So you’re stuck on a plane, in a car on a train… and you’re a bored Otaku. WHAT DO YOU DO?!?! Well, if you’ve brought along your trusty body pillow with your favourite anime character, I’m sure that makes for very colourful conversation. However, if you’re like me and you like to travel light, here are a few ideas for you guys to get through those long travel hours.
1) Load up on music!
What better way to spend 20 hours isolated in a seat than to spend it in a world of anime music? Make a LOONNNGG playlist of your favourite tunes, slip on some nice headphones, hoodie up, and be a hermit for the next little while.
2) Favourite Plushie
Face it, if you’re hauling your ass to the airport at six in the morning for an early flight, you’re going to knock out as soon as you get onto the plane. Bring your favourite anime plushie to keep you cozy… no, not the giant Miku doll that requires an extra passenger seat (and ticket). Maybe a little mudkip, (or if you’re me, bring your favourite Sebastian doll <3)
3) Manga?
Do not. And I repeat. Do not. Bring all your manga wherever you’re going. I know it seems like a good idea when you’re powering through 50+ novels of Naruto on the train, but books weigh A TON and with the extra shopping you might do over your trip, you might exceed your baggage weight or quantity. If you’re really desperate to read manga on your trip, load your manga onto an tablet, eReader and laptop. It’s a weightless way to bring along your favourite stories while saving space all at the same time.
4) GAMES!
This covers a wide variety of things… It’s great if you have a sibling or travelling with a friend and you’ve both got a DS or game console; hours of fun racing with Super Mario Brothers or miscellaneous party games. If you’re bringing a laptop, the free time traveling in between destinations is a great time to power through an entire visual novel… or clear all the levels in Touhou.
5) Getting creative
I’ve found that the best time to write is when it’s dark, everyone’s asleep and you get in the zone with pen and paper, or keys and laptop screen. Write some fanfiction!! If you’re not much of a writer, bring along a sketchbook, a loaded pencil case and sketch away! You’ll be amazed at how quickly time passes.
I hope I gave you guys a few new ideas to make those endless hours of travel not as exhausting. This piece was probably inspired by my slight claustrophobic and fidgety time on the plane from Toronto to Hong Kong. I have horrible internet here which is why I haven’t been posting as often but I’m trying my best! Thank you guys so much for reading and I will talk to you guys soon!
– Cloudy
What are you pondering today?
