You know how the hypothetical question goes. “If you were to be trapped on a deserted island for three days, what would you bring with you?” The Galapagos is far from a desert island, but it speaks to the desire of busy employees for island adventures.
You probably won’t need a Swiss knife to survive here. But if you still insist on getting a little work done while enjoying these Ecuadorian islands, here’s how you do it.
Packing for business
Smartphone, laptop or tablet – For smartphones, I recommend the iPhone which is one of the best phones for both business and pleasure. Upgrade your phone with an unlimited data plan. Lifehacker says you can turn your smartphone into a router via tethering. You won’t have the fastest connection but it will keep your laptop online during down times. Download travel and business apps and you’ll hardly need anything else.
• TripIt – organize and track your travel itinerary
• Bizodo – create instant forms such as surveys that you can embed into websites
• Expsensiy – link credit cards, create receipts, track mileage
• Google Maps – you will never get lost with this application
• RingCentral – take your company phone system with you and upgrade your phone with VoIP calling, toll free, advanced voicemail, Internet fax, and call forwarding features
• Yelp – find the nearest restaurant, hotel, gas station
• QuickOffice Pro – a full featured Microsoft Office suite
• Instagram – take snapshots to archive memories
• JiWire Wi-Fi finder – find Wi-Fi hotspots
Battery Extenders
Battery cases help you extend iPhone battery life. Here are some great ones for traveling:
• Boost Case – Double your iPhone’s battery life with this lightweight battery case with a “world’s highest capacity” 1,700 mAH battery
• Eton Mobius NSP300B – solar charge your iPhone with this solar charging case
• iBattz Mojo Removable – double your phone’s lifespan with two removable 1500 mAH batteries
• Monoprice – At $23.63, one of the more affordable iPhone 4/4S add-on batteries
• PhoneSuit Elite – billed as “the thinnest and fastest iPhone 4/4S battery case”. Includes an integrated 2,100 mAH battery
where to go
Santa Cruz Island
Enjoy the cool sea water between two high cliffs. Las Grietas on Santa Cruz Island opens like a grieta or “crack” or “gap”. To get here, you need to take a speed boat taxi, walk for 15 minutes on sandy and rocky roads, across jagged lava fields, and through cactus forests. It is best to wear closed waterproof shoes, as the lava is hot and the rocks under the water are slippery.
Coolness factor: Stunning views, which look like magical secret coves. Take adventure photos as you swim through the meter-long tunnel.
Get Connected: The Finch Bay Hotel, which you must pass before you get to Las Grietas, has Internet access. There are also cyber cafes in other parts of Santa Cruz
San Cristobal Island
The first stop on Charles Darwin’s Galapagos adventure, San Cristobal or Chatham is the capital of the Galapagos and one of the oldest islands. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the main city and second largest residential area. One of the easiest islands to explore on your own, you’ll probably start and end your tour here.
Coolness factor: To name a few, you can visit one of the many dive sites or beaches, take the short walk to scenic Frigate Bird Hill, catch a glimpse of boobies (seabirds) at Punta Pitt, hike to La Galapaguera to see wild turtles. turtles, learn about the island’s history at the Interpretation Center, take a cruise to Kicker Rock to take fantastic wildlife photos, and enjoy sea lions at Playa Ochoa.
Connected: Cybercafe and Internet center; restaurant
You can explore the other islands in the Galapagos (13 in all), but you can start there if you also need Internet access. If the web is too slow for you, don’t worry. You are having a great holiday!
Image Credit : sdkcm
