5 tips to cure boredom on a lonely long drive
Driving on your own can be pretty boring, especially driving long distances. Do you find yourself continuously checking the clock, praying that by some miracle another hour has passed, only to see it has only been a couple of minutes?
All you want is some company, someone to save you from the boredom of being alone. Thankfully, nowadays we have platforms that can provide us with entertainment on the road, and there are many places we can benefit from to get through the drive.
Over the last couple of years, I have driven many long-distance car trips on my own. Whether it’s been back and forth between Canberra and my hometown in Orange, or up to Sydney and Newcastle for family visits; it is safe to say, I have become very accustomed to the boredom associated to the lonely, long dives.
So, from my own experience, I have pulled together 5 tips to help you get through a long car trip when driving alone. You may not realise how entertaining a car trip can be when you’re by yourself, but I guarantee you will after using these tips.
- Spotify Playlists
Sometimes when you listen to your own music, it can be pretty repetitive over a long period of time. On Spotify, you can search for almost any type of playlist you want; different genres, eras of music, or even moods tailored to what you feel like listening to. It is the perfect time to discover or rediscover the music that you love.
Songs to Sing in the Car is a playlist created by Spotify with almost 10 million followers. It is my go-to playlist for a long drive, and you’re almost guaranteed to have no voice by the end of your trip.
But if this isn’t your style, you can search for almost any music on Spotify and there is certain to be a playlist for you. Especially, if you want to pretend you’re 5 years old again and filming a music video in the car to sad songs (I know we have all done that at some stage).
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- McDonald’s
Not a fan of Maccas? I can guarantee you will be looking for the famous golden arches sooner or later in your sole adventure. It might not even be for food, but maybe an average coffee to get you through the trip, or more commonly to finally be able to make that toilet stop you have been needing for the past hour.
Maccas give you a great initiative to stop, which is crucial when you’re driving by yourself. ‘Stop, revive, survive’ should be considered when you’re driving long distances on your own.
In my experience, stopping at Maccas has been key in some trips. When I have started to get uncomfortable and feel myself slowly losing focus, I have found that stopping to regain concentration and freshen up has been crucial.
lights will guide you home pic.twitter.com/zHY8Ot5iLM
— McDonald’s Australia (@maccas) April 14, 2021
- Podcasts
It might be stating the obvious, but this is the best time to binge on your favourite podcasts. Do you want to know more about what’s happening in your favourite sport? There’s a podcast for that.
Want to fill five hours with horrible crime and murder stories? Plenty of podcasts for that. Need more tips on how to stop killing your indoor plants, or maybe some advice on how to save money? There’s most definitely a podcast for that.
Podcasts are so easy to listen to while keeping your eyes peeled on the road, and they can make your time in the car pass by very quickly.
If you want to spend your entire trip in hysterics, I highly recommend Aussie legends, Hamish and Andy. Their weekly, 40 minute, podcast changes the whole dynamic of your trip, and you will find yourself crying with laughter with these two.
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- Audiobooks
Why not use this time to start, or finish, that book you just haven’t been able to get your hands on.
It was never something I considered doing in the car until I was thinking of ways I could get through my drive to Newcastle and boy oh boy, how good are audiobooks.
I was able to finally start the book that had been perched up in my room and staring at me since December last year. Although they can take a while to get through, I find that the best thing is you can just pick up the printed version (if you have it) and continue on from the recorded version.
As a huge sports fan, I also love to use the time on my drive to learn more about sports and athletes around the world. I recently started the Cameron Smith (NRL Player) biography ‘The Storm Within’ through an audiobook on my way to the Hunter Valley.
Since December, I had been carrying around the physical version of the book, but I just hadn’t had the chance to open it. I was presented with the perfect opportunity to start the book on my drive, and I’m so glad I did. Being able to listen to his incredible journey as one of the best Rugby League players Australia has seen was fantastic.
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- Coffee
Not a coffee drinker? You will be once you drive long-distance on your own.
Seriously though, drinking water is great, but when you’re driving, there’s nothing better than having another tasty drink by your side to accompany you (obviously not alcohol).
The taste, and more likely than not, the contents will keep you awake and alert. One of my favourite things to do on a road trip is to get a coffee.
I do understand that some people genuinely don’t like coffee, so I do recommend getting something else, such as a soft drink or another sugary drink to keep you going. My personal favourite would be a bottle of coke or peach iced team, which is conveniently easy to grab while filling up at a petrol station.
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So, if you’re planning your next trip on the road, why not give these tips a go. I guarantee they will be making your 8-hour trip feel like just another drive to your local store, without you even realising you were driving alone.
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