Does it happen to you as well that your relatives, friends, neighbours and acquaintances moan because they never hear from you, while you’re discovering the world?

I have to admit, it’s sometimes hard to talk to my 83 year old grandma while we drive motocross in Madagascar or scuba dive on the Seychelles. My old life seems to be so far away. I’d like to adjust to the new culture, the people we meet and the amazing, but sometimes ugly treats. Calling people at home is like talking to a stranger on the moon. Kind of. But you know, how I mean it, don’t you? It’s so far away that my grandmas’ glasses are broken or my friend doesn’t know how to start potty training.

Still, I don’t want to loose our connection. I still think about them and am emotionally involved.

There are different ways to stay in touch with them while travelling:

1. E-Mail

An E-Mail offers the possibility to write directly to a person, ask her important questions and get into a written communication. Time difference doesn’t matter and one needs only internet connection. You can even copy major parts into emails to different recipients.

2. Facebook/Twitter

The great advantage of social media is the combination of pictures and written information sent immediately to all your friends. Btw, is your grandma on facebook?

3. Podcast

There’s nothing more lovely than hearing the voice of your friends. Like in ancient times, when we recorded tapes with our favourite music and some lyrics or personal messages in between. This can be done easily while sending voice messages via whatsapp or can be uploaded on podhost.

4. Postcards

Really, I can assure you, postcards still exist. And also people who send them. Another way instead of getting stamps, running to the always closed post office and eventually forgetting them in the hotel you can send pictures you made of yourself while bungee jumping or cuddling giant turtles. These postcards will be printed out in the country you send them to and delivered by post to your relative. With the downloaded pokamax app you can select a picture from your mobile, write a text message and send them immediately out.

5. Blog

To make it easy for your beloved ones write a blog and let them participate on your adventures. Disadvantages: you can’t be as personal as you’d be in a letter/phone call.

6. Voip calls

Many people use skype to talk with the other world, but it’s sometimes easier to do it via voip (voice over ip). One provider is sipgate but there are many others. Just install the app and call them directly on their mobile or wherever they currently are.

7. Telepathy

Whether you believe in it or not 😉 Some people start calling each other at the same second although they didn’t get in contact with each other in years. There seem to be connections we have no clue about and the web provides even instructions on how to train telepathy.

8. others

like making a travel collage and send the picture to friends. Instagram makes you publish all your pictures immediatley and a travel diary could be presented via youtube. Be creative!

Which ways do you choose to stay in touch while travelling? Let me learn something!