"I like to travel light, especially when travelling alone."
So, a few days ago I set off on a 9-hour cross-country trip from Newton Abbot, in the South of Devon, to Leicester City, East Midlands, UK, via the UK's reliable National Express Coach service.
I find travelling by coach more reliable and less hassle than the train for long distances with connections, as the buses are pretty much always on time. However, on this occasion, my first bus in Newton Abbot was delayed 10 minutes due to major traffic delays from Glastonbury Festival and an accident on the motorway.
One perk from travelling on the National Express is that there is free Wifi, and USB sockets for charging. This is convenient, for me to catch up with work using my laptop.
Travelling Light
My goal was to fit everything needed for 7 days in a single 30 L backpack, along with my crossbody handbag, with my hands free. This turned out to be a simple task because when packing for a trip in the summertime, clothes and shoes can be light and easy-to-wear garments.
Cargo trousers are my preferred style when travelling long distances. I find that having zippered pockets handy for the bus or train tickets, itineraries, and quick access to small cash or bank cards, instead of having to open my handbag or purse. Cargo trousers are also convenient to place emergency cash in pockets, which would be useful in the event of being pickpocketed, as it would be less likely to have a thief go through all my pockets, instead of grabbing my bag and making a quick run.
I like wearing a headscarf on domestic journeys for hygienic reasons and also for carefree less maintenance; So braiding my hair and covering it, is one less thing to care for while travelling. Also, a headscarf prevents friction with public headrests and helps prevent pollution and contamination as headrests are seldom cleaned in buses.
Light Colours for High Visibility
My long journey meant that I would be arriving late at night, so I opted to wear bright colours for high visibility for my safety and in consideration of motorists. Lighter colours and fabrics are also cooler during the hot humid/dry summer heat.
💡Top Tip
It's convenient to pack similar colours so that mix-matching outfits is easy.
Window vs Aisle Seat
I prefer travelling in front of the coach, and it's always tempting to have a window seat for the view. However, I choose an aisle seat so that I can get up to stretch my legs and take toilet breaks on the coach without disturbing my neighbour. This is a good way to combat fatigue and muscle cramps, and a little exercise helps with blood circulation.
Sitting in the aisle seat also less strain on turning my neck to look out the window, as it's spectacular to watch the sunset and a lovely time for reflecting and watching moving traffic along the lanes.
Travelling fast on the motorway is contrasting with how I live my normal life, slow and easy. With the delay of my first bus and some congestion around London, my bus arrived at Victoria Station in London 7 minutes after my original connecting bus departed.
I was not stressed, as the delay was on the driver's side. This was quickly resolved by the ticket operators who advised that I would be able to board the next scheduled bus, an hour later than my pre-booked one. So with the delay, I quickly grabbed a coffee and sandwich which re-energised me for the second leg of the journey.
Thanks for stopping by:)
All Images are mine.
