When you are travelling, one of the most important things to arrange is a reliable way to keep in touch with your friends and family at home (not least so you can make them incredibly jealous of all your exciting experiences). Internet cafés have sprung up in the most unlikely-looking corners of the world, so communicating via email, instant messenger, or travelogue will usually not pose too much of a problem. When you decide that you want to be out of touch with the online world, you can just choose not to walk into the 'net café or library. Float down a river or climb a nearby mountain instead! When it comes to emergencies, however, it's a bit of a different story. You don't want to be stuck in a place where you can't contact your accommodation or (worst case scenario) the local or international authorities, nor do you want to be 'off the radar' if something major happens at home. The solution is to carry a mobile phone with you, even if it's just there for emergencies. You may choose to take your Nokia N96 with you, or perhaps buy a cheaper phone while you are abroad.

Most contract mobile phones come with roaming capabilities, but it's best to check all the small print. It can be quite costly both to make and receive calls, so it may be necessary to tell your friends and family to only call in special circumstances, as they can't call your N96 for free. It can be more economical to communicate via text message, as the cost is usually not much more than your regular charge, and most networks don't charge you to receive them.

It's also possibly to buy a local SIM card when you arrive in a new country, and this may be a little bit more economical. It can be a pain to constantly keep people updated with new contact details, but the advantage is that you don't have to pay the high roaming fees, and can just put the card straight into your Motorola mobile phone, Samsung mobile phone or your Lg mobile phone . Some home networks also offer roaming for prepaid mobile accounts, but you should ensure that you will be able to easily 'top up' the credit from abroad. Being stuck with no means of adding funds to your account is not an ideal situation. In these cases, contract phones definitely hold the advantage. However you decide to maintain your communications, make sure you are as informed about the services as possible, and be wary of extra charges. Above all, keep your family informed, and enjoy your trip!