Quality Time At Airports and Bus Stations

If you travel than you know what it’s like to get to the airport and wait, and wait, and wait. It’s usually not a very good time. The same goes for trains stations, bus stations, and ferry terminals. Once you are past the security, you are stuck. So, the question is, how can you make the most of your time?

Sure, you can look through the duty free shop, buy overpriced food or drinks, or sit in an uncomfortable chair and stare out the window, but wouldn’t you rather do something more enjoyable and productive?

If you use your brain a bit and don’t mind pushing the limits, you can make your waiting time anywhere time well spent. Here are a few ideas:

First of all, the most obvious. Read. In our world, people don’t take the time to read and it seems as if many are even forgetting how to read without a backlit screen. Bring a paperback. Read an actual book about something you are interested in. Not a magazine, not a newspaper. A book.

Second. Make lists. Lists are fun and productive. Make a list of people you need to call, things you want to do, places you want to go, birthdays, goals, or maybe even people you want to sleep with. Just make lists.

Third. Call the people you love. This is especially true if you are in your home country. Just call and chat with the special people in your life. Say hi, talk about the weather, make plans.

Fourth. Use the internet. Okay, this is a no brainer. Chances are you have a netbook, a smart phone, or a laptop with you. If not, you will find that cyber cafes have popped up in many travel hubs around the world. Send some email, surf the web, play some online games.

Fifth. Meditate. You don’t have to chant Om Mani Padme Hum, you can simply sit still and let your mind drift from thought to thought. One of the big problems in our world is that people don’t take the time to simply think about things. Really. Sit. Breathe. Let your mind wander wherever it wants. Not only will you be surprised at where it goes, you will also find that it will provide you with good ideas, solutions to problems, and other things the mind is good for. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but our world wastes them all the time.

Sixth. Make some new friends. Chances are that you will never see the people in the airport again. You never know, but you probably won’t. Why not take the opportunity to make some new friends. Try out those great pickup lines, learn about a foreign person, or maybe even just have fun pretending to be someone that you really aren’t. Why not?

Time at transport centers doesn’t have to be wasted time. In fact, by doing some of the above, I’ve actually turned my ‘down’ time during my travels into some of my favorite ‘up’ time.

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