretches of hours with no coverage and everything runs through apps. What to download, what to write down and how not to depend on signal. Irene Salazar 8 min On the road How to call from abroad without it costing a fortune Calling over data is almost free, and calling on your usual line may not be. What to use in each case, local numbers included. Nerea Aguilar 6 min Money and insurance Paying by card abroad without giving away fees The fee that gets paid most often is not charged by your bank: it is charged by the card terminal, and you accept it at the press of a button. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Money and insurance What travel insurance really covers (and what it never covers) The cover all looks alike; the exclusions do not. What to check before you buy and the five pieces of small print that decide it. Tomás Berruezo 7 min Planning How to find out whether you need a visa (and why not to trust the first result) It depends on your passport, on the purpose of the trip and on the date, and it changes. Where you actually check and what to ask yourself first. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Money and insurance European Health Insurance Card: what it covers and why it is not insurance It is free, you apply online and it covers less than people think. Where it works, what it leaves out and when you need something more. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Money and insurance Working out a travel budget: the method that does not miss Flights and hotel are half of it. How to estimate the other half, which line always gets forgotten and how much slack to leave. Claudia Ferrán 6 min Destinations Fifteen days across the United States: how much data you need City trips and road trips work out very differently. What each kind of route uses, and what to download before the desert. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Roaming in the United Kingdom: what Brexit changed and what it did not By regulation it is no longer part of European roaming, but many carriers still include it. How to check your own plan before flying. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Destinations Roaming in Japan: what it costs and how to avoid a shock Japan is outside the European Union, so your plan does not travel with you. How the charging works, where to check yours and what the alternatives are. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Internet in India: why the local SIM is the paperwork, not the solution Extremely cheap data for those who live there and considerable paperwork for those visiting. What coverage is like and what to do before landing. Rubén Ortega 7 min Destinations Internet in Dubai: the restriction worth knowing about before you go The network is among the best in the world and calls through apps are restricted. What works, what does not and how to arrange contact with home. Rubén Ortega 6 min Destinations Internet in Türkiye: coverage, local SIM and handset registration A good network, expensive tourist rates and a handset registration rule that catches out anyone staying a while. What you need to know. Rubén Ortega 7 min Destinations Roaming in Türkiye: why it is not part of European roaming Türkiye is geographically in Europe and outside the Union as far as rates go. What that means on your bill and how to check it. Irene Salazar 6 min Destinations Internet in Egypt: Cairo, the Nile and the Red Sea Good coverage in the cities and on the coast, and a Nile cruise that stutters. What to expect, what to download and what happens with calls. Rubén Ortega 6 min Destinations Internet in Vietnam: one of the best networks in Southeast Asia Broad, cheap coverage and a trip made from north to south with the phone in your hand. What to expect by area and what to prepare. Rubén Ortega 6 min Destinations Internet in Argentina: Buenos Aires is fine and Patagonia is another matter Well-covered cities and enormous routes with gaps lasting hours. What to expect on each leg, what to download and how to avoid the roaming bill. Irene Salazar 6 min Destinations What to know before travelling to Morocco with your phone Roaming, coverage in the Atlas, plug sockets, medina maps and calls through apps. What to have sorted before boarding. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Roaming in Morocco: what you pay and what your options are Fourteen kilometres of sea and a whole tariff border. How operators treat Morocco, what to switch off before boarding and what the options are. Irene Salazar 6 min Destinations Roaming in the United States: prices, zones and alternatives The United States sits outside European roaming and is usually one of the priciest zones. How to check your plan and what to do before boarding. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Roaming in Mexico: how you are billed and what to do on landing Mexico is an international zone on most European plans. How the billing works, what to switch off before boarding and what the alternatives are. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Destinations Roaming in Andorra: the country you drive to that is not in the EU You cross without noticing and it shows up on next month's bill. What exactly happens and how to avoid it on a ski weekend. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Destinations Roaming in Argentina: an international zone and long distances It is outside the EU and the trip tends to be long, so a daily pass multiplies fast. How the billing works and what to do before you fly. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Destinations Roaming in Colombia: what leaving the phone on costs you An international zone, two-week trips and a country where the phone gets heavy use. How to check your plan and what to leave switched off. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Destinations Roaming in India: pricey per megabyte, with one detail people forget India is one of the priciest zones on European plans, and the trip is long. How the billing works and why a local SIM is not the quick way out. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Destinations Roaming in the Dominican Republic: the classic Caribbean bill Land, switch the phone on and leave it connected all week. How you are billed, what to switch off and why resort wi-fi is not enough. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Destinations Roaming in Portugal: it is included, and these are the exceptions The short answer is yes. The long one has three nuances worth knowing, above all if you go often or stay a while. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Destinations Ten days in Japan: how many gigabytes you actually need Tokyo, Kyoto and train transfers. The day-by-day sum for a trip to Japan and how to turn it into a specific plan. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations A week in New York: how many gigabytes you actually need Subway, maps, museums and a lot of photos. The day-by-day sum for a week in New York and what the city's wi-fi can solve. Claudia Ferrán 6 min Destinations Ten apps worth installing before travelling to Japan Transport, translation, payments and earthquake alerts. What to install before you leave and what to set up while you still have wi-fi at home. Irene Salazar 8 min Destinations Internet in Italy: what your plan already covers and what it does not Italy is inside European roaming, so the question is not which eSIM to buy but what your own plan covers. Real coverage, wi-fi and the odd cases. Irene Salazar 6 min Destinations Internet in Portugal: coverage, roaming and what to check if you drive It is in the Union, so a European plan travels with you. Where coverage fails, what happens at the border and how much a trip around the country uses. Irene Salazar 6 min Destinations Internet in Greece: islands, ferries and where the signal drops European roaming covers Greece, but an island trip has traps of its own: crossings, coves and villages where the map has to be already loaded. Irene Salazar 6 min Destinations Internet in Thailand: cities, islands and long transfers Better coverage than expected and a simple local process. Where the signal fails, what the phone is used for there and what two weeks use. Rubén Ortega 7 min Destinations Internet in Indonesia: Bali, islands and deceptive distances Bali is well covered and the rest of the country is enormous and uneven. What to expect by area, what an island trip uses and what to leave downloaded. Rubén Ortega 6 min Destinations Internet in Brazil: a country where everything runs through messaging Good network along the coast and enormous distances inland. Why running out of data complicates more than usual and what a typical trip uses. Irene Salazar 6 min Destinations Internet in Peru: Lima, Cusco and the route to Machu Picchu The cities are fine and the highlands have their gaps. What to expect on the train, in the valley and on the climb, and what to have downloaded. Irene Salazar 6 min Destinations Internet in the Dominican Republic: there is life outside the resort too The hotel wi-fi covers half the trip. What happens on excursions, transfers and the beach, and how much a week there uses. Irene Salazar 5 min Destinations You have just landed in Bangkok: internet, transport and money The three things to sort out in the first hour, in the order they come up and without falling into the classic airport traps. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Internet in Australia: excellent cities and an enormous interior Good network along the coast and hundreds of kilometres with nothing inland. What to expect depending on the route and what to prepare before leaving the city. Rubén Ortega 6 min Destinations Internet in South Africa: good coverage and two things worth knowing A better network than many expect, scheduled power cuts and a phone to use with your head. The practical guide. Irene Salazar 6 min Destinations Internet in Ireland: European roaming and a border you cross without seeing it Ireland is inside European roaming and the north is not. What happens when you cross without checks, where coverage fails and what to check if you drive. Irene Salazar 5 min Destinations Internet in Norway: fjords, tunnels and surprising coverage The country is in the European Economic Area, so roaming travels with you. Where the signal fails between the fjords and what to carry downloaded. Irene Salazar 5 min Destinations Internet in Costa Rica: between volcanoes, jungle and slow roads Good coverage in the central valley and gaps in the jungle. What to expect by area, what a nature trip uses and what to download. Irene Salazar 5 min Destinations Internet in Sri Lanka: slow trains, tea and good coverage A cheap, wide network with gaps in the inland mountains. What to expect on the train, what the trip uses and how to arrive connected. Rubén Ortega 5 min On the road Seven phone mistakes that can spoil a trip None of them is exotic and all of them can be sorted before you leave the house. The most repeated slip-ups and what to do instead. Nerea Aguilar 7 min On the road What to do with your eSIM when you get home There is nothing to return and nothing to cancel. What to switch back after landing, whether to delete the profile and what happens if you go back. Nerea Aguilar 5 min On the road You run out of data mid-trip: what to do You are not cut off, and it can almost always be sorted in ten minutes. The ways out in order, and how to avoid a repeat. Nerea Aguilar 6 min On the road Hotel wi-fi: why it is bad and what you can do A network shared by two hundred people has its limits. What you can fix from the room, and when there is nothing left but your own data. Claudia Ferrán 5 min On the road Long trains and coaches: how to get through with your phone The signal comes and goes, on-board wi-fi almost never delivers and the battery is finite. What to prepare before boarding. Claudia Ferrán 5 min On the road Internet in the countryside and the mountains: what to expect Where nobody lives there are no masts, and no plan fixes that. What to have ready and which habits are worth more than coverage. Irene Salazar 5 min On the road Public wi-fi and VPNs: when you really need one The risk of ten years ago is not today's risk. What a VPN actually protects, when it is justified and when it is smoke. Bea Nogales 6 min On the road Travelling as a group: sharing the connection without complaints One plan for everyone or one each, and who pays what. How to split it depending on the group and what to agree before leaving. Claudia Ferrán 5 min On the road Plugs and battery: charging your phone anywhere without slip-ups Which adaptor for which region, why voltage matters less than you think, and how to make the battery last the day. Nerea Aguilar 6 min On the road Travelling with children: how much data you need and how to split it A tablet playing cartoons uses more than all the adults put together. How to work it out, what to download beforehand and how to avoid the surprise on the flight. Claudia Ferrán 6 min On the road Short layovers: how not to miss the second flight An hour's layover can be plenty or nowhere near enough, and it depends on five things. What they are and what to do if you miss the connection anyway. Nerea Aguilar 6 min On the road Travelling alone for the first time: what actually needs preparing Neither that hard nor that idyllic. How to choose the first destination, which safety routines are worth it and how to get through the odd moments. Nerea Aguilar 6 min On the road Eating while travelling without taking chances: rules that work almost everywhere Neither shutting yourself in the hotel nor eating anything at all. The practical rules of people who travel a lot and what to do if it catches you anyway. Nerea Aguilar 5 min On the road Public transport in a city you don't know: sorted in ten minutes Which ticket to buy, how to validate and what to check before you get on. The method that works in any city in the world. Claudia Ferrán 5 min On the road Travel photos on your phone: four things that change the result No courses and no strange apps. The light, the framing, two settings on the phone and how to save them without burning through your data plan. Nerea Aguilar 5 min On the road Phone security while travelling: the settings you do once Against theft and against carelessness. What to switch on before leaving, what not to keep on the phone and what to do in the first minutes if it disappears. Bea Nogales 5 min On the road Internet on a cruise: why your data plan is no use on the open sea On board there are no masts belonging to any country: there is satellite, and it is billed separately. What works in port, what doesn't at sea and how to avoid the bill. Claudia Ferrán 6 min On the road Interrail: how many gigabytes you need and what to prepare before leaving A month, eight countries and the ticket inside your phone. What your tariff covers, where it stops covering and how much a rail route really uses. Claudia Ferrán 7 min Students Erasmus: what to do with your phone and your line before you go Where your line is registered changes everything. On an EU line your data travels with you; on any other, roaming starts the day you land. Bea Nogales 6 min Students Studying abroad: the paperwork in order, with its deadlines Enrolment, visa, housing and healthcare, and none of them waits for the others. The order to do them in and what can be left until last. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Students The first weeks in another city: a student's list Transport, local number, bank, healthcare and people. The order to sort them in, and what can wait until month two without any fuss. Claudia Ferrán 6 min Students Opening a bank account while studying abroad: when you need one Sometimes the one from home is enough, and sometimes they will not let you rent without a local one. What they will ask for, in what order, and what to check first. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Students Finding student housing abroad without falling for a scam Renting from a distance is where the scams are. How to search, which signals warn you, and what you never pay before you have seen anything. Claudia Ferrán 6 min Students Healthcare while studying abroad: what covers you and what you must buy A state health card is not always enough and many visas require insurance of your own. What covers what, and the order to sort it in. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Work and nomads A different country every week: how not to lose your mind over data A setup you do once that lasts the whole season. What to install, what to switch off, and how to check your usage without thinking about it. Bea Nogales 5 min Work and nomads Cabin crew: sorting out connectivity with four countries a week Changing country every other day breaks any normal data plan. What fits a rotation and what to leave set up once and for all. Nerea Aguilar 6 min Work and nomads Coworking, café or your accommodation: where you actually get work done Each option fails somewhere different. Which to pick depending on the kind of day, and what to check before paying a month up front. Claudia Ferrán 5 min Work and nomads Choosing somewhere to stay and work: what the photos do not show A desk, a chair and a connection that holds. The specific questions to ask before booking a month anywhere. Claudia Ferrán 5 min Work and nomads Choosing where to work remotely: the five filters that matter Cost of living is the filter everyone looks at and the one that decides least. The five that do decide, in the order you apply them. Claudia Ferrán 6 min Work and nomads The crew suitcase: what you pack when your bag weighs on you daily Little, light and always the same. How to build a bag that works for four climates and which electronics are worth the weight. Nerea Aguilar 5 min Work and nomads Jet lag and shifts: what works when you change time zone every week It is not tiredness, it is a body clock knocked out of place. What genuinely helps depending on the direction of the flight, and what to do on a short layover. Nerea Aguilar 5 min Work and nomads A 24-hour layover: making the most of it without wrecking the next flight Neither shutting yourself in the hotel nor trying to see it all. How to split the day, what to have ready before landing and what never to do. Nerea Aguilar 5 min Work and nomads Building a backup connection: what to do when the wifi drops A single way online isn't infrastructure, it's a bet. How to build the second one, what it costs and how to test it before you need it. Bea Nogales 6 min Work and nomads Flying a lot: what the body notices and what can be done Dehydration, broken sleep, ears and back. The real complaints of frequent flying and the routines that actually help. Claudia Ferrán 5 min Work and nomads Working from another time zone without ending up nocturnal The overlap with your team decides your daily life. How to work it out before choosing a destination and how to shape the day so it works. Claudia Ferrán 5 min Work and nomads Digital nomad visas: what they are and what they usually ask for More and more countries offer them. What they solve, which requirements keep coming up and how they differ from staying on as a tourist. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Planning The US ESTA: what it is, how to apply and what it doesn't cover It's the authorisation you get before flying without a visa. How it works, which mistakes leave people on the ground and why it isn't a visa. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Planning The UK ETA: the new requirement that catches a lot of people out Going to London isn't just booking a flight any more. What the British authorisation is, who it affects and what to check before buying the ticket. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Planning e-Visa or visa on arrival: how they differ and which suits you Two ways in without going to a consulate, with different risks. Which to pick when a country offers both, and what to have ready. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Planning Passports: the validity you'll be asked for and the blank pages Being in date isn't always enough. Why many countries want months of margin, how many free pages you need and when to renew. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Planning The pre-trip list: documents, phone, money and health Four blocks, twenty minutes, and the trip stops holding surprises. The list in the order you have to do it, not the order you remember it. Claudia Ferrán 7 min Planning Travel documents: what to carry, what to duplicate and where to keep it The original, the copy and the copy of the copy. How to build a system that holds up even if you lose your phone and your wallet at once. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Planning If you're refused entry to a country: what happens and what you can do It happens rarely and it's worth knowing how it works. What gets checked at the border, what rights you have and how to cut the risk to almost nothing. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Planning Batteries and electronics in your luggage: what flies in the cabin and what doesn't Lithium batteries travel with you or they don't travel. What the rule says, what airlines usually ask and how to pack your bag for security. Bea Nogales 6 min Planning Preparing a trip of several months: what changes compared with a holiday What you improvise in two weeks, you pay for in four months. Paperwork, money, health and connectivity for a long trip, without the fluff. Claudia Ferrán 7 min Planning A route through several countries: how to plan it without losing days at borders Every border is a procedure, a currency and a different pricing zone. How to order the route, what to check per country and what to settle beforehand. Claudia Ferrán 7 min Planning High or low season: what really changes besides the price The price is the first thing people look at and the least decisive. Opening hours, transport, queues and even mobile coverage change with the season. Nerea Aguilar 6 min Planning Working in exchange for accommodation: how it works and what to check A few hours a day for a bed and food. What these exchanges are really like, what to ask before accepting and where the legal line sits. Claudia Ferrán 6 min Planning Choosing volunteer work abroad without falling for the business There are projects that are genuinely needed and there is tourism dressed up as help. The questions that separate them, before you pay anything. Irene Salazar 7 min Planning What to pack for a long volunteering stay: the bag you'll be glad of It isn't a travel bag: it's a work bag. What gets used daily, what you won't find there and what always turns out to be surplus. Irene Salazar 5 min Planning Internet on a rural volunteering placement: what to expect and how to organise Poor coverage, intermittent electricity and an hour of connection a day if you're lucky. How to prepare your phone and what to agree with home. Claudia Ferrán 5 min Planning Volunteering with animals: telling a sanctuary from an attraction If you can touch them, bathe them or pose with them, it's almost never a sanctuary. The signs that give it away and the questions that confirm it. Irene Salazar 6 min Planning Volunteering in Latin America: projects, countries and the language question The working language is Spanish, and that decides more than any other detail. What kinds of project exist, what to check per country and what to sort before you go. Irene Salazar 6 min Expats Moving abroad: the list of what to close down before you go Before you think about the destination you have to close things at home. Tax, healthcare, the bank, the post and the phone, and what each one involves. Tomás Berruezo 7 min Expats Keeping your existing number while you live abroad: the options and the cost It is the key to your bank and to the administration. The three ways to hold on to it, what each one involves and when you can let it go. Bea Nogales 6 min Expats Healthcare when you live abroad: what happens to the card you had Stopping contributions at home changes things. What happens to your card, what a European card covers once you are resident abroad and what you have to take out. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Expats Going home after years abroad: what you have to switch back on Address registration, healthcare, the bank and the number you left behind. The order for existing administratively again without losing weeks. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Comparisons Best eSIM for Mexico: what to look at depending on your route The Riviera Maya is not a route through Chiapas. The details that decide the plan, with the real coverage of each area. Nerea Aguilar 6 min Comparisons Best eSIM for Egypt: what to check before you buy A trip to Egypt is cities, a cruise and a lot of transfers. How that translates into days and gigabytes, and what no eSIM is going to solve. Rubén Ortega 6 min Comparisons Best eSIM for India: the destination where arriving connected shows most With the paperwork a local SIM demands, landing with data is worth more here than almost anywhere. Which plan fits and how much you use. Rubén Ortega 6 min Comparisons Best eSIM for Vietnam: choosing for a trip from north to south A good network and a lot of transfers. How to square the days with a trip that almost always stretches, and what the classic route really uses. Rubén Ortega 6 min Comparisons Best eSIM for Colombia: cities, coffee country and the coast Bogotá, Medellín, the coffee region and the Caribbean ask for different things. How to square days and gigabytes, and what to check in the coverage. Nerea Aguilar 6 min Comparisons Best eSIM for Dubai: which plan fits a layover and which fits a trip Many people reach Dubai on a layover and others stay a week. Which plan fits each case, and what no eSIM is going to solve. Rubén Ortega 6 min Comparisons Best eSIM for Europe: when you actually need one Where your line comes from decides everything. When a European plan pays off, when your own tariff already covers you, and how to choose. Tomás Berruezo 7 min Comparisons Best eSIM for the Dominican Republic: beyond the resort wifi If the trip is hotel and beach, you need few gigabytes. If you go on excursions, the sum changes. How to get it right without buying too much. Nerea Aguilar 5 min Comparisons SIM card for the United States: every option, with its drawbacks A physical SIM bought there, a prepaid SIM ordered before you go, or an eSIM installed before you fly. What wins in each case and what you need to know about your phone. Tomás Berruezo 7 min Comparisons SIM card for Europe: what you need depending on where you're from With a line from an EU country you need nothing inside the Union. Coming from outside, it changes. The real options and their small print. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Comparisons Buying a SIM at the airport: when it works out and when it doesn't It is the old habit and it has a catch. What to ask at the counter, what to check before you walk away, and the destinations where it is a bad idea. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Comparisons What an international SIM is and how it differs from a travel eSIM They get used as synonyms and they are not. What each one does, who each one makes sense for, and how not to pay twice for the same thing. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Money and insurance Getting cash from ATMs abroad: where, how much and when The airport ATM is the most expensive in the country and the most used. How to pick a machine, how much to take out at once, and which button not to press. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Money and insurance Changing money for a trip: where it pays off and where it does not How much cash to take, where to change it, and why the airport exchange desks are still full. With the sums done. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Money and insurance Travel cards: what to look at before opening another account There is no single best one for everybody: there are six conditions that separate them. What they are, how to compare them, and when changing bank is not worth it. Tomás Berruezo 6 min Money and insurance Your card gets cloned while travelling: what to do in the first hour Block, report and claim, in that order. The specific steps, what deadlines there are, and how to keep paying for the rest of the trip. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Money and insurance Tourist tax: what it is, where you pay it and why it wasn't in your booking It turns up at check-in and throws you. How it works, who collects it, who is exempt and how to budget for it. Nerea Aguilar 5 min Money and insurance VAT refunds for travellers: how it works and when it is worth it Only for people who live outside the area where they bought, with a customs step and deadlines. What you need, where it gets stamped and why it fails so often. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Money and insurance Working from another country: the tax questions to ask yourself This is not a tax guide, it is the list of the right questions. Which concepts to handle, what depends on your case and who to ask. Claudia Ferrán 6 min Money and insurance Shopping abroad: what you can bring back and what has to be declared There are limits, there are banned goods and there is a red channel almost nobody uses. How customs works on the way home and what to know first. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Money and insurance Flight taxes and surcharges: why the final price isn't the advertised one There are several layers between the advertised price and the one you pay. Which are compulsory, which can be avoided and which are paid at the destination itself. Nerea Aguilar 5 min Money and insurance Business trip expenses: which receipts to keep and how Spending is never the problem: proving it is. What to keep, how to do it from your phone and which items usually cause trouble at claim time. Claudia Ferrán 5 min Money and insurance Your card's travel insurance: when it's enough and when it's a trap Many cards include travel insurance, and nearly all of them with one condition people break without knowing. How to check whether yours covers you. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Money and insurance Diving, skiing and trekking: the insurance that actually covers them A basic policy excludes exactly what you went there to do. Which activities are left out, what to ask and what the add-on usually costs. Claudia Ferrán 5 min Money and insurance Falling ill on a trip: what to do, in what order and who to call The first thing isn't going to a doctor: it is calling your insurer. The right order, what to document and how to find reliable care somewhere unfamiliar. Claudia Ferrán 6 min Money and insurance Cancellation insurance: which reasons it actually covers Cancelling for a justified reason isn't cancelling because you no longer feel like it. The reasons that usually count, the ones that don't, and when it is worth buying. Tomás Berruezo 5 min Destinations Internet in the United States: coverage, distances and emergency alerts Excellent coverage in the cities and enormous gaps in between. What to expect on a road route and what to sort out before flying. Irene Salazar 8 min Destinations Internet in the United Kingdom: what Brexit changed Free roaming in the United Kingdom stopped being guaranteed after Brexit. What each carrier covers today and what to expect from coverage. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Internet in Mexico: from the Riviera Maya to the sierra Solid coverage in the cities and tourist areas, patchy in the sierra and on stretches of road. What to have sorted before landing. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Internet in Japan: why it pays to arrive already connected Japan has an excellent network and a language that complicates the local paperwork. What to expect on the Shinkansen, in the metro and in the countryside. Irene Salazar 8 min Destinations Internet in Morocco: imperial cities, desert and mountains Good coverage in the cities and on the coast, uneven in the Atlas and the desert. What to prepare if the trip leaves the medinas behind. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Internet in Colombia: coverage, carriers and what to have ready What mobile coverage is like in Colombia, which carriers there are and what is worth sorting out before landing in Bogotá, Medellín or Cartagena. Irene Salazar 8 min Destinations Internet in China: what works, what does not and how to arrive ready In China, Google, WhatsApp and Instagram do not work on a local connection. What that means for a traveller and what to sort out before flying. Irene Salazar 9 min Destinations Internet in Spain if you are coming from abroad: what to know Spain has one of the best networks in Europe. What your options are depending on where you are coming from, and what to do if your roaming does not cover the EU. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Internet in Germany: why the coverage surprises people on arrival Germany has a reputation for punctuality and surprises people on mobile coverage. What to expect in the city, on the train and in the countryside. Irene Salazar 7 min Destinations Internet in France: coverage, operators and the Corsica detail France has solid coverage in the cities and on the TGV. What to expect in the Alps, in Provence and in Corsica, and how to arrive with data. Irene Salazar 7 min On the road Your everyday number and WhatsApp while you travel No, your number stays active. Here's what happens to calls, your bank's texts and WhatsApp, plus the three settings that prevent surprise bills. Nerea Aguilar 7 min How it works Install it at home, not at the airport Installing an eSIM needs a connection, and people find that out too late. A step by step guide to getting it ready at home and switching it on when you land. Dani Requena 7 min Before you buy How much data you actually use on a trip Almost everyone buys too much out of fear of running short. Here are the real figures per hour and per day, plus three habits that save data. Dani Requena 8 min Comparisons Roaming, eSIM or local SIM: which one suits your trip None of them wins every time. We compare all three on price, convenience and risk of a nasty surprise, with a specific recommendation for each kind of trip. Nerea Aguilar 9 min Before you buy How to tell whether your phone supports eSIM (and what to do if it doesn't) There are two conditions, and the second one catches almost everybody out. Here's where to look on iPhone and Android, and what to do if your phone is locked. Dani Requena 7 min Before you buy What an eSIM is, and how it differs from the SIM card you know An eSIM is a SIM card you download instead of one that gets manufactured. Here's how it works, what changes when you travel and which phones support it. Dani Requena 8 min