Bus travel gets monotonous after a few weeks, and you can only see the same sights out the window for so long. Bus games, activities and entertainment will keep you busy on your travel and make the trip seem faster.
- Pull out your phone and snap some photos. See what interesting views and perspectives you can get. Use a photo altering app (such as Instagram) to enhance your photos and share them with friends. This article also has more ideas for snapshots and daily photos.
- Download a new e-book or pick up a second hand novel. Reading on the bus is a great way to pass the time, but you don’t have to spend a ton of money on the newest hardcover best seller. Instead, pop into a thrift store and grab a few fun novels to read on the bus. A cheesy sci-fi or spy thriller can mix up your routine, or maybe a handful of old comics. If you have a smart phone or e-reader than you can simply download a book. There are many unknown authors with published e-books that are a dollar or under.
- Start a survey. Keep track in a notebook or on a smart phone and add to it everyday. Things you could survey include how many people are wearing hats, how many have beards, how often the driver has to stop to pick up passengers, or how many people use cash as opposed to a bus pass.
- Learn something new. Using books or an internet browser (on a laptop or smart phone) teach yourself a new skill. Something small and portable of course (cooking and juggling are definitely out). Origami, languages, or cross stitch are easy ideas. You could even listen to a “learn a language” track during your trip.
- Gain some mind power with games such as sudoku, crossword puzzles or brain teasers. It passes the time quick and keeps your mind engaged.
- Write a haiku. If you take the bus to and from work or school everyday, then two haikus a day will add up to quite a stack eventually. After a year of bus rides you could have over 250 poems, and publish your own anthology!
- Start a blog. With a smart phone or laptop you could start your own blog. You could even call it your “bus blog” and write about things you see, thoughts you have, or people you meet. If you want to keep away from electronic devices, you could write in a journal.
Riding the bus to work, school or just around town doesn’t have to be boring or a waste of time. Plan ahead and bring simple things to do that will make the trip seem shorter, and get things done as well!