what do you do when you're in transit? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**mollymore** · 08-26-2008, 09:34 AM

you know, when you're on the bus or airplane or whatever? do you read, sleep, make new friends, all of the above? I do a lot of 'nothing' but since I started seeing someone that lives 12 hours worth of bus, ferry, plane, and car rides away I'm starting to think I should be more productive. I'm thinking of taking up knitting but then I wonder if I'll get my needles taken away at airport security since I only bring carry-on...

Molly

**mbo108** · 08-26-2008, 10:15 AM

I do a lot of reading or writing. Try to spend most of my time doing one of those two things. But i also love to meet new people when given the chance

**pinknic38** · 08-26-2008, 10:18 AM

I always read or listen to music or watch movies if I am on the airplane.

If I'm on a train or in a cab or bus I'm always looking out the window. Sometimes I will pop in the ipod. But I never pass up the chance for checking out the scenery!

As for knitting, crochet needles are allowed on airplanes so I'm positive knitting needles are. I crochet on long car trips or whatever.

**Elizabeth** · 08-26-2008, 10:39 AM

Daydream, look out the window, listen to NPR worldwide if available or local radio stations, do sudoku, or sleep. On a long flight I will watch the in flight movies.

Rhine · 08-26-2008, 10:49 AM

Just depends on the lenth of the trip. If im on the plane, will watch the movie or try and get some reading done. Flying to Europe though is another story, I generally rent a few movies, or play tetris for a few hours.

When in a car and not driving I listen to music, and try and perfect my plan for survival in post apoclyptic America.

**BedtimeontheMoon** · 08-26-2008, 12:14 PM

Reading or writing on planes/trains/busses... watch movies on long plane rides. Sometimes I'll meet new people if they're open to be chatty. Ipod helps also on any type of trip when you get bored of all other options.

On the planes to china we all had to get pretty creative and combine a bunch of the above (airport 3 hrs early,3 hour plane to NY, 2 hour wait for next plane, 13 hour plane over n.pole to China) and on the way back... (airport 2 hours early, 1 hour plane from Quidao to Beijing, 3 hour wait, 13 hour plane to NY, 2 hour wait, 3 hour plane to Miami)...

You've gotta get crafty lol I know the agony of 12 hours so take up a variety of trasportable hobbies!

When all else fails, take a nap!

**TheJake** · 08-27-2008, 05:38 AM

I work on my zombie invasion scenarios while rocking out with the earbuds in until i inevitably fall asleep

OR

I include a fellow passenger in the planning stages of the ZDF (Zombie Defense Force) and said passenger is usually a semi-attractive female which leads to heavy make out sessions and the sharing of the earbuds.

**freespiritz** · 08-28-2008, 01:50 PM

I journal a lot in airports, enjoy the scenery, stare out the window, read, chat to people (depending on the people), think, daydream, etc. On planes I usually contemplate the possibility of joining the Mile-High Club but judging from my experiences aboard planes, there's some sort of unwritten rule in existence that no two attractive people will ever get seats next to each other...

I usually end up next to massively obese dudes who snore and take up too much space.

I knitted a lot when I was in China on looooong van rides. If metal needles are an issue on airplanes, you can always opt for wooden/bamboo ones..

**freespiritz** · 08-28-2008, 01:52 PM

Oh yeah, thanks to a friend, I've recently discovered old sci-fi radio show broadcasts from the 50s, which are pretty damn entertaining. E-books/podcasts/music are always essential.

**mermaidnz** · 08-30-2008, 10:05 PM

i normally sleep, get drunk, read, or watch movies.

my next trip will be my first with my laptop in toe, so chances are, ill be uploading pics or typing up emails

**LostFarmboy** · 08-30-2008, 11:00 PM

Sleep is my number one method for passing time. For some reason I never get a real good night sleep in a bed, but put me on an aeroplane and I sleep like a baby, I think it's got something to do with the white noise of the engines....or the lack of oxygen. Reading in cars and busses makes me feel sick, so I employ my sleep tactic in them as well. I can also sleep quite well in airports, even with people all around. Maybe it's because when I'm travelling all the stresses of normal life don't exist for a while, so I can just relax and drift off with ease.

Quote:

Originally Posted by freespiritz

On planes I usually contemplate the possibility of joining the Mile-High Club but judging from my experiences aboard planes, there's some sort of unwritten rule in existence that no two attractive people will ever get seats next to each other...

Hahaha, that's awesome!!

**maracle** · 08-30-2008, 11:04 PM

I just had my laptop on a plane for the first time. I noticed two things...#1, the battery dies really fucking fast. #2, most planes don't have power outlets! But some do, and if you go to the comparison charts on seatguru.com you can find out which ones.

I think everyones going to be looking to fly with Hwei now!

**offhegoes03** · 08-31-2008, 08:39 AM

LostFarmBoy - wow, I've always had so much trouble sleeping on planes, etc. I just get too uncomfortable and can't focus on falling asleep. When I flew to Barcelona, I even had the seat next to me EMPTY and I couldn't fall asleep when sprawled across two seats.

maracle - my laptop does that too. It has a battery life of like 30 minutes and since it's so old, I don't want to pay apple $125 bucks for a new battery. The thing I hear is that if you leave your laptop plugged into the wall outlet all day long, it messes with the battery performance over a long period of time.

As for me, I read, write, or listen to music. The worst is when the ipod dies right before a looooong train trip. Then I usually just spend time staring out the window and daydreaming.

**freespiritz** · 08-31-2008, 09:21 AM

Sleep, of course sleep! I used to be so good at it until this last hop to the US back from India...I seem to have lost my sleep abilities. I miss the days when I was passed out before take off...

And yeah, any takers for travel buddy on my next long-haul?

**mermaidnz** · 08-31-2008, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by offhegoes03

The thing I hear is that if you leave your laptop plugged into the wall outlet all day long, it messes with the battery performance over a long period of time.

sorry its off topic, but are you serious? i leave mine on 24/7 plugged in. should i turn it off at night? now you got me worried, i havent had a laptop in a few years- one year i managed to chew thru 3 laptops....and yep, they were all left on 24/7 too. D'OH!

**MissChick** · 08-31-2008, 02:27 PM

I attempt to read or listen to music but usually I nod off...ever since my backpacking trip I can sleep anywhere and I do lol

**offhegoes03** · 08-31-2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mermaidnz

sorry its off topic, but are you serious? i leave mine on 24/7 plugged in. should i turn it off at night? now you got me worried, i havent had a laptop in a few years- one year i managed to chew thru 3 laptops....and yep, they were all left on 24/7 too. D'OH!

I mean, I keep mine plugged in all the time too. I'm not 100% sure if I'm correct, but I think I read something on apple a while ago about lithium ion batteries. You know how over time, a charged ipod will last for a shorter and shorter amount of time? Well the same thing happens with your laptop battery if it's lithium ion as well. So time is a huge factor.

Edit: Nevermind, I'm reading up on an article, and it might not be so much that you leave it plugged in all the time, it's just that you need to discharge the battery by running it not plugged in every once and a while to get the most out of the battery life.
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/print-parttwo-34.htm

**AKguacamole** · 08-31-2008, 04:20 PM

I often attempt to work on my drawing skills, since I never seem to take out the time for that anymore. Sometimes I buy magazines I normally wouldn't buy to read (often those thick Conde-Naste Traveler mags)

**mermaidnz** · 08-31-2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by offhegoes03

I mean, I keep mine plugged in all the time too. I'm not 100% sure if I'm correct, but I think I read something on apple a while ago about lithium ion batteries. You know how over time, a charged ipod will last for a shorter and shorter amount of time? Well the same thing happens with your laptop battery if it's lithium ion as well. So time is a huge factor.

Edit: Nevermind, I'm reading up on an article, and it might not be so much that you leave it plugged in all the time, it's just that you need to discharge the battery by running it not plugged in every once and a while to get the most out of the battery life.
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/print-parttwo-34.htm

Phew! thanks

**maracle** · 08-31-2008, 05:46 PM

Funny, I just read all about this today because I ordered a bigger battery. Basically when you first get a battery you're supposed to let it charge in the laptop overnight. Then, unplug it and let it run till it dies. Then plug it back in and charge up again. It's called "calibration" according to the battery store I went to, and if you repeat it every few months it'll make sure you're always getting max battery life.

I'm not sure if thats what the battery university link said because I"m lazy and that was a long page