Anyone with a long commute to work will know that the hours spent in transit can feel like incarceration. Restless travellers will want something to fill the time to help the hours pass a little faster. Here are some ideas for commuters who want to make the most of their transit time.
Technology -- Portable Devices for Entertainment
Technology is the saviour of the traveller who is too tired for strenuous brain activity. There are a whole range of devices that are designed for the entertainment of those on the move. An ipod or mp3 player is a popular option, as listening to music is a great relaxer and distraction. In addition to music, podcasts can be uploaded to ipods to provide humorous or educational food-for-thought. There are plenty of free podcasts that can be downloaded from the itunes store, or go to websites of specific interest to check for podcast downloads there. Ipods with a larger capacity are also perfect for storing movies or TV series episodes.
Commuters with a little more cash might like to invest in a portable DVD player. These are available from most electronic stores and range in price from around $50 to $300. This saves the hassle of having to upload movies and gives travellers the option of hiring DVDs to take with them, or recording TV programs from the previous night to watch.
Playing games on portable devices is another way of passing the time. These days most phones have some simple games on them (although prolonged use will use up a lot of battery and the phone will require more constant recharging), but there are also consoles such as the Nintendo DS which provide more options for games. For stress-free gaming there are plenty of just-for-fun games available, but there is now also a whole series of 'brain training' programs for more ambitious travellers who want to keep their mind alert and in good shape for later years.
For commuters who don't mind the extra weight, laptops have become a popular travel companion. Although often used to catch up on work that didn't quite get finished at the office, with an internet modem key and access to the web, anything is possible. The downside of laptops is that they only have a few hours battery life at best, which cuts down on usage time.
Books, Puzzles and Craft
Reading is an age-old commuting pastime, from fiction books to the daily newspaper. Although requiring a higher level of concentration, reading can be a very fulfilling way of passing time, whether travellers choose fiction's 'escapism' option or the more educational non-fiction/self-improvement genre. Take a trip to the library and scour the shelves for something of interest.
The advantage of reading the newspaper (other than keeping abreast of the news) is that there is often a crossword and/or sudoku puzzle included. This is another way of challenging the brain, with the added bonus of feeling satisfaction once the puzzle is successfully completed. Newsagents sell whole books filled with puzzles such as crosswords, word searches and sudoku, so travellers can get their hit on an as-much-as-you-can-take basis.
The more creatively talented commuter might like to start a few projects to fill travel time, perhaps crafts such as knitting, cross-stitch, crochet or paper crafts. Artists could even bring along a sketchbook and amuse themselves by drawing portraits of fellow passengers.
Time Saving Tasks and Other Options
Some other ideas for commuting could be to use the time for mundane tasks that need to be done anyway, such as writing shopping lists or planning dinner parties. If writing is a source of enjoyment, why not try letter writing (the recipient will get a nice surprise!) or drafting articles for a magazine.
Extroverted travellers might like to try striking up conversations with other passengers, although most people prefer to follow the unspoken rule of silence amongst strangers, so be aware of the boundaries of courtesy in this situation.
If all these activities seem too strenuous, there is always the fall-back option of snoozing... but beware the pitfalls of missing stops and outraging fellow passengers with the sounds of thunderous snoring.
Carolyn Janszen - Carolyn Janszen is a traveller and a lover of words, who believes (like Helen Keller) that life is a daring adventure or nothing. She has ...
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