Tips tricks and ideas for long flights -- help a brother out

[K-man]

My solution - Take your wife (girlfriend) out to a nice dinner date and tape the entire evening conversation on your cell phone.
Put it on a 12 hour loop and put it through your headphones. Make you sleep like a baby without a care in the world. I can get away with typing this because my wife's away for a bit. (or I think she said that - I'm not sure)

 

[Philip Glass]

Eat in the airport restaurants first of all. A few drinks for me, movies, then melatonin to sleep. Ditto the neck pillow and Bose noise cancelling headphones. Set your watch to the time where you are going. It’s tough no matter how you slice it!
Philip

 

[LivingTheDream]

In my experience, if I fly business class I sleep great. If I fly economy, I have horrible time.

And as previously mentioned, drink early and drink often.

 

[Hank2211]

It's not a successful defense where I live.

No idea where you live . . . and while this is not the point of this thread, if people take prescribed drugs and then do things that they are not aware of, most common law jurisdictions would agree there is a lack of actus reus or, in English, a guilty act. The common law can be displaced by statute, but it would seem odd to me that you would convict someone of a crime when they were not acting voluntarily or even with a minimal awareness of their action.

But of course that is subject to the laws where you live.

 

[sestoppelman]

There is really only one way to avoid the horrors of long plane flights. Don't take them.

 

[K981985]

I’m with you I HATE long flights. The flight over was really one of the worst parts of being deployed to the sand box. I now pay the extra and get a first class seat if at all possible. Being cramped and in close quarters, no thanks. I’d bring a couple good reads maybe some Jim Corbett or some African books Bell etc.
When all else fails just think about the fact that your headed to Africa!

 

[Ridge Runner]

ok I just purchased come compression socks and am familiar with seat guru -- honestly I am a big guy so I will prob need to just go all in and fly business class - would prefer not to- but I am seriously concerned about the torture of not doing it.
I also considered just buying an extra ticket in economy as in-buy 3 1 for me 1 for wife and extra between us. just not sure if I can do this since no-one will be checking in on flight-- this might also cut down on any overcharges for weight of stuff if that is even a concern. It would most likely be cheaper than 2 business class tickets-- I tried to float the why dont I fly business and you fly coach balloon -- well lets just say no words were exchanged-- but the look I got told me that that was not a good idea-- lol

The Look? Which one did you get?

The like hell you say, meaning she's not sitting in coach.....or......OOOoooh honey, your letting me fly business class and willing to suffer flying coach?

 

[mark-hunter]

Magazines, books, and business class ticket.

 

[Hogpatrol]

For cryin out loud, just......

 

[rinehart0050]

I travel a bunch for my job in the military right now and concur with many of the suggestions out there. Here's what I always try to do:

1. Bring a water bottle. I dont like room temperature water, so i bring one of those thermos bottles that are popular these days with ice in it. TSA allows the bottle with ice through security, just no water. I refill it once I'm past screening. Water is super important for arriving refreshed on the other end.

2. I dont like taking meds, so I usually have a couple drinks before or right after departure. Don't drink too much and get drunk.

3. For africa, we usually plan to spend a day in Johannesburg at the Africa Sky guest lodge before continuing to our final hunting destination. Super comfortable place with all meals included and they pick you up at the airport. Great way to reset before getting into the hunt and the cost is negligible vs the downside of hunting with bad jetlag.

4. Consider listening to books on tape/Audible or a podcast. Screen-time watching movies keeps your mind activated and makes sleeping difficult. It's easier to pass out while listening to the rhythmic pace of a book narrator.

Good luck and stay positive- the hunt of a lifetime awaits but you gotta pay your dues first on that flight!

 

[Deleted member 11879]

I agree with the Ambien suggestion. When I’ve flown to SA or Beijing, I drink a fair amount of water, watch a movie, or two, have something to eat and then take an Ambien and sleep for eight hours. I land feeling rested and ready to go.

 

[barbells.and.arrows]

I think the mental anguish building up to the flight is the worst. I can live with no sleep, just more of a PITA than normal. So part of it is prepping yourself mentally for it. "This is going to suck, but the end result will outweigh this crap of a 15-17 hours." After having done the flight, and having a shitter of a flight home, I would be back on that plane in an instant to be back in Africa.
Maybe I'm alone in this, but I try to think of it as "I've done dumber stuff for longer and survived, so I can live through this flight."

 

[jeff]

I think most people make too much of the flight. Having done 12 trips to SA and Namibia flying coach. I just roll with the flow it's not that big of deal for me. After dinner I watch a little video and when the lights are turned off I drink one of their small complementary bottles of wine and take a Ambein and can usually sleep for 6-7 hours.

 

[Red Leg]

I’m with you I HATE long flights. The flight over was really one of the worst parts of being deployed to the sand box. I now pay the extra and get a first class seat if at all possible. Being cramped and in close quarters, no thanks. I’d bring a couple good reads maybe some Jim Corbett or some African books Bell etc.
When all else fails just think about the fact that your headed to Africa!

International First Class?!? I'm impressed. My old corporation use to fly me international first, but international business is a really great ride at less than half the cost of international first. Though you should try to experience Emirate's international first (separate compartment) and the revamped Lufthansa 747 first is/was incredible. Captain's chair with a separate bunk and feather bed. Tucked in by a six-foot Aryan amazon hired by an airline that still believed in good looking stews. More and more airlines, including US carriers are eliminating international first and replacing with business, economy plus, and steerage. That is what you will see on US carriers and SA Air into Johannesburg.

 

[Rimbaud]

If you cannot go business or first class, which helps, try for an aisle seat in premium economy. Hydrate like you are in a desert. Skip the booze. Skip the airplane food. Pack your own grub. Add EmergenZ to water. Bose noise canceling headphones are a must. The new ones are a big improvement over the older models. I went metrosexual on my last long haul after one of the Asian airlines passed out Evian spritzers for us to spray on our faces and that proved surprisingly refreshing and relaxing. Now, I pack some spritz from Kiehl's. I wear a t-shirt and sweater and pack some books and bring a silk eye mask. Also pack exercise bands to do some resistance work, and a seat cushion. Get up and walk. Pop a Benadryl and try to get a few hours of sleep. Get on local time when you board the plane, and when you land get in the sun and reset your clock. The time zone difference is not terrible in southern Africa. Lean into the adventure.

 

[Scott CWO]

If you are flying SAA coach, look at the seating diagram. There is a seat in about row 74 with a hatch on floor in front of it and no seat in front of you. This gives you a lot of extra leg room for free!

Also follow the advice above.

 

[Major Khan]

I travel out of the country twice or thrice a year . I always have a laptop with me , where l have downloaded all the seasons of the original " Hawaii Five O " television series . When the plane takes off , l always turn the laptop on , plug in my ear phones and start watching . Maybe order a nice glass of red wine . Before l had access to laptops , l would just take a couple of good books .
Avoid air plane food if possible . I find it ghastly on most flights .

 

[tay50]

My first flight over was an eye opening experience for me, wasn't sure how I was getting home, didn't want to get back on that plane. My sinuses were a mess blew my nose while in the immigration line, bleed profusely, I was a mess. Now 3 trips later, last thing I do before I leave the house is shower, because your not getting one very soon. I apply body lotion (unscented) you need hydrated skin, drink plenty of water, and I keep a small bottle of nasal spray in my carry on, which is also useful when hunting the different climate. I also have snacks, crossword or find-a-word puzzles, along the noise cancelling head phones, and my own music. Funny you can watch football all day on Sunday not a problem, but put yourself in a aluminum tube traveling at 450 MPH with a couple hundred of your friends sucks. Oh don't forget the compression socks, they work.

 

[Hunting Sailor]

All the above advises have worked for some and they are great, however your attitude towards the flight has the largest impact.
Whether you expect it to be horrible or just OK you will be right...

I do 3-6 roundtrips per year and been from Economy to First, direct as well as via the Gulf and Europe.
Sure the Business and First makes a difference.
I had Premium Select a couple of weeks back on DL200 and it was great with the extra space, more recline and better food, don’t get me wrong.
However, there is still 15hrs plus in the same chair...
Noise cancelling headphones, inflatable pillow, lots of water, your kind of entertainment would be the things I would recommend that anyone carries with them.
Good luck and welcome to Africa!

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Pretend you're stuck in a tent for 4 days in the arctic circle due to weather. Then by surprise you get picked up after only 15 hours. Joyous!!
Done the first a couple times, hopefully the flight will be easy when I go next year.