Vacations are great; the hard part is getting to that remote slice of paradise thousands of miles away from home. Long haul flights are one of the most stressful experiences anyone can go through – at no other time do we force ourselves to sit in a tiny, uncomfortable chair in a narrow tube of metal with so little personal space. Here are four ways you can making the long haul trip go by quicker:
- Sleep – I know, I know, some people say you must board your flight fully rested. My question is: Why? There is nothing for you to do save stare at the screen or seat in front of you. The only single cute girl or guy will be stuck three rows back next to this obnoxious guy/girl who has no chance compared to you. I say sleep. Make sure you are gently sleep deprived so you can konk out as soon as the meal is done and over with. It will make the time fly past.
- Pack Light – It may seem like the more accessories you have, the better you will be prepared for your holiday. Fine, as long as none of those accessories invade your carry-on luggage.There are few things as relaxing as sauntering onto a plane with a feather-light carry-on with virtually no things that can get lost, misplaced or stolen. This is particularly important if you want to take the advice from number one above and catch up on sleep during the flight.
- Dress comfortably – You will likely be wearing the same clothes all the way from home, at the departure airport, on the long haul flight, at the arrival airport and all the way to your accommodation at your destination. That’s a lot of hours to be in something that is not comfortable. Not only is your clothing comfort conducive to sleep (notice a trend here?), it is also one of your biggest defenses against DVT (deep vein thrombosis) that occurs as a result of restricted blood flow for extended periods. There are stylish clothes that can be comfortable. If you vehemently disagree with that, you can always opt for a quick change at the airport before you board.
- Bring entertainment – Planning for sleep isn’t always a guarantee for getting good sleep. Sometimes, all the eye masks, noise-cancelling earphones piping soothing music and being extremely tired just aren’t enough to combat a plane full of crying babies, bratty kids, people laughing out loud at TV shows and crappy seats. If you can’t beat them join them. A book, movies on your tablet or laptop and new games on your phone can be the difference between arriving at your destination cranky or relaxed.