Travellers need to touch base from time to time. We cannot just disappear completely just because we are roughing it in, say, Europe. Friends and family back home need to hear from us. They need constant assurance that we are doing okay in a foreign land.

With internet cafes scattered all over, it would be easier and cheaper to send a quick note via email. Heck, if your timing is right, you can even catch them online and chat.

But... what if your family or friend back home isn't tech savvy? Then, you have no choice but to dial and talk to them using a phone. A mobile phone with global roaming could be handy but the rates could be out of this world.

One of the best options would be to look for a phone card. But, of course, the variety of phone cards available could also mean a big difference in rates. Do not just buy any phone card that you see. It is best to shop around and compare the rates and the service being offered.

PickATrail has a comprehensive guide which would help you find the best and CHEAPEST phone card to call from Europe to the US.