Travelling by an especially historical train makes the ride more memorable. When matched with the breathtaking views of the valley and countryside, trains like the Weardale Railway in Great Britain has been the choice of transportation of many tourists and even locals travelling from Wearhead to Shildon. Staring outside the window while riding the train is not the only thing you can do while travelling since you can do other fun activities to make your railway adventure more fun, and they do not require much more than your smartphone. Here are some activities you can do with the aid of your smartphone on the train.
Make a Documentary
Even if you are not a trained filmmaker, you can still make your own documentary or short film while on the train. A perfect example of this is Marc Singer, who featured the homeless people in the tunnels of New York in his documentary film called Dark Days. Marc did not receive any formal training in filmmaking, but he was able to create a masterpiece. So you don’t get into any trouble, you can make a release form and ask the people you filmed sign that form. If you do not have a video recorder, you can always use your smartphone. You see, smartphones today now have the ability to shoot and record high quality videos. Aside from allowing users to place free long distance voice calls through VoIP applications, most of the smartphones available on the market today have the ability to record high resolution videos travelers can utilize in their guerilla documentary shooting while aboard a train.
Play Online Games
What if everyone’s asleep? The best thing you can do is play online games. Smartphones can very well support mobile games that will surely keep you company during long train rides. Just in case you get tired basking in the beauty of the countryside while on a trip and your friends or family who are busy sleeping, you can always rely on your smartphone to provide you with excellent entertainment through mobile games. You can play mobile games anytime you want, even during the wee hours. Some mobile games also have virtual lounges where you can chat with other players while playing, which makes it even more fun.
Listen to Music
If you are not in the mood to play, you can always listen to some music. Travel music like Roam from The B-52’s and I’m Gonna Be 500 Miles by The Proclaimers will definitely keep you awake. You can even ask a friend or the person sitting beside you to play Name that Tune with you. Make sure to download lots of songs and categorize them so you will have a theme to make the guessing game easier. For Apple lovers, your iPhone can very well serve as your iPod during the trip. It also has the Genius feature which automatically plays a set of songs that it deems suitable for you and your mood.
Make New Friends
The best way to spend your train ride is by making new friends. You can start with a simple greeting to see if that person is willing to have conversations. Since not all people are keen on talking to a total stranger, you can respect their privacy and let them be. The best place to meet new people is at the buffet area where you can enjoy your afternoon tea and pie. You can always talk to the friendly staff to know more about the train and get some travelling tips. Most trains in Europe now have strong Wi-Fi connections and this allows travelers to log in to their social networking sites and chat with friends and new friends while they are still en route to their destination.
