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?