If the departure lounge drives you to despair, here are 10 things you can do while you’re in transit:

1. Shoot insane pictures

If you love photography, an airport is an awesome place to get some cool pictures of aircraft – both props and jets. You get to shoot these amazing, multimillion-dollar machines and no one asks you to pay for it. You might just need to shed your inhibition and then you can start clicking.

2. Observe

You will find various kinds of people at the airport. It is a mix of cultures and colors. In fact, you can learn a few tips on how not to parent kids, enjoy the idiosyncrasies of other people, and so forth. Your observation can come handy in writing articles, just like I am doing!

3. Window shop at the kiosks

Get around to the various stalls at the airport and do some window shopping. Needless to say, the kiosks are overpriced, but if you have no other option, you might as well browse.

4. Use the free Wi-Fi

Most airports have free Wi-Fi. You might be ready with your project or proposal but haven’t been able to send it to your boss yet. Ta-da! Free Wi-Fi! Turn your Wi-Fi on and you are ready to go – sometimes, the good things in life are free! Just watch your security settings and don’t try to access your bank accounts or anything sensitive like that.

5. Talk to people

I believe that the airport is a mini world. It is one place where you can meet people of many different nationalities. You might as well start a conversation with them to learn more about their country and community. Most people usually don’t mind, they’re probably bored too! And the information might come in handy for your next vacation or your kid’s project at school.

6. Take a selfie

No, the American Psychiatric Association did not declare the taking of selfies a mental disorder. The stories doing the rounds are a hoax. Hence, you might want to take some selfies in the airport and use the free Wi-Fi to send them around the world. While no one will envy your time in the departure lounge, they will be excited about your destination!

7. Start a flash mob?

If you are traveling in a group, then doing a flash mob should not be a difficult thing. But, it is wise to do some research and know for sure that no legal action would be taken against you! You see, it’s a hard world out there.

8. Talk to the security guards and support staff

Talking about security guards, do we even appreciate the hard work they put in to keep us safe? Instead of avoiding their gaze, a small gesture of appreciation for their hard work can be a conversation starter. I have done it and I have seen the joy it brings to the person’s face! It will probably make their day. Our lives are so much more beautiful when we share them with others.

9. Explore the city

If you are new to a particular stopover and have enough time in hand, exploring the city is a pretty good option. Each city has a different architecture and flavor to it. You can grab a city guide from the airport and get on with your outing. Remember to carry your passport and some local currency and allow plenty of time to get back to the airport. If you are not sure of a place, it is wise to ask the police!

10. Sleep

If none of the above options lure you because you are too tired, you might catch a few winks. Prerequisites: earphones because you don’t want to be disturbed; a hood because you don’t want people to see you swinging sideways with your mouth wide open; and an alarm – because I am sure you don’t want to miss your flight! Happy traveling! Featured photo credit: cohodas208c via flickr.com