The last time I headed to New York for BlogHer, I was speaking. The excitement was (almost) enough to get me through the jetlag (the coffee and shopping helped a bit too.) I must say that I did feel quite alone in my foggy head, wandering around in a completely different time zone from most everyone else. People were shocked that I had come all the way from Australia, but I consider myself a blogger of dual nationality so it was really just going home. I mean, the worldwide aspect of connection is one of the things I love most about blogging! I skipped last year, but am headed back to BlogHer in just a few weeks! Happily, this year there seems to be a large number of Aussies winging their way there. Since this is something I have done before, I thought I might put together a few blog posts with tips on what worked for me. Let’s start with the most important thing (for me)…staying connected. Those calls, texts and Instagrams will cost you if you do not make plans to get a US based SIM card and data plan.
Now I am on Android, but this should apply to iPhone as well. The main thing is that your phone has to be “unlocked” to do anything here. Telstra does not lock their phones to their network by default, so if that is your carrier in Australia, you should be good to go. Other providers will (should) give you the code to unlock your phone if you ask.
On arriving in USA (NYC is my first stop on this journey) you go into an AT&T store and get a plan off the following AT&T PrePaid Plans.
If you are headed to BlogHer from Australia, please leave a link in the comments so we can all get to know each other ahead of time. It is a huge convention and it is always nice to see familiar faces.
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Ho-hum….this would be so very very useful if I was in fact going to BlogHer. Why am I not going to BloghHer? COS I’M AN IDIOT!!! Gah!
Have fun…Instagram often. I’ll try to live vicariously through your awesomeness.
Fabulous! Thanks for this post Rachel and I’m looking forward to the rest of your NYC tips. This will be my first EVER trip to the US and I’m looking forward to five days of exploring the city before attending BlogHer. So. Much. Fun!
My first ever US trip too Jasmin!
Awesome post Rach – I was tossing up on whether to get a prepaid sim or just stick with wi-fi – you’ve just helped me work it out! See you in NYC!
This will be my first trip to mainland US since I was 12 – needless to say, technology has advanced! I’m taking copious notes! Thanks!!
Me too Karen! I think I’m even more excited about this trip than I was as a 12 yo
Thank you for this fabulous info!… so generous of you. I am heading to BlogHer as well. I started following you after your great presentation at Blogopolis. I am printing out that map! I am heading up to the Hampton’s before the conference and then have a week after the conference to explore. Beyond exciting! A-M xx
Thank you!!! I had no idea what to do with my phone!!
Hi Rachel, great tips, thank you! I am doing the sim thing a little differently but my hotel has free wifi which I will use. As a tidbit for others, in Aus I am on 3/Vodafone and they have a thing online where you can unlock your phone yourself, or you can tweet them and they’ll point you in the right direction.
Oh and I am going to BlogHer and it is also my first trip to America!
Oh baby see you in the Big Apple on manual yeah?
)
awesome advice! I have my tips post half written from what I learnt when we were in the US last year, including a week in NYC. Hubby spent ages researching the prepaid sim stuff and we had Tmobile…he knows where the closest place is to our first hotel in SoHo! Looking forwards to reading more posts and meeting you over there. Tatum xx
Thanks for the tips Rachel! Hope to see you in NYC too x
This is fabulous! I’ll be heading to AT&T the second I hit USA soil
I just bumped into you on ig, loved your feed, jumped on your blog and your coming to NYC! Are you teaching at blogher or another spot? Where, when, how much and are there any spots open?? I wasn’t planning on attending blogher, but I do live upstate just awayze. If I can score a sitter, I’d like to meet you.
I’m aliclick on ig
Thank you,
Alissa
Hi Alissa,
I will be in NYC and while I am not speaking at BlogHer this year, there are some other things planned…Stay Tuned!!!! I am also offering mentoring and shoots, but I am almost booked out!
Thank you so much I’ve been worried what to do with my phone. I look forward to seeing you all there!
AT&T will we wondering at the influx of Aussies
. If anyone is with Optus it’s just an easy phone call to them to unlock your phone. Then you just sync with iTunes and restore factory settings.
We have Telstra phones and I still had to unlock them
Thanks for all for all of this Rachel. I checked with Telstra also and had to ring 1800 IPHONE to get mine unlocked. It takes between 5 and 72 hours. Can’t wait to see you there and congrats on the speaking gig – looks fabulous!
I think it is an iPhone thing….our Androids are good to go!