If travelling around Thailand this Summer has taught me anything, it is that travel days can become unenjoyable quickly if you haven’t prepared yourself for the 8–10-hour journey ahead. Moving from place to place every couple of days means that travel days are frequent and unavoidable.
Here are some tips to keep you preoccupied and lessen the dread of an approaching day on the move.
Starting with journey activities, my top recommendation is journaling. The idea of journalling often comes across as daunting to some, however, my advice is to take it at your own pace.
Pack a little notebook and pen in your day bag and keep it easily accessible. Having these items on you means that you can whip them out whenever you feel like it and jot down your memories and movements as you go.
If, like me, your long-term memory isn’t great, this is an ideal solution. Make a memoir to look back on the experience, as well as helping to keep your mind occupied on travelling days. I found that doing so made me appreciate the trip better, as I had something other than photos to look back on and remember what I had been up to.
Here are some ideas for what you could write about: the most enjoyable moments along the way, what you’re looking forward to, and maybe what you would do differently next time or recommend to others looking to take part in the same experience.
One thing I did was keep the tickets and receipts that we collected along the way and stuck these into my notebook as souvenirs to accompany my writing. A nice little way to look back on the memory of the trip.
A pack of cards or a card game like Uno is a classic boredom preventative.
If you’re solo travelling or looking for some form of ice breaker with people you have just met, nothing beats a good game of cards. Bringing a pack of cards along is also a great method for socialising in hostels and getting to know those around you.
Next up, bring a book. If journalling is not your forte or you have limited space in your backpack / suitcase, a book is a great alternative.
Personally, I enjoy bringing a new book when travelling or going on holiday and trying to finish it while I’m away. In doing so, I can associate it with the holiday location, as well as giving me something to do on long haul journeys and beach days. It’s a great substitute to being on your phone when battery life is essential.
Moving on to essentials to pack. If you’re embarking on an overnight journey, which is great to save money and something that my friends and I did when travelling Thailand, it’s important to feel refreshed when arriving at your destination. Opt for a reclining seat or even a bunk bed if you can, as comfort makes the journey a lot more bearable, trust me.
If you have some time to spare before boarding your transport for the night, buy a facemask. In my case, applying a facemask before trying to get some shut eye for the night meant smooth skin and no dark eye bags in the morning. A win when the journeys are often bumpy and never noise-free. And yes, little self-nurture never hurt nobody.
Most importantly, make sure to have water and snacks with you onboard. There’s nothing worse than starving yourself to avoid buying overpriced pitstop food… I’ve learnt from my mistakes.
It might be fun to take snacks that you have never tried before and do some taste-testing along the way. You might be surprised and find a new favourite!
On these overnight journeys, there’s nothing that I could recommend more than bringing an eye mask. This is an absolute essential, not only for travel days, but also for if you’re planning to stay in shared accommodation.
I recommend splashing out a little and treating yourself to a plush high quality eye mask. I got myself a fancy silk one for the trip and, honestly, it was one of the best decisions I made.
Often, it can be hard to catch sleep along the way due to bright overhead lights or roommates not getting the memo that other people are sleeping in the same room. A good quality eye mask also makes the sleep all that much better and takes up zero space in your bag.
So, if journey sleep is on your mind, make sure to add an eye mask to the packing list if you haven’t already.
All in all, travel days are not the most fun standalone experiences and do take up a lot of time, however, finding ways to make the journey bearable, especially when they’re a regular occurrence, makes them a lot more enjoyable.