Whether you are traveling on a group tour or independently, be prepared
for long bus and/or train rides:
Use the time to take short naps, read up on your next destination,
or just relax and listen to music.
When we were on the trains, I took the chance to take pictures
of our experience and our ride. It was also a wonderful opportunity to take some pictures of the country side along
the way. Whenever I could I would take pictures of the signs at the train stations we stopped at. Point is there
are many things that you can do to use this time well.
If you are group touring, the TD might play some music on the bus,
which was okay. But if you prefer to listen to a certain type of music you should bring your own. If you are traveling
independently by bus, train or plane, listening to your selection of music will relax you and keep you entertained.
Personally, I like it as it brings a little bit of "home" with you on the road!
If you are group touring, as soon as you hit your rest stops, immediately
go to the restroom. Many other tour groups also use these stops, so you want to get in line as soon as possible. Tip: Your
TD will ask the group to limit their use of the on board facilities to emergency situations only.
I used the rest/lunch stops primarily to stretch
my legs and take pictures or hunt for possible souvenirs rather than sitting and having a meal. I packed several bags
of trail mix, which I used to snack on during these stops.
If you are group touring be prepared
to rotate seating. It’s a fair system. On my first tour we didn’t rotate seats because most people just preferred
sitting in their same seats. However, you should be prepared in case your tour requires it.
