Reviews — Page 2

Review: Jammin’ to a new language

January 19, 2011 By Jillian

When we were approached about reviewing this smart phone application, I was excited. There are tons of applications out there to help travelers learn European languages, or even a few words of Cyrillic or eastern languages, but I find most of them lacking. The idea with Earworms Musical Brain Trainer is that listening to the language downloads will put words and phrases into your long-term memory, so you can actually recall it when you need it. The lessons are put to music or rhythms which improves the brain’s recall function. Given that epic stories from thousands of years ago, like the Odyssey, were put to music so a poet could remember the whole thing, I think the creators on to something here…

I love languages and to be completely honest I speak three of them, but as I learned on the road, that wasn’t enough. To try out this app, I wanted to put it through the ringer so I chose two languages that are considered difficult to learn: Russian and Arabic.

Getting Started: It was easy to download the different languages on my iTouch. You have to buy each language individually and most languages come in a few volumes- beginners should start with volume 1 with introduces a traveler to the key phrases for getting around: hotels, restaurants, etc… Along with the audio, you can read the phrases on your smartphone with the lesson.

How it Works:

For volume 1 downloads, each language come with 10 modules: 1) I would like, 2) To order, 3) Have you got?, 4) To the airport, 5) Numbers, days and time, 6) Where is there..?, 7) Directions, 8) Where, when and what time?, 9) Problems, problems and 10) Do you speak English? Unlike other language applications, there isn’t a cutesy little travel story along with the lesson. It’s a simple repetition of the phrases, by a native speaker and an English speaker. They chat a bit, but it’s clear that the focus is on getting the rhythm in your head. The whole volume was a little over an hour.

The directions suggests you to listen to the whole download on the first day and then regularly listen to the modules over the next few weeks.

My Thoughts:

I listened to the Russian and Arabic modules on and off for a few weeks, usually while running. I actually enjoyed the melodious repetition. Certain phrases, even with just my casual use of the modules, have really stuck in my head. I would definitely recommend these modules to traveler’s looking for an easy, relatively fun way to learn the basics. Plus listening to a native speaker is going to give you a much better accent.

Will it get you speaking fluently? No, but it does give you enough of a basis to be able to formulate phrases on your own. Although it doesn’t teach you to conjugate verbs, it does give you some verbs that you can use to make your own sentences. I also really appreciated the written text which gives a literal translation of some phrases and some grammatical tips, especially for Arabic, this gave me a real sense of place and culture.

Pros: Listen and read at the same time. Hear a native speaker and an English speaker in quick succession. Upbeat and easy to listen.

Cons: The price is overall a little steep, so use the free demo downloads on their website to try it before you buy it. I think it’s worth it!

Price: $9.99 But check their website for coupons and offers!

Disclosure: We were provided free downloads in exchange for reviewing this product.

Linux, not Mac or Windows, for travel.

July 29, 2010 By Danny

We installed the Linux Ubuntu operating system on our eeePC Netbook just before we departed for Africa. Somewhere around the start of our time in South America our computer, then using MS Windows, developed insomnia where it would wake up from its stand by, or sleep status while closed, inside its case, tucked away in my backpack. Fire was an obvious concern, but we were more worried the computer would fry itself on the inside. Add that to a couchsurf in Argentina where a self-proclaimed ‘Linux Geek’ pointed out that all the applications we were using (since they were all free) ran natively inside Linux.

We took the plunge. Backed up everything. Formatted the hard drive. Erased all our precious photos. Installed the free operating Ubuntu system. Used Linux. There were a few problems to deal with regarding drivers and it was a bit stressful for a few days but with a bit of hard work on the Internet I was able to get everything going myself without a nervous breakdown. I may have worked for IBM in my past life, but this was not my world.

Using it has been a breeze. It combines the best of Windows and Mac navigation and if you’ve used each type of PC you will be quickly at home with Linux Ubuntu. Linux is the stuff in the background and the Ubuntu part is really the “graphical interface” that allows you click on programs and files and such. It is simple, and works without a problem. Then come all the cool features.

To install new programs, just do a search from within your computer and choose the program you like. There are programs for the office, Internet, music, education, countless games, dictionaries and translators, even special Flickr applications….all free. All you have to do is click the one you want and wait for the automated installation to finish. When a program has an updates available, Ubuntu handles that for you too, only prompting you to ask if it’s OK or not to update. Email and instant messenger programs are integrated meaning you can sign into all those programs at once and chat through just a single interface. Firefox and OpenOffice (which I’m typing on right now) come pre-installed. Did I mention that 100% of all of this is free.

The biggest benefit of all though, especially to travelers: security. It is a different system, viruses really just don’t exist that attack Linux…why should they, most people use Windows so there isn’t really a good reward to writing a virus program that attacks Linux. There is an anti-virus program, free, I’ve even used it once or twice, but really….no viruses.

There are some cons however. Some programs, most notably Apple’s iTunes, simply don’t run inside Linux. There are iTunes suppliments that will work with an iPod but if you’re trying to use an iPhone, iTouch, or iPad you’re mostly out of luck. There are ways within Linux to run Windows programs, but this doesn’t work great. These problems could have been avoided rather easily had I selected during the installation (a simple matter of making a choice, no more work on my end required) to partition the drive and keep Windows available to use. Had I done this, each time I booted up the computer I would have been asked if I wanted to use Linux or Windows, made my selection, and been able to use iTunes inside the Windows half of the drive. The other problem is that the free programs on Linux are generally not quite as good as the pay-for programs on Windows or Mac, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise though.

Basically there are tons of reasons to switch to Linux but only one reason not to…it is something new and different and will take a bit of effort to use and get used to…kinda like travel. It can be scary at first, but that’s all part of the adventure. The great thing about Ubuntu is that it means ‘Community’ in many Bantu langugages. When things go wrong, as they recently did for us while we were in Europe, there is a rather large community of people both in real life and on the Internet to help get you going again. Like I said, it can take some effort, but everything you need is available and ready for you to use.

Review: SANParks South African Wild Card

April 18, 2010 By Danny

The decision to purchase the South African wild card park pass was an easy one. We were coming to Africa and we were told that within South Africa we could do our own game drives and safaris and not pay for an expensive tour or guide. With a little more research we realized that this would save us loads of money as compared to paying for these services in South Africa or elsewhere in Africa. With the SANParks Wild Card pass we were able to save even more money.

Before you decide to purchase the card be sure to do a little research on the park fees you’re due to pay without the card. For us, over 5 days in Kruger National Park, we were going to come close to the cost of the Wild Card. We figured, correctly, that if we used it even one more time it would break even and anything beyond that was effectively free. Ultimately it paid for itself more than two times over 6 weeks.

The card was easy to purchase and we did so when we first arrived at the campsite within Kruger National Park. Because we were foreigners the price was about three times as much as the locals paid, but it still made sense to purchase. At that time, the cost in South African Rand was about $250 for our “couple” pass and, considering thats what the fees at the Ngorongoro Crater worked out to be I think we made the right decision. Upon arrival at each park, we showed our card, they scanned it, and we moved on.

The pass was good at every single park in the SANParks system. This wasn’t only game parks but also historical and heritage sites such as Cape Point near Cape Town. The pass was also good at a few parks in Swaziland.

Additionally, the pass does give you 5% back every time you pay for lodging at the park. This is a nice feature but as we only had 6 weeks inside the country we didn’t realize we’d need to register the card in order to use it. Our last day in South Africa we went to use the R50 we’d earned (about $7) but couldn’t because the card hadn’t been registered.

Review: Tempest Car Rental (South Africa)

April 18, 2010 By Danny

We rented a Hyundai Atos from Tempest Car Rental for 6 weeks of touring through South Africa. A few reasons we chose Tempest include:

They were the only company operating in South Africa that would give us a special month long rate, this rate was cheaper than the next best offer by far.

They were the only car company that allowed us to enter Swaziland, Lesotho & Namibia free of charge. (Note: There was a fee for Botswana however and Zimbabwe was not permitted. This was consistent with all other car rental agencies where we inquired)

They allowed us to return the car to a different location for a smaller fee than all the competition as well.

Basically we chose them because they were the cheapest all the way around. There was nobody that came close to the price we were quoted. The car we rented was new and in excellent condition. We had no car troubles.

Returning the car was almost a headache but it shouldn’t have been. We rushed to get it to the airport by the time of day we had rented the vehicle, to avoid paying for another days service. We sped around trying to find gasoline but failed, fearing the worst in fees. Upon arrival we learned that the rate fee to fill the tank was trivial compared to what we would have paid anyhow and that we were allotted a grace of an additional few hours. It took a few days for our credit card to be charged properly, but it was and we were extremely satisfied with 100% of the service we received. You should be aware that Tempest is associated with Europcar.

http://www.tempest.co.za/

Review: Nalubale Rafting (Jinja, Uganda)

April 5, 2010 By Danny

We contacted Nalubale Rafting when we arrived in Jinja at the suggestion of a friend. On price alone Nalubale was 30%-40% cheaper than just about everyone else in town and on that recommendation alone we were sold. After speaking to the owners/guides about the river levels and the river-boarding we preferred to do, we were also sold on the personalized level of service we were about to receive as well as their river knowledge as well. We are two whitewater kayakers, know many whitewater rivers, and know the difference between someone just trying to sell the river and someone who actually knows and respects its dangers. Working mostly with Reuben, we were told that the river was a little low for river-boarding but that we could take the boards and fins and do it whenever we could.

The morning was a bit slow to start on account of finding boards and fins for the three of us but even with that delay we were still on the water ahead of the other rafting trips. A quick lesson on using the boards in the river and we were good to go. Throughout the day Reuben was a perfect guide. Leading down good, clean lines so that we had fun in the rapids rather than a bad time. On those rapids of questionable difficulty he was clear in articulating the dangers and advised us when it was best to get into the raft and off the board…the final decision always left to us. Our day on the river could have been a lot worse but I don’t really see how it could have been any better. The extras were also top notch. The food provided to us, three small meals, was far more substantial than the one or two snacks I’m usually accustomed to…and then beers and sodas for the ride back to Jinja as well.

Logistics were all handled well and with three safety kayakers monitoring the three of us at all times we were never in any danger. I am not sure but I believe shuttles to Kampala and camping sites can also be arranged at no extra charge. The most difficult part of the day was that we were staying at the Nile River Explorers Backpackers, home to not only the only backpacker accomodation in town, but also one of the largest rafting outfits in the entire country. Their prices were higher and due to their size, the impersonal nature of the staff rubbed us the wrong way. Some managers were nice but others were the opposite of helpful and really irked us. In the end I was extremely pleased that we chose not to go down the river with them.

Review: Jammin’ to a new language

Linux, not Mac or Windows, for travel.

Review: SANParks South African Wild Card

Review: Tempest Car Rental (South Africa)

Review: Nalubale Rafting (Jinja, Uganda)

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