Although it doesn't happen very often, every once in a while someone will tell me that they don't want to go to a destination like India or South Africa because "it is just too far." In those moments, I generally start backing away slowly, because the idea of not going somewhere because it is "too far" is, well, crazy. I can't imagine not wanting to see the Taj Mahal, or go on an African safari, but I digress. I have come to realize that many people aren't doing the simple things one can do to turn our flights into a breeze. Below are my 10 favorite suggestions.
- Bring an e-tablet to watch your favorite “guilty pleasure” shows. Even if your aircraft has a good entertainment system, you are at the mercy of watching whatever they have selected for you. Having your own device allows you to watch programming that you may love, but don’t have the time to watch back home. Plus, this can really help you out if you have any other travel delays.
- If you have a laptop and plan on working or watching movies during a long flight, pack an auto/air adapter plug. This can be plugged directly into the airplane’s in-seat power receptacle, and will power your laptop for as long as you need it.
- Buy a noise-canceling headset. Not only do they help keep things quiet, allowing you to relax, but they also enhance your video and audio experience. Especially if you spend a lot of time on the plane, these are a great investment.
- Bring your own pillow or special travel pillow. The pillows provided on planes are small and really not very comfortable
- Pack protein bars and other snacks. Getting hungry is one of the easiest ways to add stress to your travels.
- Always, always have something enjoyable to read.
- If you are not sleeping, of course, try to get up every two hours to stretch your legs.
- Wear travel compression socks, which provide graduated compression from your knees to your ankles, increasing circulation naturally. This encourages blood to flow back to your heart, instead of staying in your legs and feet.
- Pack a shirt to change into in your carry-on. After you have been on a plan for 12 hours, you will love the feeling of putting on a fresh clean shirt!
- If you get cold easily, bring a light sweater to help yourself stay comfortable.
Arm yourself with these suggestions and a little planning, and turn your next flight into a dream.
