How to Survive a Long Bus Ride

Traveling is a lovely thing to do, but just the very thought of you getting from one place to another might make you feel nervous and edgy. Especially when it comes to bus rides, it happens that the further the destinations – the more unpleasant the feeling of traveling is.

Maybe for some people, this is not an issue, but many travelers are facing the problem of reaching the right level of comfort when traveling with buses. For example, this is a big problem for tall people who can’t find a way to fit in the place they’re supposed to. This is also an issue for those who have problems with particular parts of their bodies, getting muscle cramps. Some people even avoid traveling by bus because they can’t win the battle against boredom. But whatever the reason may be, it doesn’t mean that long bus rides are always too hard to handle. It depends on your mindset and how you plan on spending your free time on the bus.

Now, if you want to have a good bus ride, you need to prepare adequately. That means you have to imagine yourself in the bus or better remind yourself of the last time you’ve been on a trip with a bus and try to think about every difficulty you’ve come across during your time getting from one place to another. Let’s start with the basic:

Wear proper clothes

When traveling by bus, you have to think wisely what you’re going to wear to feel comfortable. Don’t put on specific materials that might irritate your skin during the long ride and avoid wearing clothes with a lot of pins. Stay casual and put on something like tracksuits and sneakers.

Mind the weather in the specified period you’re traveling and dress properly according to it. If it’s colder, make sure to have warm clothes and a blanket to cover yourself, since in the night the temperatures drop and it can get freezing, making it difficult for you to sleep.

If the weather is warm, then you should take some extra clothes in your backpack, so that you can change if you start to sweat a lot. Also take some warmer clothes for the night, because the temperature in summer can also drop. Nevertheless, think wisely and be prepared to put comfort in front of fashion when traveling by bus, even though you can always mix them.

Prepare for some relax time

Traveling by bus from one place to another sometimes can take up to a few hours or even days. That’s why you should be prepared to use the free time in the bus to relax a bit and even get some good sleep. However, this for some people is not possible, and that’s normal – not all people can adapt to the typical sleeping conditions provided in a bus. But if you try hard, you can always relax a bit, and hopefully, then you might just fall asleep.

First of all, you should take a pillow (it’s good to have the traveling ones, since they easily fit on your head, around your neck, and the seat of the bus. Also, take a small blanket with you so that you can make your place a soft nest where you can rest and cover whenever you feel cold.

If you feel like you need all the extra space around you to be comfortable, then it’s better to sit in the inner rows of the bus. However, if you want to sleep sweet, I suggest you sit next to the window, where you can use that part of the bus as an additional place for your improvised bed. Plus, you can always do some sightseeing, enjoying the view outside the bus. It happens that, when people sit next to the window and watch the nature outside as the bus passes by, they get more and more relaxed, and eventually they fall asleep.

Bring some entertainment along

When you’re busy partly enjoying your time on the bus, then the time goes by faster than usual. Why is that? Well, it’s logical – the more attention you pay to other stuff around you, the less you care about the time. So, any solution? Yes, find a way to entertain yourself. Here are some ideas that might help you:

• Books. They are a great friend when you have some free time, and luckily on the bus, you have plenty of free time, so use it wisely to read the books you’ve always planned on reading but didn’t get to eventually.
• Music. Probably there will be some music played on the bus for everyone, but if possible make sure to bring your favorite types of music so that you get to enjoy what you’re listening. Listening music is also good for when you want to relax: you can just put your headphones on, turn the world off and relax.
• Games. No matter how old you are, if you’re into playing games then take some along with you on the bus. They will provide you with a perfect time, making you forget a bit about the road, the people around you and the anticipation of getting to your desired destination.
• Chat. No matter if it’s online or offline, chatting is fun! You get to talk a lot with your friends and relatives and time tends to pass by quickly. However, not always do you have internet or travel with someone you know. That’s when you have the chance to make new friends and do some networking. If you’re a talkative person and you need someone to talk to, start with the person sitting next to you. Try to engage in a conversation but if it’s not going smoothly, then don’t push it. You don’t want to make your sitting partner nervous and annoyed.
• Movies. Many buses that are traveling long distances have little TVs inside and DVDs on which movies are played. However, the selection of movies is not always the greatest so you can easily get disappointed as soon as the chosen movie starts. But that can be arranged in a better way. For example, if you’re taking your laptop or tablet with you on the trip, you can always download a movie of your choice previously and then watch it on your device. With a good movie – time simply flies!

Use your time wisely

If you’re going to travel for many hours, then you should think about doing something productive instead of wasting your time just sitting on that bus.

• Have you some unfinished work? Do it on the bus.
• Didn’t you have the time to study or learn something new? Take your materials and dive into the essence of knowledge.
• You’ve always wanted to sit down and think about the future? Take a piece of paper and write down your plans and ideas.
• Are you feeling creative? Do what you got to do, time is on your side.

Pack some food and liquids

If you’re going to travel for many hours, you will need some snacks and drinks. Take whatever you prefer, but never get on a bus without a bottle of water. Water is essential. Also, bring something fresh like lemon ice tea or orange juice.

Apart from the drinks, don’t forget to pack up some food. Snacks, sandwiches, fruits, whatever you please except for those types of food that can quickly go bad. Also, whenever you plan on eating, remember first to clean up a bit since many people have been traveling on that bus, so it’s not the most decent place on earth.

Traveling by bus is not as bad as you might think, but it won’t become any better if you start off your trip being pessimistic about your long ride with the bus. If you prepare the way, you should and stop making a big deal out if it, you will find out that it’s not something you should worry about and that it won’t ruin your trip if you don’t let it.

For the very end, here are some additional tips:

Take some tissues and some sanitary products for disinfection

Book a reservation or buy your ticket sometime before the trip

Take your most valuable stuff with you in a bag or fanny pack and guard it during the ride

Use the breaks to visit the restroom and stretch up a bit

Travel safe and enjoy the ride!