Time killers in long flights, Dealing with Jet lag, Airline tips and recommendations

indiadreamn · Apr 14th, 2004, 23:11

They may have inflight radiostations, but they just play the same songs over and over again. On the flight from Los Angeles to Kuala Lumpur last year, I unfortunatly had to listen to Justin Timberlake and Tatoo 5 million times on the way there, and those were the best songs on the station!

williaam · Apr 15th, 2004, 01:23

Yeah, I agree, inflight entertainment can become pretty redundant. I myself could not imagine such a long flight without my cd player, despite the extra baggage.

volga_volga · Jun 15th, 2004, 18:39

For anyone who spends too much time in airports, here is finally a movie about us!! accidentally, this is also my long time fantasy, to get stranded in a no man's land with a passport from nowhere:

"The Terminal" tells the story of Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks), a visitor to New York City from an Eastern European country whose homeland erups in a fiery coup while he is in the air en route to America. Stranded in a JFK International Airport with a passport from nowhere, he is unauthorised to actually enter the United States and must improvise his days and nights in the terminal's international transit lounge until the war at home is over:

The Terminal

Release: June 18, 2004

cyberhippie · Jun 15th, 2004, 19:34

Sounds like an interesting plot V-V.
For whiling away those long restless hours on a flight, well the films are good, but many flights these days even have video games,
Over the last few years flying Kuwait Airlines I have become a black belt in Super Mario!

nedhopkins · Jul 7th, 2004, 11:15

Ordinarily I cannot sleep on airplanes.

On many long nonstops (San Francisco-Tokyo, Los Angeles-Sao Paulo, New York-Moscow, New York-Cairo, Brussels-Johannesburg), however, I've managed to doze off. My "secret?" I force myself to stay awake 24 hours or more before flying.

This has an additional advantage: I arrive rested and ready to jostle my way to customs and immigration.

bijapuri · Jul 7th, 2004, 14:56

I take the CD player, along with a book on CD, which I find much more engaging than reading while weary. also, take along an adaptor that goes into a car casette tape player, and you can listen to CD quality music in taxis and cars you hire! Also, I take a litre of water, some cheese stix and an apple or two. Lastly I take something by Joseph Conrad, usually a collection of short stories (his prose is too dense to hold my attention for very long, but still . . .). It has become somewhat of a tradition for me over the years. Really gets me into that sailing from west to east mood! My fave is "Freya of the Seven Isles."

next week at just this very time, I will be fastening my seatbelt on
china airlines

WadeJ · Sep 7th, 2004, 08:14

I've never flown to India before (first time on September 17th) but have done the LA to Sydney leg a couple of times (13 hours). I like to read so I always bring at least one book, a newspaper and a couple of magazines. I recommend reading a book you have already read so you know it will be good, nothing like being stuck on a plane with a crappy book. Also the variety of reading material allow you to flip from one to the other (pardon the pun).

Also on any long flight be sure to stretch, and/or get up to walk around at least once an hour. DVT (deep vein thrombosis) is a real danger when sitting in the same position for extended periods. A simple explanation of DVT is when you develop a clot because of inaction. The clot can then move and cause a blockage somewhere in you blood system. Stretching and moving around can help avoid that risk.

iyou · Sep 7th, 2004, 10:48

One word: iPod

docgirl2005 · Oct 21st, 2004, 00:42

Although this is a old post, I find some of these recommendations really wonderful. I am going to India in December and I am worried about the flight. I am never able to sleep properly on long haul flights and end up being disturbed by the sounds and lights of the cabin. My dear husband on the other hand drinks 1-2 bacardis and OJ or cokes and snores peacefully off to sleep till we reach our destination.

I end up with headaches and eye strains.

. On top of all this my dear in-laws insist on meeting us at Chennai airport when we arrive at 12:50 am. Since my in-laws think their son is married to the "perfect" bride, they have no idea I wear contact lenses. So before we land in Chennai I'll have to reapply my contact lenses! ouch

...

Hopefully, this time around since we are in Premium Economy on British Airways, the extra space will help me rest up. The other tips are excellent so I had to restart this thread. Especially the tip about the rose water and slippers. It makes sense to bring comfortable personal items for the trip so we can relax as much as possible. Its a loooong flight from NY to Madras..and I am one of the unfortunate few who never seems to get enough rest....I bought this relaxing pillow from this website. Looks quite comfortable and maybe it might help you too if you are a exhausted traveller like me! less neck strain is always a good thing..

Link: http://www.magellans.com/store/Comfo...ag e_number=1

Nick-H · Oct 21st, 2004, 05:47

This last time I thought of taking some radio plays and comedy programs on minidisc. Dividing the time between reading, listening to music, listening to some 'radio' (so much nicer to have my choice instead of just the canned stuff) and watching some airline-provided stuff seemed to make the time fo much quicker.
And I found the radio plays much more soporific than any of the others!

Mind you, a trip from London to Chennai probably seems nothing to you guys that fly from US etc!

crvlvr · Oct 21st, 2004, 07:31

the best sleep aids IMHO are .. blinds and earplugs.. with those on, (and by not waking up for those middle of the night meals) I usually sleep well.

Getting a great (window) seat (and avoid the kids section if you can) and quick connecting flights (with minimum stop overs) are important too.. .. and this time, I am flying lufthansa with just 1 hour stop over.. total travel time from los angeles to bangalore, 22 hours.. yippee! (used to take 32 hours via singapore)

eater · Oct 22nd, 2004, 06:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by volga_volga

I have only four long-haul flights in the past few months so I am not a flying expert really... here is how I cope (normally I can't sleep.
(2) I find something to do that I really enjoy and then I don't notice how time passes. on my last two flights BACK I was editing photos from my trips (on the laptop) and was reliving the experience).

Thank you, volga_volga

how long does the battery last on the laptop? I can manage under one hour.....how to extend this?

Barryjames · Jul 5th, 2007, 16:00

Some days prior to your departure date, think your brain into looking forward to the whole journey, not just the flight part. Long haul, you are probably looking at the best part of a day in your valuable life, accept it, leaving your abode, the airport, the people, the new experience, the aeroplane, the new people that you are going to meet, the landing and the search for your baggage on the conveyor belt, look forward to everything and the journey will seem like a few enjoyable hours.

Dread the forthcoming journey; it will colour your last few days before leaving and worst of all, the journey will seem like a lifetime of purgatory.

Don't worry, be happy. Live each minute , hour, day, as if it was going to be your last: One day it will be!

** jeanneleez ** · Jul 5th, 2007, 18:31

First off, we try to get a window and an aisle seat, then swap one or the other if the middle person shows up. I just started packing my in-flight bags and we have 2 iPods (loaded with music, videos & movies), laptop, DVDs, trivial pursuit travel game, tanagrams, legos, coloured pens, sketchbook, and a rubiks cube. This gives us stuff to do together, and things to do while the other is sleeping or otherwise engaged.

At the airport, we'll pick up snacks and magazines once we get through security.

We typically try to get up every hour or so on the plane (when we're not sleeping) to keep deep vein thrombosis away. A quick trip to the bathroom to splash water on the face and wash hands can be good.

We deliberately selected a flight that has one 7 hour leg that leaves at 9PM and a 9 hour leg, with a 12 hour layover in London. If we can manage to sleep on the first leg, hang out at the airport, and at least nap on the second, we should be able to deal with the jet lag fairly well. We end up in Kolkata at 2PM, which should allow us to sleep at a fairly normal time.

Hope this helps...

gautam · Jul 5th, 2007, 20:54

Did not realize this thread was started in 2004 till i reached the post where The ternimal was mentioned.

Aneways a good thread to share our experiences. Comfortable clothing, MP3 player, laptop, PSP, portable DVD players, food should keep you calm on those long flights or flight delays

Jun 15th, 2004, 18:39	#18
volga_volga Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,460	"The Terminal" (2004) For anyone who spends too much time in airports, here is finally a movie about us!! accidentally, this is also my long time fantasy, to get stranded in a no man's land with a passport from nowhere: "The Terminal" tells the story of Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks), a visitor to New York City from an Eastern European country whose homeland erups in a fiery coup while he is in the air en route to America. Stranded in a JFK International Airport with a passport from nowhere, he is unauthorised to actually enter the United States and must improvise his days and nights in the terminal's international transit lounge until the war at home is over: The Terminal Release: June 18, 2004

Jul 7th, 2004, 14:56	#21
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	I take the CD player, along with a book on CD, which I find much more engaging than reading while weary. also, take along an adaptor that goes into a car casette tape player, and you can listen to CD quality music in taxis and cars you hire! Also, I take a litre of water, some cheese stix and an apple or two. Lastly I take something by Joseph Conrad, usually a collection of short stories (his prose is too dense to hold my attention for very long, but still . . .). It has become somewhat of a tradition for me over the years. Really gets me into that sailing from west to east mood! My fave is "Freya of the Seven Isles." next week at just this very time, I will be fastening my seatbelt on china airlines __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

Sep 7th, 2004, 08:14	#22
WadeJ Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 6	Reading material and DVT I've never flown to India before (first time on September 17th) but have done the LA to Sydney leg a couple of times (13 hours). I like to read so I always bring at least one book, a newspaper and a couple of magazines. I recommend reading a book you have already read so you know it will be good, nothing like being stuck on a plane with a crappy book. Also the variety of reading material allow you to flip from one to the other (pardon the pun). Also on any long flight be sure to stretch, and/or get up to walk around at least once an hour. DVT (deep vein thrombosis) is a real danger when sitting in the same position for extended periods. A simple explanation of DVT is when you develop a clot because of inaction. The clot can then move and cause a blockage somewhere in you blood system. Stretching and moving around can help avoid that risk.

Sep 7th, 2004, 10:48	#23
iyou Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 502	One word: iPod __________________ . . . --May a moody baby doom a yam.

Oct 21st, 2004, 05:47	#25
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,651	This last time I thought of taking some radio plays and comedy programs on minidisc. Dividing the time between reading, listening to music, listening to some 'radio' (so much nicer to have my choice instead of just the canned stuff) and watching some airline-provided stuff seemed to make the time fo much quicker. And I found the radio plays much more soporific than any of the others! Mind you, a trip from London to Chennai probably seems nothing to you guys that fly from US etc! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Apr 14th, 2004, 23:11	#16
indiadreamn There's Waffle in em! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 98	They may have inflight radiostations, but they just play the same songs over and over again. On the flight from Los Angeles to Kuala Lumpur last year, I unfortunatly had to listen to Justin Timberlake and Tatoo 5 million times on the way there, and those were the best songs on the station!

Apr 15th, 2004, 01:23	#17
williaam Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: minneapolis Posts: 191	Yeah, I agree, inflight entertainment can become pretty redundant. I myself could not imagine such a long flight without my cd player, despite the extra baggage.

Jun 15th, 2004, 19:34	#19
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,014	Sounds like an interesting plot V-V. For whiling away those long restless hours on a flight, well the films are good, but many flights these days even have video games, Over the last few years flying Kuwait Airlines I have become a black belt in Super Mario!

Jul 7th, 2004, 11:15	#20
nedhopkins Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: California Posts: 230	Ordinarily I cannot sleep on airplanes. On many long nonstops (San Francisco-Tokyo, Los Angeles-Sao Paulo, New York-Moscow, New York-Cairo, Brussels-Johannesburg), however, I've managed to doze off. My "secret?" I force myself to stay awake 24 hours or more before flying. This has an additional advantage: I arrive rested and ready to jostle my way to customs and immigration.

Oct 21st, 2004, 00:42	#24
docgirl2005 Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: usa Posts: 443	Although this is a old post, I find some of these recommendations really wonderful. I am going to India in December and I am worried about the flight. I am never able to sleep properly on long haul flights and end up being disturbed by the sounds and lights of the cabin. My dear husband on the other hand drinks 1-2 bacardis and OJ or cokes and snores peacefully off to sleep till we reach our destination. I end up with headaches and eye strains. . On top of all this my dear in-laws insist on meeting us at Chennai airport when we arrive at 12:50 am. Since my in-laws think their son is married to the "perfect" bride, they have no idea I wear contact lenses. So before we land in Chennai I'll have to reapply my contact lenses! ouch ... Hopefully, this time around since we are in Premium Economy on British Airways, the extra space will help me rest up. The other tips are excellent so I had to restart this thread. Especially the tip about the rose water and slippers. It makes sense to bring comfortable personal items for the trip so we can relax as much as possible. Its a loooong flight from NY to Madras..and I am one of the unfortunate few who never seems to get enough rest....I bought this relaxing pillow from this website. Looks quite comfortable and maybe it might help you too if you are a exhausted traveller like me! less neck strain is always a good thing.. Link: http://www.magellans.com/store/Comfo...ag e_number=1

Oct 21st, 2004, 07:31	#26
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,329	I sleep.. yes, all the way.... the best sleep aids IMHO are .. blinds and earplugs.. with those on, (and by not waking up for those middle of the night meals) I usually sleep well. Getting a great (window) seat (and avoid the kids section if you can) and quick connecting flights (with minimum stop overs) are important too.. .. and this time, I am flying lufthansa with just 1 hour stop over.. total travel time from los angeles to bangalore, 22 hours.. yippee! (used to take 32 hours via singapore)

Jul 5th, 2007, 16:00	#28
Barryjames Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Goa Posts: 93	Some days prior to your departure date, think your brain into looking forward to the whole journey, not just the flight part. Long haul, you are probably looking at the best part of a day in your valuable life, accept it, leaving your abode, the airport, the people, the new experience, the aeroplane, the new people that you are going to meet, the landing and the search for your baggage on the conveyor belt, look forward to everything and the journey will seem like a few enjoyable hours. Dread the forthcoming journey; it will colour your last few days before leaving and worst of all, the journey will seem like a lifetime of purgatory. Don't worry, be happy. Live each minute , hour, day, as if it was going to be your last: One day it will be!

Jul 5th, 2007, 18:31	#29
jeanneleez Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Settling Down in Calcutta Posts: 43	Entertainment First off, we try to get a window and an aisle seat, then swap one or the other if the middle person shows up. I just started packing my in-flight bags and we have 2 iPods (loaded with music, videos & movies), laptop, DVDs, trivial pursuit travel game, tanagrams, legos, coloured pens, sketchbook, and a rubiks cube. This gives us stuff to do together, and things to do while the other is sleeping or otherwise engaged. At the airport, we'll pick up snacks and magazines once we get through security. We typically try to get up every hour or so on the plane (when we're not sleeping) to keep deep vein thrombosis away. A quick trip to the bathroom to splash water on the face and wash hands can be good. We deliberately selected a flight that has one 7 hour leg that leaves at 9PM and a 9 hour leg, with a 12 hour layover in London. If we can manage to sleep on the first leg, hang out at the airport, and at least nap on the second, we should be able to deal with the jet lag fairly well. We end up in Kolkata at 2PM, which should allow us to sleep at a fairly normal time. Hope this helps... __________________ -- Jeanne http://american-in-calcutta.blogspot.com/ "The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it." Harry Emerson Fosdick

Jul 5th, 2007, 20:54	#30
gautam Super Mode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Chandigarh - Blore NON-STOP Posts: 709	Did not realize this thread was started in 2004 till i reached the post where The ternimal was mentioned. Aneways a good thread to share our experiences. Comfortable clothing, MP3 player, laptop, PSP, portable DVD players, food should keep you calm on those long flights or flight delays __________________ "Your thoughts could be your prison" My pics on flickr Kerela backwaters - by beach

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