A tedious train journey, what should I do?

I was travelling through Syria to Istanbul by train, for my pleasure, and hoped to have a little vacation in Istanbul, just a few days. When I arrived and checked into the Tokatlian Hotel, I found a telegram for me which informed me that I had to return to the London at once because there was some development in the Kasner case. I arranged a room on the Simpleton Orient Express, which will leave at nine this evening. It was the best option. But I could not find any reading material to take with me on the train. Even worse, in the hotel restaurant I met an old friend M. Bouc, director of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons Lits, who will accompany me on the train, and he told me that there were no first class compartments available! It means a long, tedious sit-up journey through all the Europe with nothing to do but stare out of the window or try to catch some sleep in a siting position! What should I do?

Hang in there ... things are bound to get really interesting in the Orient Express...

Ask M. Bouc to check again for a first-class compartment. I think he'll find one that was reserved for someone who didn't show up, and you can get it at the last minute. Your fellow-passengers in that car will be a cosmopolitan, international group, and I doubt that you'll be bored!

Sleep?

Daydream?

Or try and befriend someone on the train and start a conversation.

There's not really very much that you can do on a train without a book in my opinion!

Hope you find something to keep you occupied :D

Read a book suitable for the journey 'Stamboul Train' by Graham Greene for example , even of it does start from Ostend and not Istanbul.