When out of the country, no one wants to be the obnoxious person who has to secretly hope everyone they come in contact with either speaks English or can translate a crude sign language system. Most people have the best intentions to travel equipped with a few key phrases (particularly "do you speak English?") in the language of the land they are visiting. 

If you are visiting multiple countries on your adventure then the goal becomes much more far fetched. Before traveling from Paris to Italy for spring break, I had just felt comfortable with basic conversational French. The idea of Italian phrases was too much and even common greetings and words that are almost identical in Spanish escaped me. The silver lining of that experience was that a lifetime of eating a American/Italian restaurants sort of prepared me to navigate the menu, which if we're being honest is the most important lesson.

A year ago I had the best of intentions of knowing much more than the basic German for Travelers. But, alas, one month out and I'm doing good to count to ten. Slowly. As the realization began to sink in I frantically started flying through Duolingo lessons and daily Coffee Break German sessions hoping to get a crash course in language learning which has never been my strong suit. Instead of Spotify, I have German radio turned on in the background hoping that something will sink in.

Do you have any tips or resources for learning the bare necessities for vacation? 

Part of packing light means that your phone truly becomes multi-functional. Not only does it continue to be your lifeline to friends and family, but it's also your boarding pass, in-flight entertainment, camera, map, translator and guide to the best restaurants in town. Since your phone is an extension of you, it's important to carry a portable charger in the likely event that the battery dies in the middle of the day when you are nowhere near an electrical outlet.

Tripomatic I just discovered Tripomatic last week, but I know that it's going to be crucial for creating itineraries for European vacations. Not only does it have city maps (unfortunately, to gain offline access, you have to pay), but it also contains a list of all of the most popular attractions that you can add to your itinerary and then switch around based on proximity to each other. They also have a whole slew of guided tours and activities that you can add to your trip if you would like a little bit more context and explanation about what you are looking at. After taking two coach day tours in Scotland and Ireland, I highly recommend them as a way to see and learn a lot without having to do a lot of planning.

TripIt TripIt is a must have for all vacations, whether domestic or abroad. As you receive confirmation emails for flights, hotels, attractions, rental cars, etc. forward them to TripIt to keep them all in one place. Although I'm still one of those people who will keep a paper copy of reservations in a folder, it's nice to know that I'll only have to dig through a mountain of paperwork as a last resort.

Rick Steves Audio Europe Too cheap to pay for a city walking or bus tour? Say what you will about Rick Steves, but he has provided free offline walking tours of all of Europe's major cities that last between 1-2 hours. I haven't listened through any yet, but I can't imagine that it could be any worse than aimlessly wandering around admiring the architecture or people watching and that's it.

Google Flights Although not a downloadable app, I'm such a fan of searching flights on Google rather than Kayak. The interface is much more clean and uncluttered. The fastest and cheapest flights are grouped at the top of the list depending on what matters most to you. It is also easy to compare prices month to month if you are extremely about your dates of travel. Plus, once you have selected an itinerary, you can save it to track the price as well as email it to friends and family so you can all rest easy knowing you are all booking the same flight.

CityMaps2Go Paper maps are a thing of the past. Download the maps you will need before you depart and have offline access. It's a game changer. 

Duolingo I like the repetitive nature of Duolingo and how it turns language learning into a game and combines writing, listening and speaking the language to get a better feel for it. Don't expect to become fluent through this system, but you will be able to navigate the street, and most importantly a menu, by the time you are halfway through. 

At some point in your life you will experience a flight delay or cancellation. Be it mother nature or the airlines who constantly overbook flights, you will face hours in an airport terminal left with the task of entertaining yourself for hours on end. 

For the lucky ones, you will catch the next flight of the day and make it to your destination, or will be put up in one of the classy airport hotels. And those of you whose luck has run out, you will put all of your Girl Scout training to good use and fashion a cot out of a bench of seats.

Whether you are spending an extended layover in the terminal or if the Departures board is filled with cancellations, here are a few of my must have items to pass the time. Because we all know they inflate the prices of books, magazines, gum and Advil in the airport because they know you have no where to buy life's necessities. 

Mine includes a lip balm/cuticle salve, phone charger, refillable water bottle, back issues of magazines I've been meaning to read, snacks (luna bars are the best!), a laptop filled with movies and my Starbucks gold card (because if you must pay $5 for a latte, you might as well get rewards for it; or better yet, save your free drink for when you are in the airport!)

And if you tire of people watching, here are 101 things to do to fill your time. Some of them are pretty hilarious and only for those with an adventurous spirit. 

I am a firm believer in the foodcation (as proven here and here). Before going on vacation, some ask friends, family, and Twitter what are the best places to stay, or see, or experience. I am more concerned about where the best places to eat are. Good weather and a full stomach are almost always going to ensure that your vacation is remembered as a good one. You can explore a city or a region through their local eateries. You see how people really live, work and play instead of being surrounded by other vacationers or passers-through.

We've all been there. Sitting in a car in a semi-deserted parking lot trying to decide where to eat. There's a group and some of you are on the verge of hanger. You must make a decision ASAP or you might not all be friends by the end of the night. At this point you are tempted to google the nearest Panera or Chipotle and call it a night, despite the fact that you vowed not to eat at places you have back home.

And this is where my new favorite foodcation planning tool comes into play. The Besty helps people all over the world find the best restaurants and food. You can create a profile and share your favorite restaurants, both local and from your travels, and also search based on location or food type depending on what you're in the mood for. The interface and feel of the website is much more streamlined than Yelp and Urbanspoon. The recommendation feature is also helpful. Have a foodie friend who never steers you wrong at dinner? Follow them on The Besty (or encourage them to join) so you can stay up-to-date with where they've been eating lately.

Want to keep up with my foodcations? Follow along here :) 

When you are traveling or looking to try a new restaurant in town, what is your go-to source of reviews and recommendations? 

There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who enjoy flying, and those who would rather be stuck in the middle seat on an 18 hour car ride. Some enjoy the challenge, or better yet naturally, can pack a weeks worth of clothes and cosmetics into a carry-on and purse. Others need an entire bag for their shoes alone.

Wherever you fall on this spectrum, you will more than likely find yourself on a plane at some point. Here is how to make the most of the experience.

1. Your carry-on bag choice is key. Other than a rolling suitcase for your clothes, choose a slightly large tote with lots of pockets on the inside and outside. You don't want to be that person digging for their phone, credit card or boarding pass.

2. Speaking of boarding passes...Most airlines have mobile apps that allow you to check in as well as store your boarding pass electronically. If you aren't checking a bag, this means that you can bypass the counter entirely and make a beeline for security upon arrival. 

3. No matter the temperature outside, bring a scarf. It can keep you warm, dress up the tshirt and jeans, as well as serve double duty as a blanket or pillow.

4. Slip on shoes are a must, unless you are bringing boots. In that case, wear them on the plane so you don't have to pack them. 

5. Stay hydrated. Drink a water bottle on your way to the airport and once you are on the other side of security you can fill it up at a water fountain and save yourself the $6 for a bottle.

6. For overnight flights, try to recreate your nighttime beauty routine as best as possible. Take your contacts out, remove your makeup and even grab a cup of tea before boarding. Convincing yourself that it's time to go to sleep will help you feel at least a little more alert once you land.

7. Don't want your multiple chargers and plugs tangled up in a heap at the bottom of your bag? Try these cable clips to keep everything in its place.

8. Preload videos on your laptop to watch. Or if you want to be productive, set up offline access to Google Drive so you can work seamlessly from the office, to the airport, to the plane.

9. And how about after you land? One of the downsides to flying is not having a car when you land. You can either take a taxi, coordinate with friends or family, or rent a car. To save money, consider reserving a car through RelayRides. Here is a list of airport rentals available at your next destination.

Do you have any tips or tricks that you swear by to make the airline travel process as seamless as possible?