Tag Archives: traveling

How to Stay Entertained on a Long Trip!

Whether it’s a punishing driving path through straight scenery of little interest, a stationary 12-hour flight, or a cramped coach journey from one side of a country to another, travel can be desperate. Physical discomfort is bad enough, but a lack of mental stimulation can ruin you. So it’s worth a little preparation and packing to alleviate the pain.

long road

Gadgetry and electronics are the easiest get-out clauses. iPods, Kindles, tablets and phablets and other devices are a faithful companion on long journeys for passengers who like films, music, books and casino games such as those that you may find at SuperCasino.

Plan ahead and download anything you need on wi-fi in preparation as data roaming will destroy your finances abroad, and invest in a portable charger. Make sure you’ve packed yourself some drinks and snacks to nip any hunger pangs or thirst in the bud. Sure you might be able to buy some food along the way but if you’re on a coach, the driver will decide when it’s time for a stop, not your stomach. Also, you won’t have to interrupt that thrilling episode of your favourite series you’re watching on your iPad.

Those passengers without such luxuries will have to rely on pen and paper or your mind. Crosswords and sudoko take up time, but if you want a real challenge download some of the fearsome variations such as Wordoku, Squiggle Sudoku, and the deadly Samurai Soduko (41 interlinked grids).

Noughts and crosses is a simplistic 90-second filler, but much better is

ultimate noughts and crosses; an advanced version with nine mini-games inside one giant grid. Each player doesn’t get to choose which of the mini-games they play on – that’s determined by the opposition’s previous go – have a go at Ultimatetictactoe and you’ll soon see the strategic potential.

For fun and giggles, build a story between two or three of you. Take a piece of paper and fold it into multiple sections. Each of you takes it in turn to write a sentence, but each writer folds over the paper before handing it sideways for the next participant to take their turn. You could leave them completely clueless about what has been written, or tell them what the last word of your sentence was. Either way, one of you will read the completed short masterpiece at the end.

Eye-spy is good, but fairly tired, and there are multiple variations – using the second letter, or last letter, for example. Take turns in asking what you would do if you won the lottery, which three famous people you would have lunch with, and other meaningful posers. This is also a great way of involving other people on a coach ride and breaking the ice on a group tour, for example.

Another word game involves taking it in turn to name a country, and the next person has to name another country that begins with the last letter of the previous country. If there’s a group of you and you’re really feeling daring why not take on the ‘hot seat’ challenge, where one person is grilled by the other five who fire questions which he or she must answer – with one veto allowed. Once the questions have been answered another person takes on the hot seat, with a fresh set of questions.

These are a few variations on games and fun to drag you through the trek, but there are two last contenders which cost nothing: conversation on life, travel, families and ambitions; and sleep!