You know how the hypothetical question goes. “If you were going to be stuck in a deserted island for three days, what would you bring?” The Galapagos is far from being a deserted island, but it speaks of busy employees’ desire for island adventures.
You probably won’t need a Swiss knife to survive here. But if you’re still insistent on getting a little work done while enjoying this Ecuadorian archipelago, here’s how you’re going to do it.
Packing for business
Smartphone, laptop or tablet – For smartphones, I recommend the iPhone which is one of the best phones for business and pleasure. Boost 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 get your laptop online during desperate times. Download travel and business apps and you’ll almost never need anything else.
• TripIt – organize and keep track of your travel itinerary
• Bizodo – create instant forms like surveys which you can embed into website
• Expensify – link credit cards, create receipts, track mileage
• Google Maps – you’ll never get lost with this app
• RingCentral – bring your company phone system with you and pump up your mobile with VoIP calling, tollfree, advanced voicemail, Internet fax, and call forwarding features
• Yelp – find the nearest restaurants, hotels, gas stations
• QuickOffice Pro – full-featured Microsoft Office suite
• Instragram – take snapshots for archiving memories
• JiWire’s Wi-Fi Finder – find Wi-Fi hotspots
Battery Extenders
Battery cases help you extend your iPhone’s battery life. Here are a few that are great for travel:
• Boost Case – Double your iPhone’s battery life with this light battery case with the “world’s highest capacity” 1,700 mAH battery
• Eton Mobius NSP300B – sun-charge your iPhone with this solar charging battery case
• iBattz Mojo Removable – quadruple your phone life with two detachable 1,500 mAH batteries
• Monoprice – At $23.63, one of the more affordable iPhone 4/4S extended batteries
• PhoneSuit Elite – said to be the “thinnest, fastest charging iPhone 4/4S battery case”. Includes an integrated 2,100 mAH battery
Where to go
Santa Cruz Island
Enjoy cool ocean water between two tall cliffs. Las Grietas on Santa Cruz Island opens up like a grieta or “crack” or “crevasse.” To get here, you would need to ride a speed boat taxi, walk a 15-minute sandy and rocky trail, cross a jagged lava field, and go through a cactus forest. It’s best to wear waterproof closed shoes, since the lava is hot and the underwater rocks slippery.
Coolness factor: The breath-taking view, which looks like a magical secret cove. Take adventurous photos as you swim through a meter-long tunnel.
Get Connected: The Finch Bay Hotel, which you’ll have to 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 in Charles Darwin’s Galapagos adventure, San Cristobal or Chatham is the capital of Galapagos and one of the oldest islands. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the principal town and the second largest settlement 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 a short walk to scenic Frigate Bird Hill, catch a glimpse of boobies (seabirds) at Punta Pitt, hike down to La Galapaguera to see wild tortoises, get to know 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.
Get connected: Cybercafes and Internet centers; restaurants
You can explore the other islands in Galapagos (there are 13 in all), but you may start with these if you also need Internet access. If the web is too slow for you, don’t fret. You’re on a great vacation!
Image Credit : Sdkcm
Nancy Perkins
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It is really nice thanks for sharing it could help to many employees.