I love my phone number, but using cell phones when traveling abroad tests my loyalty. I’ve had it since I moved to San Francisco five years ago, and much like the pride some New Yorkers have when it comes to their beloved 212 numbers, I was embarrassingly proud to snag one of the few remaining 415 area codes when I moved here. It is, to date, my longest running relationship.  Now that this area code is officially filled up and there are no more 415 area codes to grab, I can go to sleep at night, secure in the knowledge that my treasured 415 is mine, all mine. I plan to will it to my children.)

So when traveling overseas, the idea of not having that phone number as my point of access is somewhat jarring. However, using cell phones when traveling abroad is not negotiable, and budget is a major factorWhile shooting in Australia and New Zealand, I took my 415 with me, and it served me well. However, there were good reasons not to use this number, or even use my regular phone. When heading overseas, you as a traveler need to think about when the best option is not to use your own phone or your own number. Insisting on using your own phone in all circumstances can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. In the prior post, I made the case for when to use your own phone… and now it’s time to talk about the flip side.

What this often means in terms of using cell phones when traveling abroad, of course, is Continue reading “Phoning It In, Part II: Using Cell Phones When Traveling Abroad” →

Using cell phones overseas is much more complicated than it seems. The production itinerary for our current documentary

calls for us to be shooting in a total of six countries outside the United States. This is, by far, the most ambitious schedule I’ve ever put together. As of this writing, we’ve completed production in two of those countries – Australia and New Zealand – and I can tell you the most volatile line item on our budget was the cost of using cell phones overseas. However, I can also tell you this volatility did not have to be the case. Two  examples immediately spring to mind when it came to mistakes I made.

The first stumbling block hit us in the Australian outback at our hotel near King’s Canyon. If you’re heading into this part of the Northern Territory, you should be aware that Continue reading “Using Cell Phones Overseas: Phoning It In, Part I” →