Your personal travel dashboard

Travel Companion is a personal geolocation dashboard that helps you follow places around the world that matter to you. A Geolocation can be any city, region, or destination you want to explore, plan for, or keep connected to.

Once a location is added, Travel Companion can gather helpful details for that place, including local news, videos, scheduled events, current time, sunrise and sunset, weather, currency, amenities, maps, notes, websites, travel tools, and more.

Why it matters

Instead of searching across different websites one by one, Travel Companion brings your destination details into one organized place. You can build a personalized list of locations you are visiting, planning to visit, researching, or simply interested in.

Each saved location becomes its own travel hub, giving you quick access to useful local information and companion tools.

What this feature is

Get Travel Ready is your simple trip preparation worksheet for one selected destination. It helps you organize travel dates, travel style, party size, lodging, transport, weather, packing items, estimated costs, notes, useful links, and traveler tips in one place.

Why it matters

Before a trip, small details can get scattered across notes, emails, websites, and memory. Get Travel Ready gives you one clean place to plan the practical things you may need before you leave.

It is not meant to replace official booking, safety, visa, airline, or medical information. Instead, it helps you collect reminders and estimates so you can stay organized.

What you can do inside Get Travel Ready

• Travel Date Range: choose your start and end dates.
• Trip Days: automatically calculate the number of travel days from your date range.
• Weather Snapshot: check short-range forecast data or historical weather averages when available.
• Travel Style: choose Budget, Standard, Business, Slow, Family, or Comfort.
• Party Size: set how many travelers are going.
• Lodging: choose hotel, vacation rental, hostel, RV, friends/family, or mixed lodging.
• Transport: choose mixed transport, public transit, rideshare, rental car, scooter, bike, or similar options.
• Packing Checklist: add packing items for each traveler.
• Cost Planner: add estimated costs for living expenses, flights, transport, lodging, internet, currency, souvenirs, and more.
• Final Notes: save important reminders, booking notes, warnings, or trip thoughts.
• Traveler Wisdom: view simple travel tips based on the style you selected.
• Reference Areas: see reminders for Amenities, Lore, Ready planning, Budget Snapshot, and Traveler Wisdom.
• Free Source Links: open helpful search links for budget, food, lodging, transport, traveler chatter, YouTube, entry checks, and safety checks.
• Print / Save as PDF: open a clean printable Ready Pass page in a new tab.
• Blank Travel Ready PDF: open a blank fillable workbook PDF if you prefer to type into a PDF or print a manual worksheet.

How to use Get Travel Ready — Step by Step

1. Select the destination you want to plan for.
2. Press the [💼] Get Travel Ready button.
3. The Get Travel Ready window opens for that destination.
4. Choose your Start Date and End Date.
5. Press [✅ Apply] to calculate Trip Days and update weather guidance when possible.
6. Select your Travel Style, such as Budget, Standard, Family, or Comfort.
7. Set Party Size, Lodging, and Transport.
8. Add packing items for each traveler.
9. Add estimated costs where helpful.
10. Use Final Notes for anything important you want to remember.
11. Press [💾] Save before leaving the window.
12. Press [🖨️] to open a clean printable Ready Pass page in a new tab.
13. On the printable page, use [🖨️ Print / Save as PDF] to print your saved Ready Pass.
14. Use [📖 Blank Travel Ready PDF] if you want a blank fillable workbook instead.

Footer buttons

• [⛔] Close the Get Travel Ready window.
• [🔄] Refresh the snapshot, source links, traveler wisdom, and weather when dates are available.
• [💾] Save your current Ready information.
• [🖨️] Open a printable Ready Pass page in a new tab.
• [🧨] Clear Get Travel Ready data for the selected destination.
• [🎓] Open this guide section.

Printable Ready Pass page

After pressing [🖨️], a clean white printable Ready Pass opens in a new tab. From that page, you can print your saved Get Travel Ready information, save it as a PDF, or open the [📖 Blank Travel Ready PDF] workbook.

Helpful note

The Ready worksheet is flexible. You do not have to fill out every field. Use only the parts that help you plan. For example, one traveler may only use the weather, packing list, and final notes, while another traveler may use the full cost planner and printable Ready Pass.

The [📖 Blank Travel Ready PDF] is helpful for users who do not want to fill everything out inside the Travel Companion app. They can open the blank workbook, type into the PDF if their PDF viewer supports it, or print it and write by hand.

What this feature is

A Geolocation is any place in the world you want to track — a city, region, or destination (eg. London, UK). Once added, the Travel Companion will automatically gather news, videos, events, time, weather, amenities, and more for that place.

Why it matters

You can create a personalized list of cities you're planning to visit or care about.

How to Add a Geolocation — Step by Step

1. Enter the city name (eg. London, United Kingdom).
2. Press the [🚀] Load button
3. A new popup window will appear.
4. Confirm your Geolocation.
5. Choose: Auto, English, or Native.
6. then click ✅ button.
7. Your new location appears instantly in your list.

What this feature is

You can organize your locations in any order you prefer — placing your most important destinations at the top.

Why it matters

A clean, customized ordering helps you quickly access the cities that matter most.

How to Reorder — Step by Step

1. Press the [♻️] Reorder button
2. A new popup window will appear.
3. Drag-and-drop the cities to reorder.
4. Press [💾] to Save Order.

What this feature is

Clearing removes a location from your Travel Companion.

Why it matters

Helps keep your list organized, especially after completed trips.

How to Clear — Step by Step

1. Press the [🚀] Clear button
2. A new popup window will appear.
3. Select the location you wish to remove.
4. Press [✅] button to agree.
5. Confirm when prompted.

What this feature is

Import/Export lets you back up your Travel Companion data, including:

• Locations
• Notes
• Websites
• Amenities
• Countdowns
• Custom settings
• Photos

Why it matters

Your data is stored only on your device — never on our servers. Backups protect your information and allow you to restore it on another device.

How to Export

1. Press the [🧬] Data button.
2. A new popup window will appear.
3. Press the [⬇️] button to export your data.
4. Save the avatar.txt file anywhere you like.
5. You can import it onto any of your other devices.
6. Press the [⛔️] button to close the popup window.

How to Import

1. Press the [🧬] Data button.
2. A new popup window will appear.
3. Press the [⬆️] button to import your data.
4. Locate the avatar.txt file you previously exported.
5. Agree and confirm if prompted.
6. Your Travel Companion restores your data.
7. Press the [⛔️] button to close the popup window.

IMPORTANT: Importing avatar.txt will overwrite all existing Travel Companion data on this browser.

IMPORTANT: Photos are stored separately on this device. Exporting Photos via the [⬇️] button saves both your photo data and the actual image files for each of your Geolocations. To fully back up or move your photos to another device, use the Photos export option (avatarPhotos.zip).

IMPORTANT: If you clear your browser cache, reset your browser, or change devices without a backup, your data will be lost. Always keep a copy of avatar.txt (and avatarPhotos.zip if you use photos).

What this feature is

A countdown timer tied to each location — such as a trip date or event day.

Why it matters

Helps build excitement and keeps you organized.

How to Set a Countdown

1. Select a location.
2. Press the [⏱️] Countdown button.
3. A new popup window will appear.
4. Choose a date.
5. Press the [💾] button to save.
6. Your [⏱️] countdown will now show a Green indicator light.

How to Clear a Countdown

1. Select a location.
2. Press the [⏱️] Countdown button.
3. A new popup window will appear.
4. Press the [🧨] button to clear the countdown date.
5. Agree and confirm if prompted.
6. Your [⏱️] countdown button will now show an Orange indicator light.

What this feature is

A flexible notes area for each location.

Creative Uses

• People you meet
• Restaurants visited
• Trip journal entries
• Addresses & reminders
• Future ideas

How to Add Notes

1. Select a location.
2. Press the [📝] Notes button.
3. A new popup window will appear.
4. Write anything you wish.
5. Press the [💾] button to Save your notes.
6. Your [📝] Notes will now show a Green indicator light.

How to Edit OR Clear Notes

1. Select a location.
2. Press the [📝] Notes button.
3. A new popup window will appear.
4. Change any text you like or select all and delete.
5. Press the [💾] button to Save your notes.
6. Your [📝] Notes will now show an Orange indicator light.

What this feature is

Store any link related to your destination.

Suggestions

• Travel checklists
• Webcams
• Transit schedules
• Restaurant menus
• Hotel confirmations

How to Add a Website

1. Select a location.
2. Press the [🌐] Websites button.
3. A new popup window will appear.
4. Press the [✏️] button to Edit.
5. Press the [➕] button to Add a new website.
6. Enter a Description & link (beginning with https:// for your safety).
7. Press the [➕] button to add a new website if you like.
8. Press the [💾] button to save your websites.
9. Press the [⛔️] to close the popup window.
10. Your [🌐] Websites will now show a Green indicator light.

How to Clear a Website

1. Select a location.
2. Press the [🌐] Websites button.
3. A new popup window will appear.
4. Press the [✏️] button to Edit.
5. Press the [🗑️] button next to website to clear it.
6. Press the [💾] button to save your websites.
7. Press the [⛔️] to close the popup window.
8. Your [🌐] Websites will now show an Orange indicator light.

What this feature is

Quick-access searches for popular categories such as food, transit, museums, cafés, and more.

How to Use Amenities

1. Select a location.
2. Press the [🪭] Amenities button.
3. A new popup window will appear.
4. Press any item to instantly search that amenity for your city.
5. [✈️][🚂][🚌][🚇][🚗][🚕][🏨][🛒][📦][👮][🧑‍🚒]
6. Or enter anything you are interested in and press the [🔎] button.
7. Then press the Google Maps, Yelp, or TripAdvisor button.
8. A new window will open with the search you requested.
9. Alternatively choose from one the preset Yelp or Google categories.
10. When done, press the [⛔️] button.

What this feature is

Displays local information for your selected location:

• Local time & timezone
• Sunrise & sunset
• Temperature
• Weather conditions

Customization

• Fahrenheit or Celsius
• Set default weather source

How to Use

1. Select a location.
2. Review the Time & Weather panel.
3. Press the °F or °C button to change settings.
4. Optional: Set Geolocation as default weather (i.e. the next time you open your Travel Companion or select Global & U.S. it will show the default Geolocation's current time and weather).

What this feature is

A simple currency converter tied to the selected location.

Bonus

Includes a link to Wise.com for low-fee international transfers.

How to Use

1. Select a location.
2. Press the [⚖️] Scales button.
3. You can enter a $ amount to see conversion rate
4. Your conversion appears instantly.
5. Press the [🦉] to open the Wise.com conversion app.

What these features are

Three dynamic content streams for your selected location:

• Last 24 Hours: News articles
• Media: YouTube channels, audio podcasts
• Events: Local concerts, festivals, happenings

How they work

You can add:

• RSS feeds
• Podcast feeds
• Event calendars
• YouTube channel IDs

Easy 🔭 Search

Each News, Media, and Events source editor now includes an [Easy 🔭 Search] button. It prepares a location-aware research prompt for the selected Geolocation that you can copy and use with your favorite AI to help discover compatible source feeds.

• ⚙️ Choose news sources (Last 24 Hours) — [Easy 🔭 Search]: helps research usable News RSS, Atom, XML, Google News, Reddit, and other compatible syndicated feeds.
• ⚙️ Choose media sources (audio & video) — [Easy 🔭 Search]: helps research official YouTube channels / YouTube RSS plus podcast and audio RSS sources.
• ⚙️ Choose calendar sources (event sites) — [Easy 🔭 Search]: helps research reusable ICS/iCal calendar subscriptions and RSS, Atom, or XML event feeds.

How to Use Easy 🔭 Search

1. Open the [⚙️] source editor for Last 24 Hours (News), Media, or Events.
2. Press [Easy 🔭 Search].
3. Press [📋 Copy Prompt] and paste the prepared prompt into your favorite AI.
4. Review the researched results and use only confirmed feed URLs that fit the selected Geolocation.
5. Paste usable feed URLs into the appropriate Travel Companion source category, one feed per line, and press [💾] to save.

Note: Easy 🔭 Search helps with feed discovery and research; it does not automatically add or save feeds.

How to Add Feeds to a Category

1. Press the [⚙️] settings button for the Last 24 Hours (News), Media, or Events
2. Press the [💡] Suggestions button next to the City field
3. To add all the feed you see in the Suggestions list, press the [Add All] to Add All Feeds
4. To add an individual feed, press the [Copy] button and then paste that feed into the Category box to add it. Be sure to put each new feed on a new line each time you copy/paste.
5. You can also add your own feeds from any source you like. For NEWS (Last 24 Hours), first find your News website or another website you like to get your news from and look for the RSS feed. You can also add RSS feeds from Reddit. For MEDIA, you can add any of the YouTube channels and any audio podcast feeds you like. For EVENTS, you can add any calendar events for an RSS feed, ICS feed, or iCal feed.
6. Press the [💾] button to Save your new Feeds.

How to Find New Feeds

1. News — RSS Feeds: Search online for “City Name news RSS feed.” Copy the link that ends in .xml or /rss.
   Need More Help? Here are easy steps to find more RSS Feeds.

   ---

   Close

   Open a new browser tab and do a User-Friendly Prompts for Finding RSS Feeds

   Consider using https://ChatGpt.com with any of the options below...

   1. Basic Prompt
      “What is the RSS feed URL for the news website {SITE NAME}?”
      Example: “What is the RSS feed URL for Boston.com?”
   2. City-Based Prompt
      “What are the best RSS feeds for news about {CITY, STATE}?”
      Example: “What are the best RSS feeds for news about Boston, Massachusetts?”
   3. Google News (Last 24 Hours)
      “Give me a Google News RSS feed for the last 24 hours of news about {CITY}.”
      Example: “Give me a Google News RSS feed for the last 24 hours of news about Boston.”
   4. Trusted / Verified Sources
      “List trusted and official RSS feeds for major news outlets covering {CITY}.”
      Example: “List trusted and official RSS feeds for major news outlets covering Boston.”
   5. Specific Outlet Prompt
      “Does {NEWS SITE OR STATION} offer an RSS feed? If so, provide the URL.”
      Examples: “Does WCVB Boston offer an RSS feed?”
      “Does The Boston Globe have an RSS feed?”
   6. Category/Topic-Based Prompt
      “Give me RSS feed URLs for {TOPICS} from {CITY} news sources.”
      Example: “Give me RSS feeds for politics and local events from Boston news sources.”
   7. Reddit RSS Prompt
      “What is the RSS feed URL for the {CITY} subreddit?”
      Example: “What is the RSS feed URL for the Boston subreddit?”
   8. Full Auto-Discovery
      “Search for all available RSS or Atom feeds published by {NEWS SITE} and list each URL.”
      Example: “Search for all available RSS/Atom feeds published by Boston.com.”
   9. Universal Prompt (Covers Everything)
      “Find all publicly available RSS or Atom feed URLs for {SITE}, including section feeds, city feeds, and hidden index feeds.”
      Example: “Find all publicly available RSS or Atom feed URLs for Boston.com.”

   ---

2. Media — YouTube Channels: Go to the YouTube channel you want → click “Share” → “Copy channel link.” Paste it into any YouTube Channel-ID lookup tool to get the Channel ID.
   Need More Help? Here are easy steps to find more YouTube Feeds.

   ---

   Close

   Open a new browser tab and do a User-Friendly Prompts for Finding a YouTube Channel ID

   Consider using https://ChatGpt.com with any of the options below...

   1. Basic Prompt
      “What is the YouTube Channel ID for the channel at this URL?”
   2. Video Page Prompt
      “I'm on this YouTube video page. What is the Channel ID of the creator?”
   3. Auto Extraction
      “Extract the YouTube Channel ID from this link.”
   4. Official Channel Lookup
      “Give me the official YouTube Channel ID for {CHANNEL NAME}.”
   5. Handle Conversion
      “Is this a handle (@name) or custom URL? Convert it to the Channel ID.”
   6. Search by Name
      “Find the YouTube Channel ID for the channel called {NAME}.”
   7. Verified Only
      “Find the verified YouTube Channel ID for {BRAND OR NEWS STATION}.”
   8. Playlist Prompt
      “This YouTube link is a playlist. What is the Channel ID of the owner?”
   9. Universal Prompt (Covers Everything)
      “Given any YouTube link—video, handle, custom URL, or about page—return the correct Channel ID.”

   ---

3. Media — Podcasts: Search for the show in Apple Podcasts or any major podcast app. Look for a link that ends in .rss and copy it.
   Need More Help? Here are easy steps to find more Podcast Feeds.

   ---

   Close

   Open a new browser tab and do a User-Friendly Prompts for Finding a Podcast Feed

   Consider using https://ChatGpt.com with any of the options below...

   User-Friendly Prompts for Finding a Podcast RSS Feed

   Use any of these prompts to locate the official RSS feed for a podcast. Many apps hide the RSS, but it almost always exists:

   1. Basic Prompt
      “What is the RSS feed URL for the podcast called {PODCAST NAME}?”
   2. Search-Based Prompt
      “Search for the podcast {PODCAST NAME} in Apple Podcasts or Spotify and give me its RSS feed.”
   3. Podcast Page Extraction
      “Here is the Apple Podcasts/Spotify page for this show. Extract the RSS feed from it.”
      (Paste any podcast link.)
   4. Auto-Discovery
      “Scan this podcast website and find a link that ends in .rss or /feed.”
      Example: “Scan this for RSS: https://examplepodcast.com”
   5. Manual .rss Lookup Prompt
      “Help me find this show's RSS feed. Look for any link ending in .rss and give me the full URL.”
   6. Show Name Only
      “Find the public RSS feed for the show called {PODCAST NAME}, even if I don't provide a link.”
   7. Publisher-Based Prompt
      “Find the RSS feed for podcasts published by {NETWORK / COMPANY}.”
   8. Spotify / Apple Conversion
      “I only have the Apple Podcasts or Spotify URL. Convert it to the podcast's RSS feed.”
   9. Universal Prompt (Covers All Cases)
      “Given any podcast link—Apple, Spotify, Google, website, or embed—return the official RSS feed if available.”

   ---

4. Events — Calendar Feeds: Search “City Name events calendar iCal” or “ICS feed.” Copy links ending in .ics.
   Need More Help? Here are easy steps to find more Podcast Feeds.

   ---

   Close

   User-Friendly Prompts for Finding Calendar / Events ICS Feeds

   Consider using https://ChatGpt.com with any of the options below...

   User-Friendly Prompts for Finding Calendar / Events ICS Feeds

   Use the prompts below to find events, activities, and official city calendars that offer ICS (iCal) feeds:

   1. Basic Prompt
      “What is the ICS (iCal) feed for events in {CITY NAME}?”
   2. Google Search Prompt
      “Search the web for '{CITY NAME} events calendar ICS' or '{CITY NAME} iCal' and give me any links ending in .ics.”
   3. Events Page Scanner
      “Scan this events website and extract any downloadable ICS or iCal feed links.”
      (Paste any city events page URL.)
   4. Government Calendar Prompt
      “Does the official city government offer a calendar with an ICS feed?”
   5. Tourism / Visitors Bureau Prompt
      “Does the tourism bureau or visitors website for {CITY} provide an ICS calendar feed?”
   6. Event Aggregator Prompt
      “Find local event aggregators (arts groups, athletic groups, festival directories) that publish ICS feeds.”
   7. Manual .ics Lookup Prompt
      “Help me look for a link ending in .ics, .ical, /feed, or /events. Provide any results.”
   8. Name-Only Prompt
      “Find any ICS feed that publishes events for {CITY}, even if I do not provide a website.”
   9. Universal Prompt (Covers Everything)
      “Given any events website—government, tourism, arts, or community—extract the ICS feed if it exists.”

   ---

How to Add a New Category

1. Press the [⚙️] settings button for the Last 24 Hours (News), Media, or Events
2. Press the [🆕] button (on the bottom left)
3. Change the "New category" name to what you want.
4. Press the [💾] button to Save your new Feeds.

How to Edit an existing Category

1. Press the [⚙️] settings button for the Last 24 Hours (News), Media, or Events
2. Select the Category name in the form field.
3. Change the Category name to what you desire.
4. Press the [💾] button to Save your new Feeds.

How to Remove an existing Category

1. Press the [⚙️] settings button for the Last 24 Hours (News), Media, or Events
2. Each Category will have a Remove button (e.g. Tech, will have a [Remove Tech] button).
3. Press the [Remove Cateogry Name] to remove that Category.
4. Press the [💾] button to Save your new Feeds.

What this feature is

A voice assistant that reads text aloud from news, notes, or summaries.

You can control

• Voice selection
• Speed
• Pitch
• Start / Pause / Resume / Stop

How to Use Robot Reader

1. Select a location.
2. Press the [🤖] button on the Last 24 Hours, Media, or Events
3. A new popup window will appear.
4. A Robot will begin reading the content.
5. To change the Voice, Rate, or Pitch: press the [⏹️] button and then select the voice you want to use, move the slider for the Rate and or Pitch to what you want.
6. Press the [⏸️] button to Pause.
7. Press the [▶️] button to Resume.
8. Press the [⏹️] button to Stop.
9. Press the [⛔️] button to Close the popup.

International Travel

• Passport required.
• Visa requirements vary by nationality.
• Check latest entry rules & advisories.
• Please note: Most of the services offered below will automatically load that Geolocations info, but there are some instances that will require you to enter the location name. I.E. if your location has accents or special characters like México, Panamá, and Curaçao 🌿

What this feature is

A quick-access guide for passport requirements, visa rules, travel advisories, and official government information for the selected destination.

How to Use Passport & Visa

1. Select a location from the dropdown.
2. Press the 🛂 Passport & Visa button.
3. A popup window will appear with official travel resources.
4. Use the following buttons to check:

• Travel Advisory - U.S. State Dept advisories
• CIA World Factbook - country background & intelligence reports
• Entry Requirements (Sherpa) - visa, vaccination, and entry rules
• VisaHQ (Visa Checker) - visa processing and eligibility
• Find U.S. Embassy - embassy & consulate directory

When done, press the [⛔] button to close the window.

What this feature is

Custom Buttons let's you add your own quick-access buttons alongside the built-in buttons (like 🚀, 🌍, ♻️).
They're shortcuts to websites, tools, or mobile apps you use often — tailored to all locations or just the one you're viewing.
Think of them as your personal launch buttons inside the Travel Companion.

Where Custom Buttons appear

1. Select a location from the dropdown.
2. Press the 👑 Custom Buttons button.
3. Click the ➕ Add button.
4. Choose an emoji for the button.
5. Enter a short description (for example: Weather Channel).
6. Enter a URL or deep link (example: https://weather.com).
7. Choose visibility:
   • Show on ALL Geolocations (Global)
   • Show on this Geolocation ONLY
8. Press 💾 Save.

Your new Custom Button will instantly appear in the toolbar.

Global vs. Geolocation-Specific buttons

• Global buttons
  • Appear everywhere
  • Great for things like email, social media, or favorite tools
• Geolocation-specific buttons
  • Appear only for the selected location
  • Perfect for local transit, food, hotels, or city-specific resources

How to edit a Custom Button

1. Open 👑 Custom Buttons.
2. Click the ✏️ Edit icon next to the button.
3. Update the emoji, description, URL, or visibility.
4. Press 💾 Save.

Changes apply immediately.

How to reorder Custom Buttons

1. Open 👑 Custom Buttons.
2. Use the ⬆️ Up or ⬇️ Down arrows next to a button.
3. Buttons move instantly and stay in that order.

Your custom order is automatically saved.

Using deep links (opening mobile apps)

Custom Buttons aren't limited to websites.

You can also use deep links to open mobile apps.

Think of a deep link just like a website URL — it simply opens an app instead of a webpage.

Examples:

• WhatsApp: https://wa.me/
• Facebook: fb://profile
• Twitter/X: twitter://
• ⭐ Google or Bing iPhone search:
• e.g. "Facebook iOS URL scheme official"
• ⭐ Google or Bing Android search:
• e.g. "Facebook Android intent official"

If the app is installed, it opens instantly.

If not, the link safely falls back to the web.

When you're done

When done, press the [⛔] button to close the window.

What this feature is

The Flight Tracker lets you quickly look up the live status of a flight using FlightAware, directly from inside the Travel Companion.

It's designed for fast, no-friction checks when you're tracking arrivals, departures, or upcoming trips related to a specific location.

Where the Flight Tracker appears

1. Select a specific geolocation (not “Global & U.S.”).
2. The ✈️ Flight Tracker button appears in the toolbar.
3. Click ✈️ to open the Flight Tracker window.

How to track a flight

1. Click the ✈️ Flight Tracker button.
2. Enter a flight number (for example: AA100, BA178, DL45).
3. Press the ✈️ button next to the input field (or press Enter).
4. A new browser tab opens showing live tracking on FlightAware.

Flight number formats (smart conversion)

• You can enter common airline flight numbers (IATA format), like BA178 or AA100.
• When required, the system automatically converts the flight number to the correct ICAO format used by FlightAware (for example, BA178 → BAW178).
• If FlightAware cannot locate the flight, it will display helpful guidance for alternative lookup options.

💡 Tip: Flight tracking availability depends on the airline and how far in advance the flight is scheduled.

Need to plan a flight?

The Flight Tracker also includes an airline planning tool.

1. Open the ✈️ Flight Tracker.
2. Select an airline from the dropdown list.
3. The airline's official website opens in a new tab, allowing you to view schedules, routes, or book flights.

Why this is useful

• Track flights related to your destination or home airport
• Monitor delays, arrivals, and departures in real time
• Plan future flights using official airline websites
• All without leaving the Travel Companion

When you're done

Press the [⛔] button to close the Flight Tracker window.

What this feature is

Photos for This Location lets you store personal images that are connected to a specific place in your Travel Companion.

These can be travel photos, memories, inspiration, people, notes-in-image form, or anything visually meaningful to that location.

Where photos appear

1. Select a specific geolocation.
2. Click the 🏞️ Photos button in the toolbar.
3. Your saved photos appear as thumbnails inside the Photos window.
4. Photos are also used automatically when generating your Travel Companion Book.

How to add photos

1. Open 🏞️ Photos.
2. Click the [＋] Add button.
3. Select an image from your device.
4. Add a short description (optional but recommended).
5. Click Save.

Viewing photos

• Tap or click any thumbnail to view it full-size.
• Use Prev / Next to browse photos.
• On mobile, swipe or use the on-screen navigation controls.

Reordering photos

Photos appear in the order you set — this order is respected in the Travel Companion Book.

1. Click Manage.
2. Use the ⬆️ and ⬇️ arrows to reorder.
3. Your changes save automatically.

Why this is useful

• Keep visual memories tied to real places
• Create a visual story of each location
• Control exactly how photos appear in your book
• All photos stay stored locally on your device

Important note about backups

Photos are stored locally on this device and are not included in standard data exports.

When you're done

Press [⛔] to close the Photos window.

What this feature is

Travel Companion Book generates a structured, printable reference of all your saved locations.

It compiles your cities, notes, photos, websites, custom buttons, scheduled events, and optional Lingo Phrases into a clean, organized PDF format.

How to open it

1. Click the 📚 Book button in the toolbar.
2. The Travel Companion Book modal opens.
3. Choose your export preferences before generating the PDF.

What it includes

• 🌍 Global & U.S. overview
• 🚀 Each saved location as a structured chapter
• 🗺️ Map images for each location
• 🧭 Route maps (if routes are created)
• 📍 Base map overview (if no routes exist)
• 📸 Saved photos
• 📝 Notes and custom entries
• 🌐 Website references
• 📅 Scheduled events
• 🗣️ Optional Lingo Phrases section
• 📖 Automatic Table of Contents

Lingo Toggle

• Turn Lingo Phrases ON to include language sections.
• Turn it OFF if you want a streamlined travel-only document.
• Your choice applies before the PDF is generated.

Generating the PDF

1. Click 📄 Download PDF.
2. A loading screen prepares maps, photos, and layout
3. 🧾 Print-ready layout with consistent page formatting
4. The formatted print-ready document opens in preview.
5. Save digitally or print physically.

Why this is valuable

• Works offline — no internet required
• Includes map images that work without internet
• Preserves your travel research permanently
• Protects against website changes or disappearing links
• Gives you a clean, organized travel reference
• Acts as a personal travel journal over time

Best use cases

• Airplane mode or no signal
• International travel
• Printing before departure
• Archiving past trips
• Sharing plans with family

When you're done

Close the modal or generate a new PDF anytime — your book reflects your latest saved locations.

What this feature is

Lingo Helper gives you instant access to essential phrases for the active location in your Travel Companion.

It automatically adapts to the selected city and country, offering greetings, directions, food phrases, emergency help, and more — complete with phonetic pronunciation.

How to open it

1. Select a specific location.
2. Click the 🎙️ Lingo Helper button in the toolbar.
3. The Lingo modal opens with phrases for that location.

Choosing a language

• The dropdown at the top shows languages relevant to the current country.
• For multilingual countries (like Belgium or Switzerland), multiple local languages are available.
• You can also choose from a full global list of supported languages.

What you'll see

• English phrase
• Local translation
• Easy-to-read phonetic pronunciation
• A pronunciation guide with alphabet and number sounds

Using Translate Mode

1. Click the 🎭 Translate button.
2. A cinematic translation overlay appears.
3. Select Translate! to open with the selected language preloaded.

Why this is useful

• Speak confidently in new places
• Quick access to practical travel phrases
• Learn pronunciation before interacting locally
• Switch languages instantly for multilingual regions

When you're done

Press [⛔] to close the Lingo Helper window.

What this feature is

Tunes for your Travels gives you quick access to curated music streaming platforms while using Travel Companion.

Whether you're planning a trip, relaxing after exploring, or setting the mood for a destination, this feature provides instant links to popular music services.

How to open it

1. Select any location (optional).
2. Click the 🎧 Tunes button in the toolbar.
3. The Tunes modal opens with streaming platform options.

What you'll see

• Large, easy-to-click streaming buttons
• Quick external access to platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music
• A clean, distraction-free modal layout

How it works

• Click any music platform button.
• The platform opens in a new browser tab.
• Your Travel Companion remains open in the background.

Why this is useful

• Set the mood for your destination
• Listen while researching attractions
• Enjoy local or travel-inspired playlists
• Quick access without leaving your workflow

When you're done

Press [⛔] to close the Tunes window and return to Travel Companion.

What this feature is

Travel Route lets you visually plan your trip by placing stops on a map and connecting them into a travel path. Think of it like building your own custom itinerary — one stop at a time — and seeing exactly how everything connects.

You can create multiple routes for the same location, such as different days, themes, or travel styles.

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How to open it

1. Select a location from the main location selector.
2. Click the 🗺️ Travel Route button.
3. The Travel Route window opens with an interactive map.

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Map behavior

• If no routes exist, a clean base map of the location is shown
• If routes exist, route map images are displayed instead
• Maps are optimized for fast loading and printing

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Creating a route

1. Click 📍 Add Map Location.
2. If no route exists, you will be prompted to create one.
3. Give your route a name (example: “Day 1”, “Food Tour”, “Historic Walk”).
4. Add your first stop.

Each route is a collection of stops connected in order.

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Adding stops

You can add stops in two simple ways:

• 📍 Place Pin on Map – Tap or drag to position a marker.
• 📬 Enter Address – Type an address and it will be located automatically.

Each stop can include:

• Description (required)
• Address (optional)
• Notes (optional)

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What you'll see

• An interactive map with your route
• Numbered markers for each stop
• A connected route line between stops
• A list of all stops below the map
• Estimated distance and travel time

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Base Map (NEW)

• If no route is created, a base map of the location is automatically generated
• This acts as a visual reference even before adding stops
• The base map is also included in your Travel Companion Book

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Managing your route

• ⌛ Continue Route - Keep adding or editing stops
• ✅ Finish - Finalizes the route and generates a map image
• 🗺️ Preview - View a snapshot of your route
• ✏️ Rename - Change the route name
• 🗑️ Delete - Remove the route and all its stops
• 🆕 Create - Start a new route

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Route snapshots (NEW)

When you press ✅ Finish, your route is converted into a clean, static map image.

• This image represents your full route
• It loads instantly and avoids map rendering delays
• You can preview it anytime using the 🗺️ Preview button
• A quick preview may appear automatically after finishing
• Snapshots ensure your maps are stable, fast, and print-ready

This makes your routes faster, more reliable, and ready for export.

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Preview behavior

• Preview opens as a clean overlay on top of the map
• It automatically closes after a few seconds
• You can also tap/click to close it instantly
• If no route snapshot exists, the base map preview is shown instead

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Managing stops

• ✏️ Edit - Update stop details
• 🗑️ Delete - Remove a stop
• ◈ Drag - Reorder stops

The route automatically updates when stops are changed or reordered.

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Map interaction

• Tap a stop to highlight it on the map
• Tap a marker to highlight it in the list
• The map auto-zooms to fit your route

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Open in Google Maps

🛣️ With 2 or more stops, you can open your route in Google Maps for turn-by-turn navigation.

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Why this is useful

• Plan daily travel routes
• Organize sightseeing stops
• Map restaurants and attractions
• Estimate travel time
• Visualize your trip clearly

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Powerful Maps

Your route maps or base maps will be automatically included in your Travel Companion Book (PDF), giving you a visual map for each location.

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When you're done

Press ⛔ to close the Travel Route window and return to your trip.

Stories Behind the Place

Lore helps you explore the story-rich side of a destination. Use it to search for local legends, folklore, mysteries, ghost stories, historic curiosities, unusual landmarks, cultural tales, hidden gems, abandoned places, natural wonders, and other memorable places connected to your selected location.

Lore uses the selected Geolocation as the starting point, then lets you search within a chosen distance such as 10, 25, 50, or 100 miles.

How to Use Lore

1. Select a saved location from your Travel Companion list.
2. Press the [🦚] Lore button.
3. The Lore popup window will appear for that selected location.
4. Choose a search radius: 10 mi, 25 mi, 50 mi, or 100 mi.
5. Press a Lore category such as 👻 Ghost Stories, 🏰 Legends, 📜 Folklore, 💎 Hidden Gems, 🏚️ Abandoned Places, or ⚓ Maritime Lore.
6. Or type your own custom search, such as haunted hotel, old cemetery, pirate legend, or historic ruins.
7. Choose a source button: 🌐 Google, 📚 Wikipedia, 🗿 Atlas Obscura, ▶️ YouTube, or 👽 Reddit.
8. A new browser window or tab will open with the Lore search you requested.
9. When done, press the [⛔] button to close the Lore popup.
10. Press the [🎓] button anytime to return to this guide.

What the Source Buttons Do

Google performs a broad Lore search. Wikipedia, Atlas Obscura, and Reddit focus the search toward those sources. YouTube opens a direct video search for the selected Lore topic.

What this feature is

Support Chat lets you communicate directly with TC Support from inside your Travel Companion.

You can send a short support message, receive a reply, continue the conversation, and return later without leaving the Travel Companion.

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How to open it

1. Press the 🙋 TC Support button in the Travel Companion toolbar.
2. The TC Support window will open.
3. You can either request a new Token or enter an existing Name and Token.

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First time using Support Chat

The first time you use Support Chat, you will need to create a Name and receive your personal TC Support Token.

1. Press Request Token.
2. Enter the Name you want to use for TC Support.
3. Your Name can contain up to 20 characters using: letters, numbers, hyphens, or underscores. Spaces are not used.
4. Press Request Token.
5. Your personal 8-character TC Support Token will be generated.
6. Save your Token when it is shown.
7. Enter the Token characters into the confirmation boxes.
8. Correct characters will be highlighted while you confirm the newly generated Token.
9. Once all 8 characters match, press Continue.
10. You will be reminded one more time to save your Token.
11. Continue into your TC Support chat.

Important: Keep your TC Support Token somewhere safe. You may need your Name and Token again if you log out, clear your browser cookies, or use another browser/device.

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Returning with your existing Token

1. Press the 🙋 TC Support button.
2. Choose Enter Name & Token.
3. Enter your TC Support Name.
4. Enter all 8 characters of your saved Token.
5. Press Continue.
6. Your TC Support chat will open after your access is verified.

Enter your Token exactly as you saved it, including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, or symbols.

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Remembered access

TC Support can remember your verified access on the browser you are using for up to 1 year.

• You normally will not need to enter your Name and Token every time you open TC Support.
• Closing the TC Support window does not log you out.
• Refreshing or reopening Travel Companion can restore your verified TC Support access.
• Clearing browser cookies can remove remembered access.
• Using ↩️ Logout removes remembered TC Support access from that browser.

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Sending a message

1. Open your verified TC Support chat.
2. Type your message into the Message box.
3. Messages can contain up to 250 characters.
4. Press ▶️ Send Message.
5. Your message will appear in the conversation as You.
6. The Send button will change to Waiting while TC Support prepares a reply.

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How the conversation works

Support Chat works like a simple back-and-forth conversation.

• You send one message.
• TC Support receives your message.
• You wait for TC Support to reply.
• The reply appears in your chat as TC Support.
• After TC Support replies, you can send your next message.

This one-message-at-a-time approach helps keep each support conversation clear and organized.

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Automatic message checking

While the TC Support window is open, the chat automatically checks for new activity.

At the top of the window you may see:

• Checking in - shows the countdown until the next check.
• Checking now - TC Support is checking for new activity.
• Retrying in - another automatic check will be attempted.

You do not need to manually refresh the page while waiting for a normal TC Support reply.

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What you'll see in your chat

• Your messages are labeled You.
• Support replies are labeled TC Support.
• Recent messages remain visible inside your conversation.
• The message area automatically shows whether it is your turn or you are waiting for TC Support.
• New TC Support activity may also be highlighted to help get your attention.

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Support Chat buttons

• ⛔ Close - Closes the TC Support window without logging you out or intentionally ending the current conversation.
• ▶️ Send Message - Sends the message currently entered in the Message box.
• ⏹️ End Chat - Starts the process of closing the current support conversation. This does not log you out of TC Support.
• ↩️ Logout - Logs you out of TC Support on this browser and removes remembered access. Your Name and Token will be needed when you want to log in again.

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If TC Support asks to close the chat

Sometimes TC Support may request that the current conversation be closed. If that happens, you may be given two choices:

• Keep Chat Open - Continue the current support conversation.
• Close This Chat - Confirm that the current conversation can be closed.

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Close vs. End Chat vs. Logout

These three actions have different purposes:

• ⛔ Close - Temporarily closes the TC Support window. Use this when you simply want to return to Travel Companion and may come back to the chat later.
• ⏹️ End Chat - Use this when the current support conversation is finished.
• ↩️ Logout - Use this when you want this browser to stop remembering your verified TC Support access.

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Protect your Token

• Treat your TC Support Token like a password.
• Do not post or share your Token publicly.
• Save it somewhere you can find it again.
• TC Support uses your Name and Token to verify access to your support chat.

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Why this is useful

• Ask for help directly from inside Travel Companion.
• Keep support questions and replies together in one conversation.
• Return later without starting over each time.
• Receive new replies without repeatedly refreshing the page.
• Use the same Support Chat on desktop or mobile.

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When you're done

Press ⛔ Close if you simply want to leave the TC Support window and return to Travel Companion.

Use ⏹️ End Chat when your current support conversation is finished, or use ↩️ Logout if you also want this browser to stop remembering your TC Support access.

What this feature is

Video Wall brings together the newest YouTube videos from your saved Travel Companion Media feeds into one global video display.

Video Wall is not limited to the location currently selected in Travel Companion. It checks qualifying YouTube Media feeds from Global & U.S. and all of your saved locations.

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How to open it

1. Look for the 📺 Video Wall button in the Travel Companion toolbar.
2. Press 📺.
3. The Video Wall window will open.
4. The newest video from each qualifying saved YouTube feed will begin loading.

The 📺 button is shown when at least one qualifying YouTube channel feed is saved in your Travel Companion Media settings.

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Where the videos come from

Video Wall uses YouTube channel feeds already saved in the Media settings for your Travel Companion locations.

A qualifying YouTube feed uses the YouTube channel-feed format:

youtube.com/feeds/videos.xml?channel_id=...

Video Wall does not require the location containing the feed to be currently selected.

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Global Video Wall

Video Wall searches across all saved Travel Companion locations.

For example, if your saved Media settings contain:

• 10 qualifying feeds under Global & U.S.
• 1 qualifying feed under Kansas City
• 25 qualifying feeds under Panama City

Video Wall can display all 36 feed occurrences together in the same wall.

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What each Video Wall panel shows

Each qualifying saved YouTube feed receives its own Video Wall panel.

A panel can show:

• The YouTube channel name.
• The Travel Companion location where the feed is saved.
• The Media category.
• The title of the newest available video.
• The YouTube video player.

If the same feed has been intentionally saved under more than one location or category, each saved occurrence can appear as its own Video Wall panel.

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Playing a video

1. Find the Video Wall panel you want to watch.
2. Press the normal YouTube ▶ Play control.
3. The video will play inside its Video Wall panel.
4. Use the normal YouTube player controls for sound, captions, playback, or full screen.

Video Wall uses the normal embedded YouTube player so playback works naturally on desktop and mobile devices.

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Translate Video Wall to English

Press the footer 🔦 button to translate Video Wall text to English.

The translator can translate the channel names and video headlines displayed by the Video Wall.

• Press 🔦 once to translate the Video Wall to English.
• The entire Video Wall is processed, including panels outside the currently visible scroll area.
• Large Video Walls are translated in controlled batches.
• Press 🔦 again to restore the original displayed language.

Important: The 🔦 feature translates the text displayed by Travel Companion. It does not translate words that are permanently part of a YouTube thumbnail or video image, and it does not translate spoken audio inside the video.

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Fresh videos each time

Video Wall does not preload its video feeds while you are using the normal Travel Companion page.

Video Wall activity begins when you press 📺. The saved YouTube feeds are checked again each time the Video Wall is opened so that the newest available videos can be displayed.

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Resource management

Video Wall is designed to reduce unnecessary browser and server activity.

• No Video Wall feed retrieval occurs before you press 📺.
• Feed requests are processed in controlled groups instead of all at once.
• YouTube players are loaded as Video Wall panels approach the visible area.
• Closing Video Wall unloads its YouTube players.
• Generated Video Wall panels are removed when the Video Wall is closed.
• Opening Video Wall again starts a fresh Video Wall session.

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If a video is unavailable

Occasionally YouTube may report that a video is unavailable or that playback on other websites has been disabled by the video owner.

One unavailable video does not stop the other Video Wall feeds from loading.

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Video Wall footer buttons

• ⛔ Close - Closes Video Wall, stops its active Video Wall session, unloads its generated YouTube players, and clears the generated Video Wall panels.
• 🔦 Translate - Translates the displayed Video Wall channel/title text to English. Press it again to restore the original language.
• 🎓 Tutorial - Opens the Travel Companion Guide directly to 24) 📺 Video Wall.

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Why this is useful

• See the newest videos from many saved destinations in one place.
• Review local, national, and international video sources together.
• Watch location-specific news without repeatedly changing Travel Companion locations.
• Translate foreign-language video headlines to English.
• Quickly scan a large collection of saved YouTube Media feeds.

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When you're done

Press ⛔ Close to leave Video Wall and return to Travel Companion.

The generated Video Wall is cleared when it closes. Press 📺 again whenever you want to build a fresh Video Wall.