the worry free traveler Archives • Wanderlust Advocate

The waiting game – tricks to pass the time during your layover

Posted in the cultural traveler, the study abroad student, the thirsty traveler, the thrifty traveler, the worry free traveler, travel blog

I wish I kept track of just how many hours I’ve spent waiting for planes, trains, and automobiles. If I put all the time together, hmm, I would probably say that I’ve spent at minimum a month of my life waiting. This means that I’ve learned a lot of tricks and made up lots of games to pass my time.

It is easy to read, play on your phone, watch a movie, or listen to music. But let’s be real, even all of these things get old after long waits.

Here are some things to do while in transit.

1. The P.A.T.I.E.N.C.E game

This is one of my favorites if I’m in a crowded airport waiting for a plane, or stuck between subway stops, or on public transit. What is the hardest thing to fathom during these super annoying waits? If you thought “patience”, I am right there with you.

I call this the PATIENCE game – a game that relies on people watching, creativity, laughing at yourself, not taking life too seriously, and patience. Look around you, wherever you are. Find one person that fits each of the following descriptions and give them a back story. If you have someone with you, make it a long conversation, make yourself laugh, and joke around. If you are alone, write each of the backstories down. I have a journal full of these stories and they are actually great memories for me!

Patient

Attractive

Tall

Intelligent

Easygoing

Nice

Charming

Excitable

2. DuoLingo

Learn a language, maybe the language of the country you are about to visit! You will sound funny talking to yourself, but I guarantee that everyone around you has seen weirder.

3. The Brand Game

Look around you. Look at what people are wearing and try to guess the brand. For every brand you guess right, put 25 cents aside toward a drink at your destination.

4. The city hunt

If you are waiting for train or airport travel, walk around to all the other gates and look at the destinations. Pick your top 10 favorite destinations and do research on each.

5. Podcasts

Listen to some podcasts! It is surprising how much faster this will make the time go – more than listening to music. I suggest Travel, Wine, Mysteries, Politics, and Adventure podcasts! You can download loads of podcasts in advance and an hour will fly (no pun intended) by!

What do you usually do when you are passing time in transit?

Finding decently priced all-inclusives and beach cruises.

Posted in the worry free traveler

Dreaming of a vacation without thinking? All-inclusives and cruises are the way to go for you. I’ve done my share of these and I can guarantee you, you can do this with a middle-class budget!

You probably have a week to spare and dreaming of the warm beach-y weather. Let’s get you there!

First, let’s choose between an all-inclusive resort or a cruise.

All-Inclusive Pros: All food and drink are included in the price for each night. You can have as much guacamole as you can possibly imagine while laying by the pool or on the beach, reading trashy books.

Cruise Pros: All day onboard entertainment, formal dinners, buffets (note: alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are usually not included). If you like a little movement, cruises will port at a couple of locations for you to get out, walk around, and explore new countries.

I guess it is mainly between whether you want to do absolutely nothing, or prefer to have a mix of exploration and relaxation. Either way, when you get home from this vacation, you will be so relaxed that you will need a vacation from your vacation!

Here is how I traveled like this affordably (check out the links below to schedule your trip!):

Cruise Information

I went cruising in the Caribbean for $350 for 5 days, not including flights.

Cruise: Carnival DESTINY Cruise

Date: Mid-March

Destination: Turks & Caicos, Nassau, Half Moon Cay Bahamas

Booking date: Early October

Booking site: http://www.cheapcruises.com/

All-Inclusive Resort

I relaxed at an All-Inclusive for $818.50 for 6 days, including flights.

Resort: Riu Sante Fe

Date: Early May

Destination: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Booking date: Early January

Booking site: http://www.cheapcaribbean.com/