One of the greatest things about traveling around the world is exploring the unknown and enjoying new experiences. But while unexpected surprises can be pleasant, that doesn’t mean you should leave everything completely up to chance.

Since we all walk around with supercomputers in our pockets, it makes sense to utilize our phones and tablets to monitor our flights, find the best places to eat and avoid sticky situations.

If you’re a die-hard traveler, here are the apps you simply MUST have.

Preparing for Your Trip

You know what they say — fail to prepare, prepare to fail. And that includes ensuring you organize everything before you go away.

Our first recommendation is Packing Pro. This simple app will set you back £2.99, but it’s more than worth it for what you get in return.

The app will help you organize your suitcase with a handy, compartmentalized checklist to ensure you’ve got everything you need. Punch in how long you’re going away for, where you’re going and what sort of weather you’re expecting, and Packing Pro will do the rest for you.

As if by magic, it’ll tell you what kind of clothing you should be taking and how many changes of pants you’ll need, and you can further improve its advice by filling in information such as whether you’ll have access to a washing machine or not.

For a free alternative, take a look at PackPoint. While it’s a little less comprehensive, it serves basically all of the same functions and gives you the opportunity to try out a packing app without dropping £3!

Our next recommendation will help you save some serious cash on your airport parking. SkyParkSecure is a tool which compares more than 300 car parks at 28 airports to make sure you get the best deal.

Rather than simply rolling up on the day and spending hundreds on the gate, head to SkyParkSecure and book your parking in advance. For example, a five-day stay at a Luton Airport park and ride would cost £62.40 on the day, or just £30 if booked online!

Even if you leave it until the last minute, you can still get a passenger to book your parking on your way to the car park rather than put up with those extortionate prices!

Apps to Help With Your Flight

The nerves tend to kick in when you’re waiting for your flight, as there’s just so much uncertainty. But with a little bit of technological assistance, we can sort that right out!

Flightradar24 is a live flight tracker, and as well as a desktop website, it offers an excellent app for iPhone and Android. As long as you’re connected to wi-fi, you’ll be able to follow the route of your aircraft, eliminating any uncertainty and allowing you to relax.

With the app’s AR functionality, you can also identify planes that are flying overhead and get detailed flight and aircraft info.

If you’re less nervous about your flight coming in and more about where you’ll be sitting, it’s worth downloading SeatGuru. Simply tap in your airline, date of travel and flight number (if you have it), and you can quickly find a seating plan for your aircraft.

Are you crammed in a middle seat, right next to the toilet or stuck with less legroom? SeatGuru can clue you in and give you time to contact your airline to request a change.

And if it’s potential turbulence that’s making you nervous, what app could be better than Turbulence Forecast?

This amazing app will let you know about any potential turbulence on your flight with regularly updated maps. Whether it’s to reassure you that you’re in for a smooth ride, or so that you can mentally prepare when a rough patch does come up, Turbulence Forecast is a simple but effective app for your phone.

Trip Organising Apps

So you’ve safely landed at your destination, but now what? If you haven’t planned out all your activities in advance, all is not lost!

TripIt takes all those separate worries you have about any holiday — flights, holidays, hire cars, activities — and consolidates them all into an easy-to-navigate agenda.

Part of the stress of holiday planning comes with thinking you may have forgotten something, but it’s all here built in, leaving you to tick each item off as you go.

Want to live life a little more spontaneously? Try installing Field Trip instead.

Instead of planning your whole trip when you’re still at home, Field Trip uses the internet and your location to seek out fun while you’re on holiday.

Select some local feeds you like the look of and then the app will send you a notification when you’re near to an event or attraction it thinks you might like.

What’s in store for you next? Only one way to find out!

Getting Around New Places

Making your way around new cities has never been this easy.

The days of being ripped off by local taxi drivers are long gone with Uber and Lyft. Both apps allow you to request a taxi to your exact location - so no awkward conversation because you don’t know the area or enough of the local language.

Then you’ll see the cost of your journey upfront, allowing you to confirm or decline it before they set off.

And when you arrive at your chosen destination you simply pay within the app. No dealing with lots of change or trying to figure out what your coins are all worth!

Uber is undoubtedly the more popular of the two apps at the moment, however both offer a similar service.

If you want to get to know the local area by foot or via public transport, and you’re visiting one of nearly 40 major cities, Citymapper’s your app.

This app is brilliant because it does everything for you. Enter your destination and it’ll use your location to tell you the cheapest, quickest or most scenic way to get where you’re going, and even includes live bus and train arrivals.

Whether you’re visiting Moscow or Montreal, you cannot beat Citymapper.

Currency Apps

With any luck you’ll have enough cash to enjoy yourself while you’re away, but how are you supposed to know the best exchange rate?

The name you’ll hear most when asking this question is XE Currency, and for good reason.

This completely free app tracks live currency markets around the world so you’ve always got the most up-to-date information, and it’s available across the majority of smartphone platforms.

A slightly more 21st-century solution comes in the form of WeSwap.

Instead of exchanging your cash with a third party, and having to pay a hefty commission fee for the pleasure, WeSwap will match you with someone who’s after pounds and allows you to exchange between yourselves for just a 1% fee.

Could this be the future of currency exchange?

Apps to Eliminate the Language Barrier

Our final category will hopefully assist you in getting to know the locals.

Only speaking English can lead to some conversational stalemates, but Google Translate is trying to put an end to that.

Originally a text-based translation tool, the app is now a Swiss Army Knife of translation tools. Write something into the app for an instant translation, or switch to Conversation Mode and the app will translate your spoken English into the local language, and then do the reverse with your partner’s responses, allowing you both to follow the conversation smoothly.

You can even run your camera over signs, menus and other written text and be wowed by Google Translate’s ability to transform the words into English before your eyes.

Of course, if you’ve got a little bit of time before your trip and want to eliminate the need for Google Translate, you could always download Duolingo.

The most popular language app in the app store, Duolingo will help you to become fluent in another language in as little as five minutes a day with fun games and rewards.

These aren’t your senior school French lessons!

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Author Bio: Bibi is a public relations specialist and the head of media over at Skypark Secure. A company that specializes in finding affordable airport parking, pickup, and drop off.