Flying across continents and oceans is the fastest way to travel, but it still means that you will have to spend considerable periods cooped up inside an airplane. A couple of hours in a plane is not an issue for many people, but extend that time to 8 hours or more, and then you might face problems. It is especially difficult for people who cannot afford business class or first class – which applies to many! I have flown my share of long haul flights, and I have been lucky to have had things and activities loosely planned so as to stave off boredom. Here are some of my tried and tested ways to make time fly during long flights.
Sleep!
This is rather easy for me, as I love my sleep! Some of my closest friends have this insidery joke about me being able to sleep practically anywhere, in any position. If you are the same, then you will be able to while away many hours sleeping in the plane. If, however, you do not fall asleep easily, you can consider not getting enough sleep before the flight. This way, your body will be forced to get some rest while you are tens of thousands of miles up in the air.
Bring a book.
Whether it is a book made of real paper or an eBook, it does not matter. Long flights are perfect for catching up on your reading. Think about the book that you have been wanting to read but never had time for. Wouldn’t reading it be an excellent way to kill time?
Be sociable.
This one’s a little tricky, but if you have the right personality for it and if you are lucky enough, you just might experience the best human interaction ever. Open yourself to the idea of engaging your seatmate/s in conversation. Gauge the person/s beside you to see if they are open to conversation as well. If the elements are right, you won’t notice how long the flight is, and you might even make a friend or two!
Watch movies.
If you are not the reading type, then you always have the option of watching movies. Depending on your carrier, you might have on-board entertainment options. If you are like me, however, you will always have a gadget with you. Whether it’s a laptop or a tablet, the gadget can save your sanity. Make sure you have your device/s fully charged and loaded with media that you enjoy. Depending on the length of your flight, you can spend the entire time watching movies, playing games, and listening to music.
January 22nd, 2012
Tushar Mathur
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