Words by Jenny Ling // photograph by Glenn Carstens
I just came back from my first, solo trip around Europe. I had the time of my life — I saw paintings that made me cry, shared dorms with strangers who felt like soulmates by morning, and ate butter in ways that permanently changed my personality.
But no one warned me about how much waiting was involved. Waiting for buses. For roommates to finish in the shower. For planes. Trains. Coffees. A hostel receptionist to return from a mysterious “ten-minute break” that lasted an hour and a half. Turns out, travel is 40% adventure, 60% loitering.
From writing letters to yourself, to playing classic games like Spider Solitaire, here’s how I survived all the in-between bits — and why I kind of loved them in the end.
1. Romanticise the absolute heck out of it
You’re not stuck. You’re in a film. That’s what I told myself every time I had an hour to kill and nowhere to be. Suddenly I wasn’t waiting for the train — I was a poet, tragically stranded in Ljubljana, scribbling in a journal and eating a sad apple. If you lean in, even the boring bits start to feel like part of the story.
2. Eat something weird and local
Waiting is 1000x better when you’re holding a snack. Even better if it’s the kind of thing you wouldn’t normally eat. I once killed a whole layover in Poland slowly, reverently eating a fish sandwich and watching pigeons fight over a pastry. Iconic.
3. Get deeply, unreasonably into Solitaire
There’s something wildly soothing about Spider Solitaire — the kind that doesn’t need Wi-Fi and won’t zap your battery in thirty seconds. It became my go-to when I didn’t have the energy for podcasts or journaling or pretending to read. It’s just you, the cards, and the quiet joy of beating your own high score in a weird airport at midnight.
4. Write letters to your future self
You know those tiny pockets of time where you’re too tired to explore but too wired to nap? Perfect for letter-writing. I started a note in my phone called “Letters to Future Me,” and filled it with random thoughts: things I was proud of, things I’d never do again (ahem, 14-hour bus), funny stuff I overheard. It felt comforting, like I was narrating my own documentary.
5. Eavesdrop like it’s a sport
Train stations, hostels, cafes — Europe is full of accidental poetry if you’re listening. I heard a woman on the Paris metro say, “I would rather be late than boring,” and I still think about it. Just don’t be a creep. You know the vibe.
6. Do an emotional stocktake
Being away from home unplugs you from your usual routine, which can be amazing… but also slightly identity-crisis-inducing. I started using long waits to check in with myself. How was I feeling? Who was I missing? Was I being kind to my body? (Had I eaten something green in the last 48 hours?) A little mental check-in can go a long way.
7. Ask a stranger something real
Okay, not always. But sometimes. I met a girl in Vienna while we were both stuck waiting for our bunks to be ready. I asked if she believed in ghosts. We ended up drinking fizzy wine in the hostel kitchen for four hours. You don’t need to go that deep, but a little chat can shift the energy when the waiting gets long and your brain starts to spiral.
8. Reorganise your camera roll
Sounds boring, but trust me — you’ll feel like an admin queen. Delete the 18 blurry versions of the Eiffel Tower. Favourite the ones you want to post later. I made little albums (Rome, Berlin, Weird Snacks) and sent a bunch to my grandma. It made me feel organised and full of love at the same time.
Waiting is annoying. But it’s also part of it. Part of the rhythm of moving slowly through new places. Of seeing who you are when there’s nothing to do but be still. So next time you’re stuck somewhere strange with nothing to do — take a breath. Look around. Take stock. You’re not just killing time. You’re living it.
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