Whether you’re flying across the world or in the back seat of the car, long journeys can be an obstacle to overcome or a period of relative peace, depending on your disposition. What we think everyone can agree on is that there’s only so much small talk one can endure, only so many hours of local radio to sing along to, and only so many pages even the most ardent bookworm can commit to; all before boredom creeps in and a new activity is called for.
Variety, then, is the name of the game, and very much the spice of a marathon journey. With this in mind, here are 5 IDEAL activities to help you survive a long journey.
CATCH UP ON YOUR FAVOURITE T.V
A long journey, in essence, is an opportunity to sit back in front of a screen and escape. While you’re resenting the hours of being motionless, think that you might be spending that time on the sofa anyway, in reclined bliss. The activities are much the same, the perspectives different. It’s just how you look at it, hey?
Traveling is the perfect time to get engrossed in a film or binge-watch a series you’ve been meaning to get into; there’s little else productive that you can do, so do it, guilt free. Chores around the house, essays for college, or catching up on work from your job are all either impossible or difficult on a fast-moving train or in the back of a packed car, so getting stuck into some good T.V shouldn’t feel sinful in the slightest.
PLAY ONLINE GAMES
Once you’ve had your fill of Stranger Things and exhausted yourself laughing to Curb Your Enthusiasm, it might be time to change things up. As long as your phone still has some juice, online games are a great distraction, as anyone who has peered into the engrossing world of Candy Crush will attest. Games online involving interaction add another dimension – we particularly love the ‘with friends’ series, including such gems as Chess With Friends and Words With Friends.
PICK UP A PAPER
The printing press seems to be getting a, ahem, bad press of late, with sales in freefall and accusations of malpractice abound. For many though, there is nothing better than a morning of relaxation with the Sunday papers. If your journey falls on a weekend, make sure to get a broadsheet for the trip, and divvy up the sections according to which members of your group you like the most to least. Remember to bring a pen so you can puzzle it out or do the crossword – our idea of a perfect time, make no mistake.
PLAY TRADITIONAL GAMES
Okay, so the battery on your phone or tablet has certainly, by now, bitten the proverbial dust, and heaven forbid you might actually start a conversation with your loved ones. No, any of that serious stuff is best avoided, so If you’re travelling with your siblings, parents, or friends, there are plenty of traditional games that you can play to keep yourselves occupied, invented way before the advent of smartphones. We’re thinking of you ‘I Spy’. Lovely, wholesome stuff.
GET THOSE Zzzzs IN
Life often gets in the way of your beauty sleep, so take the opportunity to get some zeds in on your journey. Pack an eye mask and travel pillow, position yourself next to the biggest bore in your group and get your head down. Job done.
