Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > All Miscellaneous questions > Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else
What do you do in the down time? What do you do in the down time?
Register FAQ Calendar Today's Posts
Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Hendi Kaf,
in Cambodia



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 31 May 2008
a3fielha's Avatar
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: May 2008
Location: North Carolina, USA
Posts: 3
What do you do in the down time?
I'm sure you guys have some great suggestions of what to do when traveling and for some reason or another you have to wait. We have all done it. How do you fight boredom? Read a book, find a musical instrument?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 31 May 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 166
write
write - diary, blog, whine to yourself or your ma, write a poem, create somethin on paper. i like writing, both at the time and at the re-reading.
otherwise, just hang out.
or talk to locals.
or eat fruit.
or do some exercise.
or... here's one... maintain, inspect, or clean your motorcycle!

can't remember being bored on the road.

cheers,
andy.
__________________
www.outforaspin.blogspot.com
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 31 May 2008
kevinhancock750's Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: gone for a spin
Posts: 269
MMMMmmm
check out the local alcohol!
these thing's have to be tried so that you can leave messages of advise to other travellers on the hubb! apart from that the local food,talent and do the bike. i know the bike should be first but.........
i'm thinking of a reason........
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 31 May 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Denmark - Copenhagen
Posts: 305
books, bike maintenance, women and alcohol - though not nessecarily in that order!
__________________
Peter Kongsbak
South East Asia, USA, Central and South America and Scandinavia.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 31 May 2008
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 994
Go overlanding on older Italian bikes, 'downtime' is great for carrying out the punishing routine servicing!!

When stuck in England I like to annoy people by posting my worthless opinion all over the interweb and preaching the virtues of the Cagiva Elefant in the hope that their market value will go up and I can sell one.

Did I mention what a great bike the Elefant is?? Lighter than a pushbike, faster than a fireblade and more reliable than Big Ben!! Great value for money too, especially if they look like someone rode it into a wall...
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 16 Jul 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Posts: 301
Boredom
I usually find myself being bored whilst riding ON the bike (the bits inbetween riding usually being filled up with partying, staring, eating, terrorising travel partners, etc. etc.) so have come up with a personal challenge:

Whilst riding, without slowing down, try and remove one glove (without it flying down the road), then unzip your tank bag, then fiddle about to find your packet of chewing gum, THEN open the packet, unwrap a chewy, place it in your mouth (experiment with putting it in from underneath the helmet, or via the visor bit), pack everything away, put glove back on.

The process of perfecting your technique is BRILLIANT for dispelling boredom including a) losing your glove b) losing the contents of your tank bag c) getting chewing gum stuck in your chin strap and your hair.
__________________

Some great quote about hard core travel that nobody has said yet.[/URL]
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 16 Jul 2008
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posts: 1,362
Eat.

You have to do that sometime .. so it may as well occupy the boring space bits. If you know it is going to be a long while - sleep.
__________________
---
Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 18 Jul 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wirral
Posts: 15
Read.
Drink .
Snog.
Sew badges onto ones clothing.
Read some more.
Travel several hundred miles in the opposite direction to the one you're heading to find a great bookshop and stock up so you can read a bit more.
Find that oil/petrol leak.
Fix said oil/petrol leak.
Drink more .
__________________
Does my bum look big on this bike?
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 18 Jul 2008
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: London, England
Posts: 141
Quote:
Originally Posted by XT GIRL View Post
The process of perfecting your technique is BRILLIANT for dispelling boredom including a) losing your glove b) losing the contents of your tank bag c) getting chewing gum stuck in your chin strap and your hair.
Wow, even the girl bikers have beards
__________________
http://bigben.to/ London to....? The big bike annual rally.
http://www.mongolbikers.com 125cc London -> Mongolia.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 19 Jul 2008
Neil's Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London, UK
Posts: 179
Having a beard is part of the entry requirements.

Downtime proved a real bummer for me travelling alone, my suggestion: don't travel alone. At least you can argue and disagree with someone (thus wasting time) if you had company.

I found writing my thoughts in my diary, working out mileage out, route planning and (if i had a good book) reading helped.

Inventing games for yourself was another thing, .....oh and trying to decypher the remanding lyrics to whatever song you were singing to yourself whilst riding. Am I the only person who gets Helmet Song? I first got it a few years back when I started riding, I had the song by Moby stuck in my head. I am not a Moby fan, so it was as much as a surprise to me that whenever I got on my bike I was singing the song "Natural Blues" to myself.... more like 1 line from the song. Ever since I get one liners jump into my helmet and I spend the whole journey repeating it to myself.
__________________
Neil's in... (the website)
Also you can follow me on Neil's in... on FaceBook, Neilisin on YouTube,
@NeilSnaps on Instagram or NeilisTweetin Twitter.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 21 Jul 2008
Matt Cartney's Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland
Posts: 1,350
Do a bit of writing, photo-editing, grow beard, think up excuses for not servicing bike...

Mainly though I read 'classics'. You know, the kind of books you know you ought to read but never get round to it. When you are travelling and can only have one or two books with you it means you are forced to read the 'classic' at some point! I very rarely regret taking a classic with me. As a result of this I am the only person I know who has successfully read 'The Seven Pillars of Wisdom' by T.E. Lawrence, although many have tried. And, once I'd got into it I really enjoyed it!

Matt
__________________
http://adventure-writing.blogspot.com

http://scotlandnepal.blogspot.com/

*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 21 Jul 2008
MarkE's Avatar
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 87
Why?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil View Post
.... more like 1 line from the song. Ever since I get one liners jump into my helmet and I spend the whole journey repeating it to myself.
Why is it that I can only ever remember one line from a song when I'm on the bike? I'm the guy who tells the kids "music today is crap - it's just one line repeated ad nauseum". Then I get on the bike and find myself singing one line, repeated ad nauseum!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 21 Jul 2008
DaveSmith's Avatar
Slacker supreme
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Sacramento, California
Posts: 410
I really enjoyed 7 Pillars. I went and found the unedited copy even. Lawrence did interesting things.

henryuk has some great ideas with riding old Italian bikes. Right now I'm drinking cheap s in a hotel while sending emails back and forth to Australia and the US trying to figure out how to get my old POS Eye-talian bike shipped from Melbourne to Delhi. I showed up and can't find my license plate. That was the most important thing to bring outside my anti-seizure drugs. I hope I left it in my sister's car. Dang time zones.

India is great.
__________________
Not Ted Simon since 1970!
http://nokilli.com/rtw
Reply With Quote
Reply

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Going for the third time Toyark Make a Difference 2 21 Feb 2009 10:14
First time Crusty HU Travellers Meetings - UK 5 19 Jun 2007 22:43
Time to do it Doc59 West and South Asia 1 20 Nov 2005 20:51
My first time! mmoore North Africa 3 3 Jun 2005 16:10

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

25 years of HU Events
Be sure to join us for this huge milestone!

ALL Dates subject to change.

2025 Confirmed Events:

Virginia: April 24-27 2025
Queensland is back! May 2-4 2025
Ecuador June 13-15
Germany Summer: May 29-June 1 2025
CanWest: July 10-13 2025
Switzerland: Date TBC
Ecuador: Date TBC
Romania: Date TBC
Austria: Sept. 11-14
California: September 18-21
France: September 19-21 2025
Germany Autumn: Oct 30-Nov 2 2025

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

Adventurous Bikers – We've got all your Hygiene & Protection needs SORTED! Powdered Hair & Body Wash, Moisturising Cream Insect Repellent, and Moisturising Cream Sunscreen SPF50. ESSENTIAL | CONVENIENT | FUNCTIONAL.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

Your ad could be here, on EVERY page of the HUBB, or the whole website, or as many as you like!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 22:10.

Contact Us - Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Website - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top