Sharing my trip to South America with my 82-year-old grandma

I am on a trip of a lifetime. And you know what? It’s been amazing to live in the moment, absorb my surroundings, and detach from the day-to-day routine. My days are all about exploring landscapes and meeting some amazing locals. I’m on my feet all day, hiking or travelling by local transport, and nearly every night, I find myself sleeping in a different village. But all the while, I haven’t lost connection with my family! I’m sharing my adventures with them via Internet through a unique channel of communication. Would you like to know how?

Easy to stay connected

What an incredible journey it is to backpack across South America! It has always been a lifelong dream of mine for sure, something that I have never yet been able to fulfill. Yet now, at the age of 29, I finally took the plunge, bought a one way ticket to Chile, and started my intense research and planning for a one-month backpacking excursion.

My family though, wasn’t so keen on my plans at the beginning, since it was my very first trip abroad that I would embark on completely alone. But guess what, of all people, it was my 82-year-old grandma who was the most excited for me. An avid traveller herself back in the day, she had already travelled to some of the countries I have just been to. Her only regret is not seeing the magnificent landmark of Macchu Picchu. I thought to myself, “I’d love to take her on the ride with me.” If only I could find a way for her to see what I have seen and let her in on the adventure.

In preparing for my trip I thought I’d look around for ways we could keep in touch which are simple for my elderly grandma to understand. I also needed something which was inexpensive, mobile, and quick for me to access. Phone calls would have been costly and not so effective, so I was searching primarily for online options given that I already have a smartphone, and my grandma a tablet. What’s more, I really wanted my grandmother to reach me easily on her own, so she could see that I’m doing ok, and in a sense, join me on my South American tour, virtually.

An indispensable companion

I found Oscar Senior when I was searching for apps which could specifically help my grandmother. She already had some basic understanding of the tablet, but what I needed was an app to use so we could give each other a call. Perhaps even send her pictures of my trip, which she could view with ease.

Well now I can safely say that it has been an absolutely indispensable companion throughout my travels, allowing me to communicate with grandma in such an easy and straightforward way I never thought possible. I’ve been sending her quick updates about my trip and she is able to reply to me in the chat box. She is actually online using this app on her tablet while I’m writing this!

Sharing the adventure

Notably, the most spectacular part of my trip was the excursion to the the historical Inca site of Macchu Picchu, which I was lucky enough to visit a few days ago. A monument full of culture and mystery, it was built on top of one of the breathtaking mountains of the Andes mountains in Peru.

I arrived with anticipation knowing I can make not only my, but my grandma’s dream come true. Photos were the best way I could share the days’ adventure. As soon as I got there, I got my phone out and started taking snapshots left and right, making sure I got it all covered.

Later in the day I reached a quaint location where I had a chance to rest my legs and sip some delicious warm mate de coca. Luckily, there was a wifi access point, so without a second thought, I whipped out my phone and logged on to Oscar Senior in a matter of seconds. Grandma was already online, expecting the daily tidbits I would send her of my trip. I wrote to her saying I have a surprise. (She didn’t know of my visit to this historic site.) I quickly scanned my gallery, choosing the best panoramic shots of the amazing mountains in the background with me standing beside the Incan citadel.

It was hard to choose only a few to be honest, but I was too excited to contact grandma. Then I opened the photo sharing option in Oscar Senior, quickly uploaded the photo files, and anxiously waited for her reaction. After a few minutes had passed, I got a notification on instant message, with the words, “What an absolutely beautiful surprise. Seeing these pictures makes me feel like I am right there with you. Thank you for thinking of me, dear.”

Photos are to be shared and stories are to be told

It will take some time for me to adjust to the daily grind after I get back home, something I’m not really looking forward to. But at the same time, I know that my life has been enriched and I gained so much, which I can take back home and in a way, start anew. Of all the souvenirs I’ll be bringing back with me, my collection of photographs will be the most precious memento. I love being on this trip, but I also cannot wait to hug everyone and sit down to share my adventures.

Once I settle down at home, I’ll show my grandma all the magnificent sights I saw from Chile to Venezuela. What’s cool about Oscar Senior is that I can narrate each picture with a background story, while we are on a video call!

The feature is remote photo browsing, meaning that after we have logged on to the call, I can display pictures from my gallery, which will appear right on her tablet. I absolutely can not wait to relive those unique moments in time and I know she will love to hear every detail of my adventures. With this feature, we won’t even have to wait to see each other, I can share my trip with her as soon as I get back!

I still have quite the trip ahead of me, so there will be a good load of pictures amassed on my phone. Thankfully, there is no limit to how much I can share with grandma. I’ll ask her to take a cup of tea to her armchair, sit back, and enjoy the wonderful tales of my travels.

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Have you already tried Oscar Senior App? Let us know in a comment below what you like or dislike about it.