In less than 10 days, my mom and I will be heading across the pond to start our 29-day journey! The anticipation of our trip is a mixture of excitement and nervousness. My mom has been anxiously scanning weather apps to pack and prepare for every climate situation. While I have been reviewing my notebook and Google calendar, to organize and reorganize each detail. When we began to plan last December, my mom requested me to secure a nightly stay in a clean bed, all airline tickets, and a timeline of country hopping prior to our departure. I may have got a bit carried away with the planning. I now have a 1-inch binder with nearly all tickets to excursions, museums, and attractions pre-purchased and scheduled, our reservations through Airbnb with clean beds waiting, and travel vouchers by plane, train, boat, and bicycle through our 5 country trip.
I think weekly, if not daily, I sing the praise of Google! I have said in my school that I am going to get a tattoo that says, “I love Google and Greene!” Greene, is Jeni Greene, my school’s Local School Technology Coordinator (LSTC) who introduced me to the unknown world of Google products. From auto-grading test to collected electronic homework from students, it has changed my teaching practices.
BUT for the 60&Doc backpacking trip, Google has been a great tool for organizing and sharing information with my mom. I created an interactive color-coded document that outlines our trips, flights, and activities. My nerdy side has been tickled pink with the outcomes (seen below). The most amazing part of Google is the ability to access the information through my Google Drive. Instead of carrying Silver Maple, my ultra sleek, but heavy MacBook Pro on my trip, I have downloaded the Google Drive app and various programs like Doc, Slides, and Sheets to my mini iPad. The versatile and easy of portability makes my travel plans easily accessed through a swipe of my screen. I know the Google calendar is intense, but I have scheduled a variety of events that are flexible allowing us to explore the towns at our pace and find little-hidden treasures. In addition to the google calendar, I wanted to share some other great travel apps! One more week of school to push through and then bon voyage and hello Europe!!!
60&Doc 