What is the best way to entertain yourself while travelling? (And what food is best to bring?)

Books, magazines, music.

Hiking food; nuts, dried fruit, M & M’s (to prevent serious melting), eating oranges and plenty of fluids. A few sandwiches for the first part of the journey, before they can go bad.

At least on a train you can get up and pace madly. Walk from one end of the train to the other every hour. Don’t sit for too long. Chat up your neighbors.

A small computer gadget for playing solitaire, chess, scrabble, jig saws?

I love train travel. I splurge and get a sleeper compartment so I have space all by myself.
I can only tell you what I packed for my train trip – your interests probably are very different from mine.
Also, part of my train travel was along some scenic stretches and I found I was content to watch out the window in my compartment for large stretches (to my great surprise!) and just let my mind wander.

My packing list:
1. Quilting (Or knitting or crochet—whatever you like that’s crafty.) I found sewing to be the perfect activity while on the train. I could easily look up – and hand sewing is less engrossing than say, reading or watching a movie on my ipad.
2. iPad, Kindle, iPhone – electronic gadgets to play games, read and watch movies when I wanted to.. I used these mainly once it got too dark to see outside my window on the train.
3. Book light – a little hand held light / penlight is helpful—because if you drop something on the floor it can be hard to find in the dark.
4. Journal & pen
5. Trail mix (nuts & chocolate pieces), Pringles (small can couldn’t get smooshed), some cookies. I also brought my own tea bags. My train had a dining car and snacks & drinks were available—but I prefer my own tea. Might be good to bring a water bottle that you can fill & refill with your beverage of choice.
6. Sudoku or Crossword puzzles & pencils (if you like those)

One last tip.. when I boarded my trains the purser would ask what time I wanted to take meals in the dining car. I quickly learned the earlier time slots are best. This way you have first choice at the entrees (they don’t run out of what you wanted to eat) and are more likely to have a table to yourself. (Though they may ask you to share – and that can be fun, too.)

Last but not least – if you’re sensitive to noises and think it’ll help you sleep you might want to bring some ear plugs or noise canceling headphones.

To me 36 hours to “play” and stare out the window sounds dreamy..
Good luck & hope you enjoy your travels.

Yes to the above^ and also, I personally, just really enjoy watching the scenery go by and people watching. I prefer striking up conversations with fellow travelers and just being in the moment. I don’t “plan” a lot of self entertainment, I create it as I go. :-)

Crackers, nuts, fruit.

Music. I think traveling and music makes an amazing combination, you really get into the music, watching the road go by..

Music, Read, Sleep, crosswords, solving quantum physics equations.
Crackers, nuts, fruit

I like having a window seat and just observing the countryside as it flies past. I keep a good book and a magazine in reserve. People watching can be interesting and for long journeys I take some fruit, sandwiches and a drink.

I bring a book just in case but, like @Coloma, prefer to talk with people. I actually like being “forced” to sit at a table with strangers.

Consider the 36 hours an integral part of your special trip . Don’t blow it by shutting yourself off from the world, listening to the same old music or trying to clear the 15 level of “pissed off birds”. You can do that when you are alone in your basement. Look outside! Watch the people. Look for others your own age and strike up a conversation. Pick up tips about where to go and what to see at your destination.

You will remember this trip forever. Try to make sure the memories are of something worthwhile.
Enjoy!

Take a pack of cards (and in my case a cribbage board) and see if any of your fellow passengers want to play a game. There must be a restaurant carriage in the train. Dominoes are good too. You can keep a box in your bag, they don’t take up much room. Smile and ask if another lonely traveller wants a game.

Talk to people about where they are going. Use the experience to connect in with other travellers. Take some photos at the train station or airport. As @LuckyGuy suggests, you are making memories here. People can give you some of the greatest memories ever. I still remember conversations I have struck up with people I only knew for 10 minutes or so but that were interesting and inspiring.

@Bellatrix I traveled a lot and took many pictures over the years. The trips where I met and spoke with someone are the most memorable. And only the pictures that include people get a second or third look.
I can’t remember which country I was visiting or the year but I can remember almost every bit of a conversation I had with my seatmate, an elderly woman returning with her husband in the casket stored in the belly of the plane. We talked of life, her marriage, her future, long term love, sadness. Had I isolated myself with headphones I would have missed out on a lifetime gem.
That conversation enriched two people’s lives. That’s what travel is all about.

I like to get movies on my iPod and watch them or bring a book. You could also bring a laptop or DVD player. One thing that really entertains me for some reason is just watching out the window. You could bring playing cards or something.