Many of us find ourselves constantly in and out of airports, for business or pleasure or whatever the reason may be, and would like to make better use of that dead time, of which there can be a lot, especially on long multi-segment trips overseas, for example. Here are some quick suggestions to ponder:
Ebooks:
Travel time is actually excellent for absorbing a couple really good books, and it’s a great time to catch up on some much-needed reading. You have so many options for ebooks I don’t think it’s even necessary to list them here. You also have your preference of audio books or regular text books; it’s completely up to you. Text is a lot faster if you’re a reasonably good reader, but audio books allow you to do things like walk around and eat while still getting the book “read to you”
Online Casinos:
Online casinos are an excellent way to kill time on those long layovers. In fact, the hours can go by in a blur when you’re gaming in this way; make sure you have an alarm set so you remember to get to the gate on time for your connection:
Guts online casino with mobile games is a prime example of a great casino site where you can keep yourself occupied for hours on end. One of the nice things about Guts is how comprehensive it is. This allows you to get all your online casino fun in on one app only, thereby avoiding having to spam separate apps on your phone for poker, slots, blackjack, etc.
Other Games on your Phone:
There are obviously tons of possibilities here. Once again, to avoid that dreaded app spam on your phone, pick a couple of really good games that you like a lot and aim for complete and total domination and mastery of them. This will also keep you focused and help with your mental hygiene.
It’s a good idea, actually, to have at least one game available on your phone that does not require an internet connection. This is for both being on the plane itself, and also for being in strange towns where there is no roaming, no wi-fi and no SIM card available for you. You will be grateful to have that one reliable game to pass the time during those gaps in the internet service.
Take A Look Around Town:
This is a final option, but can be a really good one. There are several factors that need to be in play for this option to be viable and workable.
-The security check-in process can’t be overly complicated or slow
-The time of the layover must be enough and must be at a time when there is actually something going on in the town you are in for the layover. Some major cities are closer to being 24 hour towns than others.
-The airport must be reasonably near to the interesting parts of town in that city, unless you don’t mind spending big bucks on transportation. Rideshare has, however, mitigated this quite a bit. Be realistic about your travel times. Remember traffic can be hell in some cities, hell like you wouldn’t believe.
Honestly, the best way for this strategy to work is to know what you want to see beforehand and just go there. Wandering around is usually a waste of time. Do your research online beforehand to make sure you get a positive experience out of this.
Conclusion:
Layovers don’t have to be purgatory for you. There are options to make the experience better and more edifying.
Do you have another way you spend your time travelling productively that you’d like to share with us? Please feel free to let us know in the comments below.