I use a water-resistant iPhone protected by a LifeProof case. I have T-Mobile, and they offer an excellent digital plan for traveling. Whoever your service provider is, make sure you give them a call before you leave to see what plans they provide for the countries you are going. I think that most places have WiFi, so I try to use a VPN and use free WiFi as much as possible. This saves on the phone bill; it's just not always the fastest.

Chargers

When traveling, it's a good idea to bring two chargers. You never know when one is going to stop working, or if you leave a charger someplace, you have a backup. The chargers that I typically get are heavy-duty because they seem to last longer than the cables that come with the iPhone. I would suggest looking at the Native Union Belt Cable XL, and it's 10 feet so I can be lazy and lay in bed and charge the phone while sending out all my pictures and videos of the day to FB and Instagram.

If you are traveling anywhere in the world and are bringing electronics, you have to consider bringing a travel adapter. I carry an Insignia - All-in-One Travel Converter. I like it because it converts to UK, Europe, Australia, and China. It's compact and has two USB charging areas. This is a must-have travel companion.

When traveling and using your phone during a long day, it will eventually use all of its charges. I recommend purchasing a power bank. I use a Charge Worx Power Bank. This is a reasonably inexpensive power bank and has a flashlight built-in, saves space by not having to pack a flashlight. It also has 1 USB 1A output and two 2.1A USB outputs. The big difference in outputs is how fast you want to charge your phone. I typically use the 2.1A USB to charge the phone because it charges more quickly. This particular model will charge the phone twice before running out of power because I take a lot of pictures and videos with my cell phone that is a plus. It also has built-in LED lights to let you know how much power is left.

Of course, there are many different types of power banks to choose. If you are environmentally concise, you might consider a solar-powered power bank. It takes a while for it to charge fully and needs to be in a sunny area for it to work. That isn't always possible if we are walking and indoors. But it works great if you are camping or at the beach.

For the longest time, I traveled with corded headphones. Then I discovered Apples AirPod Pro. They offer noise-canceling technology, so when you are on a plane, train, or subway, the world is canceled out, and you are in your world. They are comfortable and small, so packing isn't an issue. I didn't get them at first because of the price, but after thinking about it, I decided to go for it—a great decision on my part.

Another item that I purchased and thought was a good investment is the Bose Frames Alto. I occasionally have to wear glasses to read, and these glasses solve three problems, bringing sunglasses, eyeglasses, and headphones. They are sturdy and offer great sound. They are not noise-canceling, so that is a minus. You can download the APP and control the volume.