Hanging out in airports can be fun when it has amenities like beautiful gardens, lounges and nap areas. (Consider flying from one of the World's Top 10 Airports. View list here). But, not all airports have a lot to offer. If you have a long layover and couldn't get out of the airport, take it as part of the adventure.
1. Read
There's a huge genre of reading materials for everyone to indulge. Essay collections, poetry, comics, novels, e-books, webtoons, etc. If you find yourself dosing after a few pages on a book, it may not the right one for you. Go pick up a different one. When traveling, I like to pack books that are light and easy to read. Some of my favorites are books by Sophie Kinsella, Haruki Murakami, The Philippines is Not a Small Country by Gideon Lasco and essays by Jessica Zafra. For webtoons, I have Webtoon:Comics app on my phone. You can also browse online for book recommendations or ask on social media. GoodReads.com has a simple and clean interface and I find it easy to scout for next reads here.
If you're looking for simple and fun games for kids or yourself, check out Plays.org. This easy to navigate site offers thousands of free games that can be played on your browser like Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and other modern web browsers. There's no need to download a new app or other software. It has no annoying ads getting in the way. and can be enjoyed on your tablet, laptop or mobile phone.
There's also the good, old Classic Solitaire, the very first card game I learned to play. 2048 which became popular years ago is also available. I find moving the tiles, relaxing! There are also quiz games, like Geography Quiz. While it's meant for kids, I didn't breeze through all the questions and had to play it about 10x to get to the last question. Check out their wide range of categories section to find a game that suits your taste. New games are added regularly and you can even contact them to suggest the ones you want to see on their site.
3. Curate Your Music Playlist
4. Stretch
If you're feeling sore from all that waiting, try stretching. It helps improve flexibility which in turn lowers your risk of injuries and allows muscles to work effectively. To do it safely, warm your muscles up by walking around or if you can, jog in place.
Here's a helpful exercise to relieve you of stress or tight muscles. This exercise doesn't require a lot of space and was designed for people in the workplace wearing business attire.
5. Watch Videos
Use the downtime to enjoy a movie, documentary or catch up on your favorite series. If you're looking for a site with legally uploaded free movies or documentaries, you can run a search on YouTube with key words like "free movies". Some film companies have shared movies they've produced like ABS-CBN Star Cinema, TBA Studios, Sunworld Pictures, Regal Entertainment, Inc. and more. To make sure you're viewing from the film company's official site, look for a check sign on the username, an indicator of a verified account. For documentaries/informative channels, there's BBC Reel, VOX, Real Stories, Great Art Explained and a whole lot more.
Note : I'm not affiliated with YT, just a happy user! Do consider subscribing to YouTube Premium so you can watch and download ad-free videos. They offer a free trial or you can opt for a family plan to lessen the cost.
6. Write
Have you been wanting to write a book, blog or turn your travel into a journal? Turn the waiting time into an opportunity to get started. While you're writing, be mindful of the time and your surroundings. You don't want to miss important announcements about your flight. To help you write, you may want to take advantage of free online editing tools, like Grammarly and Hemmingway App. Accessing its full features requires subscription but the free version is pretty useful too.
7. Plan for your Next Adventure
A good itinerary helps save time and money. Though you don't need to plan down to the smallest detail, knowing the places you can visit in one go helps maximize your itinerary. For example, flying to a country that has a long layover to another city or country you've been wanting to visit,
Why not start planning for your next trip? Check for flights, places of interest or things to do. Skyscanner, Google flights, and Kayak are among the popular sites to search for flights. It also gives you an idea if you can squeeze in a short trip during your layover.