While you’re travelling, you may find yourself dealing with very annoying people.  This is especially true on long bus rides or flights.  If you find yourself stuck in one of these situations, here are some things you can do to make the annoyance a bit less.

Some people really like to talk while travelling, but if you aren’t one of these people, you may find yourself very annoyed.  Being friendly can set off a discussion that lasts for hours, even if it’s a one-sided discussion.  One of the best things to do is avoid the situation by giving the appearance of being engrossed in something.  Grab a magazine, open a book, or immediately settle in for a nap.  This can let your neighbour know that you’re not looking to talk.

Putting in headphones is another good way of avoiding a conversation, although you generally can’t do this on a flight until the plane is already in the air.  Remember, of course, to keep the volume down so as to not annoy people.

If you do get pulled into a conversation, there are a few things you can do to get out of it.  If you’re planning to sleep, politely mention that you got very little sleep the previous night or that you have a lot going on when you land and won’t have time to go to your hotel room for a nap.  A well-timed yawn can help.  If you need to review some of your notes or work on business-related things, say so.  If you do this in a polite way, the person should have no reason to get offended.