No one likes to be stuck in an airport. It’s a traveller’s worst nightmare. But sometimes things just don’t go your way and you find yourself slapped with a long layover or stranded by plane delays. Well, since you can’t do anything about it, instead of yelling at every airline employee in sight or tapping your feet in annoyance, make the most of your predicament (like the guy who shot a ridiculously epic lip syncing video to ‘All By Myself’ in the Vegas airport).

Here’s our two cents worth of stuff to do when you find yourself trapped with no place to go.

#1 WANDER AROUND AND TAKE YOUR TIME TO EXPLORE

It’s always good to familiarize yourself with airports, especially the big ones – you never know when you’ll be rushing to catch a connecting flight, so it pays to know their ins and outs. If you’re with a bunch of friends, you can even work out a treasure hunt to while away the hours.

#2 SPEND THE LAST OF YOUR FOREIGN CASH

Whip out your wallet and, if you find something half worth buying, spend the last of your foreign cash on it – bonus points if it’s something that can take your mind off the boredom (like a particularly fascinating novel or some weirdly interesting game or toy).

#3 GIVE YOURSELF A TREAT

Treat yourself. Some airports offer gyms, pampering lounges or spas with massage, hair and manicure services, so you can work off some of that pent-up frustration in an appropriate manner. Alternatively, if you’re desperate, a moving walkway (preferably in a deserted area) works just as well as a treadmill.

#4 START PLANNING FOR YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY

Find the nearest departures screen (the bigger, the better) and figure out which holiday destination sounds best, so you can start planning your next vacay. Or if you think you’re quite the knowledgeable traveller, try testing yourself on which cities are in which countries.

So many places to visit, so little time. We’ve got tips at hand for you to zero in from endless possibilities to the one. Here’s how to decide where to go for your next holiday.

#5 WI-FI IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

Locate the spot with the best Wi-Fi connection – if the airport doesn’t offer a complimentary one (shame on them!), try hunting down cafes or free networks set up by random strangers – and claim it as your own. It’s amazing how much time you can spend just looking at cute cats or watching reruns of your fav TV show.

#6 PEOPLE WATCHING

Hone your people-watching skills by staring (tone down the creepiness, please) at passersby and imagining wacky life stories for them – the crazier, the better.

#7 FIND AN EMPTY AREA AND DO SOME LIGHT EXERCISES OR YOGA POSES

Who says vacationing is all about eating and sleeping? Scout out an empty area and do a couple light exercises or yoga poses to get the blood flowing. That way, you’ll feel better about the brownie you’ll be scarfing down later.

#8 TAKE A SHORT TRIP OUT OF THE AIRPORT

If you’ve got almost an entire day to spare, take a trip out of the airport to explore the sights and sounds of the country. Just make sure you get back in time for your flight.

#9 CONNECT WITH YOUR BUDDIES

Fancy yourself quite the social butterfly? Message, Face Time, Skype or call up some of your buddies (you should probably get hooked up to Wi-Fi first) and bug the heck out of them to entertain you. And by that, we mean, um, have a good heart-to-heart talk with whoever’s awake at that hour.

#10 SEARCH FOR ENTERTAINMENT

Some airports feature cool architecture, while others have art galleries, gardens, cinemas, aquariums, ice-skating rinks, golf courses, museums and even a planetarium. If all else fails, find a friendly-looking (or interesting-looking) stranger who looks equally as bored as you. After a nice long chat, he or she could become your next travelling buddy!

About the writer:
Alicia Lee is a dessert junkie with a serious (and probably incurable) case of wanderlust. Never one to pass up on retail therapy, she loves a great bargain and can usually be spotted on weekends browsing through quirky shops or chillaxing at a quiet cafe.