Okay, bus journeys are separate hells on their own as many have found out and some have put off trips until they can afford to fly. Like have you sat through a drive from Kano to Lagos? Or let’s cut it a bit shorter, Abuja to Owerri?
Yes, i would rather fly than endure that but, there are money circumstances you cannot control and you find yourself buying bus tickets close to tears and clutching your rosary and praying to your ancestors. Dear students, schools are now in session and procrastinating will only save you few weeks and a bad grade. So let us help you through that trip:
1. Wake Up Early.
Get to the terminal earlier in order to buy the best possible seats, and if you are not a veteran bus traveler, like yours truly, you can ask for the seat descriptions and avoid where luggages block leg spaces.
2. Take A Headphone Along.
Most times you will board vehicles where the drivers play songs that make everything within you revolt, stay calm, plug your ears and drown in the beauty of familiar lyrics and soul searching beats.
3. Stay Warm.
Remember to take along a warm outfit (a sweater if you like or a jacket) because the beginning may be hot but once the bus and the road becomes one with the driver flying away, it gets very chilly (especially when the air-conditioning is turned off and windows are open) so stay warm or you arrive at your destination with a running nose.
4. Talk.
Yes sometimes your battery life last as long as it takes spittle to dry on the ground or maybe longer but it may eventually run down and you will be left with nothing to do but contemplate the seemingly non-ending journey. Don’t despair, start a conversation with a stranger, it helps.
5. See Sights.
First time travels are always exciting when it is done during the day, read signs, see landmarks, and many other wonders that reading about the location you are headed can never prepare you for well enough.
6. Take Snacks Along.
Eating light during bus travels helps to take care of upsetting stomachs caused by car sicknesses and keeps the mind busy (yes a busy mouth is a busy mind deal with that), so take something chewy along.
7. Stretch Those Limbs.
When the bus stops for rest along the way it is not the time to alight and find a comfortable place to sit (like seriously? you’ve been sitting for hours) instead, take little walks around and stretch those places that will feel cramped when the journey resumes.
8. Sleep.
Take this warning to heart: Never fight sleep! For no reason should you reject the gift nature is giving you to survive the journey, close your eyes and wake when the journey is over, though this is almost impossible, but sleep as often and long as you can.
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