Traveling can often be a slog, a never-ending waiting game of wondering “are we there yet?” Growing up, I often had to sit through long car rides and airplane trips to visit family on different sides of the globe. I got good at knowing what to expect from a fourteen-hour plane ride and would always have a plan of attack (the attack being on boredom).
Books are one of the main ways I’ll try to get through a long trip. I’ll usually pick from whatever books I’m currently reading, making sure to bring the longer book that I’m on such as one from the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Fourteen hours on a plane wouldn’t even get me through half of one of those books, so I’d be set for the ride.
Another thing I like to bring is graphic novels. They read fairly quickly and keep the trip interesting, plus I can easily fly through a bunch of pictures and still get a full story. Some of my favorite graphic novels are the Heartstopper comics by Alice Oseman. I never get tired of rereading those books. You also can’t go wrong with some good ol’ childhood nostalgia by packing something like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson to keep you company.
My other main source of comfort while traveling has always been music. Lately, I’ve been into a lot of Kpop artists, but some of my other staple songs are from Ed Sheeran, Troye Sivan, and Halsey. I can also always listen to some Taylor Swift to pass the time.
Overall, I like to find mindless entertainment to pass the time when I’m waiting to get somewhere. I’ve found that it’s the best way to deal with longer trips.