It was Joan who first alerted me to the existence of eSIMs. At the time I wasn't paying much attention and I wish I had. Shortly after my conversation with Joan I found myself in Passau trying to find a physical SIM card so I could have navigational capabilities during my cycling trip along the Danube. It appeared getting a SIM card in Germany involved visiting at least two stores and they were about to close for a long weekend. Needless to say, I missed out.
Here's why you should consider an e-SIM for your next adventure holiday. An eSIM is an industry-standard digital SIM that allows you to activate a cellular plan from a carrier without having to use a physical SIM. No more hunting down stores that sell SIM cards, no more fiddling trying to get the card installed and definitely no longer having to change all kinds of settings to make the darn thing work.
Getting an eSIM is as easy as going online and, after making sure your phone is compatible, downloading a piece of software. For my most recent trip, again in Germany, it was as easy as scanning a QR code and follow the simple instructions.
I used an eSIM from Airalo which I found easy to install, reliable, and low in cost. They have data plans as well as text/data/call plans covering 200+ countries and regions. For most users data alone is sufficient as it allows you to make calls using Whatsapp (to other Whatsapp users), receive text (again via Whatsapp) and emails. Sample pricing: for 5GB of data in 30 days in 39 European countries you pay as little as US$20.
If there was one downside to using Airalo, it was that their helpdesk for some inexplicable reason emailed me back in Esperanto. Google Translate was able to help with that. If you do decide to go with Airalo, be sure to use referral code TOM8655 - you will get US$3 off your first purchase (full disclosure - as will I).
