Useful and Entertaining Things to do While Traveling

Whether traveling for pleasure or business, put the time spent sitting to good use! There are many useful and entertaining things one can do while on the road or flying high above the earth, although the opptions are limmited when in the air.

Consider the amount of time you will be traveling and who you are traveling with, then plan accordingly. Don't forget to take into consideration your proness to motion sickness, as looking down while traveling increases the sensation. Also, no kitting and driving. I'm sorry, but the driver is limmited, in what they may do!

When I was growing up, my mother always read aloud to us, when we were driving, even if it was just a short trip. Nowadays, with audio book readily available, even someone driving alone can enjoy a story or educational information.

The Kindle, a wireless reading device with over 300,000 books available, plus top newspapers, magazines, and blogs, can be held and read from, or it can read aloud to you.

"With the new text-to-speech feature, Kindle can read every newspaper, magazine, blog and book out loud to you, unless the book is disabled by the rights holder. You can switch back and forth between reading and listening, and your spot is automatically saved. Pages automatically turn while the content is being read, so you can listen hands-free. You can choose from both male and female voices which can be sped up or slowed down to suit your preference. In the middle of a great book or article but have to jump in the car? Simply turn on Text-to-Speech and listen on the go." --Amazon.com

Kindle books are affordable and readily available, do to its large storage capacity and wireless connection, which is paid for as part of the purchase price.  Best of all, there are no system requirements, because it does not require a computer. 

If you love to listen while you travel, be sure and check it out.   New York Times Best Sellers and most new releases are $9.99, while you will find many other books for less.

Small hand crafts are perfect travel companions.  Any project that can be stored in a gallon sized zip-lock bag or cookie tin is worth considering.  Traveling is a perfect time to make some of those Christmas gifts that you can give to anyone.

Knitting and Crocheting:

Socks, dish cloths, scarves, and even sweaters of simple pattern, are perfect for travel.  I like to take things that don't require much of a pattern.   When traveling, I always knit on circular needles, because they are short and the work can be stored on the cable.  Lace, for a special project, is one of my favorite things to crochet on the road.

If you are flying, remember that you cannot take metal onto the plane, so opt for bamboo or plastic needles or hooks, and pack your scissors in a bag that you will not be caring onto the plane or use small travel sized fingernail clippers to cut the yarn with. (Call ahead to make sure you can take knitting along, as some airline restrict all forms of knitting needles.)

Embroidery:

I have always enjoyed embroidering while traveling.  Project options range from tea-towels to clothing items, and everything in between.  I have often stamped out a set of quilt block to completed while on the go.

When flying, most airlines allow hand needles to be used on the plane.  Precut your thread ahead of time, to avoid difficulties, and use fingernail clippers or leave tails.  Be sure your supplies are organized, so that you are not a nuisance to your fellow traveler.

Beading:

I first became acquainted with seed-beading while traveling with a group from Nebraska to Manitoba, Canada.  One gal had brought along a cookie tin of mixed seed beads, a few smaller dishes, thread, folding scissors and needles.  She taught the rest of us several designs, and we made many things during that long, long drive, including a few messes.

I know one woman who paid for her travels across country by making beaded jewelry while her husband drove.  They would sell her products on the street from town to town.  She traveled with a fly-fishing box full of beading supplies, including small pliers and a tray to contain her work.

I would not take beads on a plane, do to the mess they are liable to make. 

If you are good with a camera, and have a passion for photography, take time to take pictures along the way. Many people have paid for their travel by selling their photos of the trip.

If this is of interest to you, be sure to study up ahead of time to see what is selling and how to take the best photographs. Nobody really wants pictures of you in front of every sign you came to.

Be sure to take a charger and extra chips for your digital camera, unless you will be able to download them along the way.

Keep a log of where pictures where taken and who or what is in them.

 Children love to be busy too.  When traveling with your kids, be sure that they also have projects.  If they have a favorite hobby, help them to pack it appropriately, ahead of time. 

Coloring:

I remember traveling across country with my grandmother to visit relatives in Iowa.  She packed several new coloring books and sets of crayons into cake pans with lids.  These fit nicely under the seats of the car, and worked as lap desks. 

Books:

Young children love to look at books.  For my babies, I have always kept a collection of board books in the vehicle.  For my older children, I like to take along bird and insect identification books, so we can look up different critters we see along the way.

Travel Games:

Magnetic travel games make the road less boring for children, and the pieces are hard to loose, since they stick to the board.