Long Trip Preparation

 

How to prepare for and enjoy a long bus journey

 

We all know how it feels to get bored on a long journey. If you’re not driving or doing something that demands your undivided attention, like sitting in a bus as a passenger during a 19 hour trip, it is easy to become distracted and uncomfortable.

 

This is why it is important to know what to do in order to prepare yourself for such a long, winding journey. There are countless options that will work well enough to keep you occupied for just long enough to perhaps survive the trip.

 

First, you may want to get yourself settled in as quickly as possible. Make sure you are comfortable in your seating position. Bring a small neck pillow or some sort of device that you can rest on if you plan on getting some sleep. Just make sure that its soft enough to allow you to sleep. Don’t try sleeping on your laptop bag!

 

Something that is very important, and should probably be stressed most of all, given our tendency to get bored as people, is entertainment. Bring something with you that you enjoy. Movies on a laptop, smartphone or tablet, music on a portable player, iPod or smartphone, games, books or crossword or Sudoku puzzles will all help keep you distracted when you get too fed up with staring out of the window.

 

Remember to take snacks and food with you onto the bus, especially if it is a long one. Staying hydrated and fed will help you relax and also stop you from losing concentration if you are doing something fun. Also, try to keep yourself in a good mood, and remember that there are other people on the bus too. Don’t make everything uncomfortable by being difficult or rude to the people sitting around you.

 

Citiliner offers semi-luxury bus trips all over South Africa in stylish coaches, at some of the most affordable rates on the market. To find out more about how to book a trip, or for route and timetable information to any of Citiliner’s destinations, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, East London, Maputo and many more, visit the websiteor contact the 24 hour customer care line on 083 915 9000.

 

Citiliner gives you Rumors and Facts about the iPhone 5

 

Rumors and  Facts about the iPhone 5

 

Having entertainment on a long bus ride is something that is discussed over and over. Every person you speak to will have different ideas about how to pass the time, or how to entertain yourself and your friends on a long journey. However, there is one thing that is certain in this day and age – Change.

 

The way we keep ourselves entertained now is drastically different from how we did it twenty years ago. Even the way we travel is different. A few of the companies that have been at the forefront of this technological change are now seen as the regular few. Your Google, Apple, and Microsoft. And in the middle of all of this change, there are always rumors and ideas that float around, especially so close to product launches, and even more so before what has been called the most important launch in Apple’s history.

 

Apple Inc. have announced an event for September 12th, which is said to be the date for the expected iPhone 5 announcement, and while Apple has never been a company that lets anyone know what they’re doing beforehand, the rumors have started taking shape, and usually have at least some grounding in the truth. Here are some of the most common rumors that are making their rounds ahead of the iPhone 5 launch:

 

1. Thinner Screen, Higher Definition -  Some of the patents that have been filed on behalf of Apple over the past year have hinted towards having a thinner device with a screen around half an inch (1.8 cm) bigger. This may not seem like a massive growth in screen size but on a thinner device with higher resolution, it will make all the difference.

 

2. NFC Chip – The Near Field Communication chip is not the newest technology, but has only recently been added to possible features in smartphone technology. With this chip installed, users will be able to scan their smartphones at any pay point that takes credit or debit cards, which means that payments are easier and bank accounts can be managed from your phone. Apple’s new mobile operating system, iOS 6 also features a virtual wallet for coupons and discount tags, which may be the first step towards integrating this technology. However, there is no indication as to whether it the NFC will be available for this release or the next.

 

3. Smaller Charger dock – Some of the rumors, leaked design prints and images have showed a significantly smaller charging dock. Apple’s current 30-pin dock has been used in all product ranges since the iPod Nano. Some experts say that it is about time for a change, and this will most likely happen in the form of a much smaller 9-pin dock. However, this means that any accessories and chargers bought prior to the iPhone 5 will either be incompatible or will need some kind of extra adapter to work.

 

4. Nano SIM Card – Because of the thinner insides, Apple may be considering converting to an even smaller SIM card than the Micro SIM that has been used by past models. The New Nano SIM’s are half the size of the Micro, and could free up a lot of internal space for more important hardware.

 

5. LTE Network – Apple will have to switch over to the newly rolled out LTE networks that have faster speeds than 3G and are more stable. LTE speeds are able to reach almost 20MB/S, and will be the mobile data choice of the future. 3G has already been made secondary by most new Android/Samsung Galaxy models. And we all know that Apple is not one to be outplayed like that.

 

 

Citiliner offers semi-luxury bus trips all over South Africa in stylish coaches, at some of the most affordable rates on the market. To find out more about how to book a trip, or for route and timetable information to any of Citiliner’s destinations, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, East London, Maputo and many more, visit the website or contact the 24 hour customer care line on 083 915 9000.

Why taking a break from using gadgets may be important

 

Why taking a break from using gadgets may be important

 

So you’ve boarded the bus, and you’re about to depart. The trip you’re going on is scheduled to take between 16 and 18 hours, depending on traffic. First reactions in these situations would be to grab a laptop, cellphone, mobile gaming console or tablet. These gadgets have become out go-to boredom control devices, and while they certainly do provide countless hours of entertainment, it is important to remember that as in every other aspect of life, anything in excess could be quite bad for you.

 

There are a lot of opinions out there on whether or not you can be exposed to too much ‘screen-time’. As with any matter of this nature, the answer will usually lie somewhere in the middle of two extremes.

 

On the one hand, exposure to technology and gadgets such as televisions, cellphones, tablets and handheld gaming devices has shown significant increases in human behavior when it comes to things such as hand-eye coordination, critical reasoning, intellect and in some cases even social skills. Studies done in this area have shown that, while overexposure may begin to cause problems in people at any age, moderate use of technology has helped us grow in fundamental ways as human beings.

 

However, overexposing yourself to the harsh light and strenuous use of gadgets such as tablets, cellphones and portable media devices may lead to weakening eyesight, headaches, back problems, carpal tunnel syndrome and in extreme cases even more serious physiological and psychological issues.

 

A pragmatic solution to all of this fuss: moderate your intake, even on long bus journeys. Any activity you take part in during the trip should be fragmented into sessions of around 45 minutes to an hour, with a short 15 to 20 minute break in between. Using this time to rest your senses, get up and stretch your muscles, take a nap or engage in a different activity will help prevent any prolonged problems caused by the screen light and exhaustive usage of your gadgets.

 

Remember to always travel responsibly and make use of rest stops, hotels or guest lodges if needed, Travelling long distances is a draining exercise, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

 

Citiliner offers semi-luxury bus trips all over South Africa in stylish coaches, at some of the most affordable rates on the market. To find out more about how to book a trip, or for route and timetable information to any of Citiliner’s destinations, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, East London, Maputo and many more, visit the website or contact the 24 hour customer care line on 083 915 9000.