Keeping In Touch

For many the hardest thing about traveling is being away from family and friends. Luckily, there are plenty of cost effective ways of maintaining contact with the important people in your life while you are away.

• Postcards and Letters
  Traditional postcards and letters are a cheap and easy way of keeping in touch, though not very fast. You will need a thorough itinerary before you leave if you would like to receive mail when abroad. If you are an American Express cardholder, their travel offices (located in most large cities in Europe) will hold your mail (up to 30 days) at no cost.
  
  
• E-Mail Services
  The easiest and cheapest way to keep contact with family and friends is via email. You should get an email account through Hotmail.com, Yahoo.com, Excite.com or AOL.com (among others). Set up your account before you leave so you can add all your email addresses and contacts. Although many hostels provide internet access, most large cities have cybercafes.
  
  
• Phone Cards
  If you plan to call anyone while traveling outside the United States or Canada, you definitely need a phone card because calling from overseas can cost a fortune.