Surviving Long Haul Flights

Long haul flights are not exactly the most fun ever, no matter how many new movies are on the in-seat console or how cute the meals look in their multiple tiny plastic containers (or how cute the guy across the aisle from you is either). So I thought I might share a few of the flight and airport related tips I've picked up so far with it being fresh in my mind after my recent Ireland - New Zealand and back trip.

If I was to cut it down to the absolute essentials for any long flight, they would be:

• Have an eye mask - that over head light from the neighbouring seat or the flash of light through the window on the other side of the plane sure is annoying without one
• Drink loads of water - like, constantly ask for more water even if you have a bottle of it
• Have a neck pillow - I'll never fly without one
• Moisturise - you just feel so much less awful under all the air conditioning. A tiny sample sized pottle of a general cream for your face and hands is all you need

So my carry on bag (a normal, school-type backpack) will always have these, along with:

• Earplugs - sometimes not used as hours spent using headphones make for sore ears, but handy if you are on a full flight or you're wanting a nap when others don't
• Chapstick - when you don't have it, you'll need it most!
• Chewing gum - good for helping your ears during take off and landing
• Panadol - also good for take off and landing if you take it early enough. Headaches also occur more often with the dehydration and constant air conditioning
• Change of clothes - including a couple of pairs of undies and a couple of pairs of socks. I try to have comfortable clothes like a light dress and leggings or a loose shirt. Jeans can get annoying but are most common so may not be as easy to change it up. But at the very least changing underwear and socks at an airport layover feels amazing
• Small light blanket - like those cheap ones that people get for kids or pets. Awesome when trying to get a few hours sleep in an airport
• Roll up air compression bag - like a vacuum storage bag but you just roll or squash it get the air out. Putting your extra clothes and blanket in here makes it feel like you're barely carrying anything
• Warm jersey or hoodie - can usually stuff it in the top of the bag but mostly just worn or carried. Even if you are travelling in warm temperatures the constant air conditioning will get to you
• Empty water bottle - to fill up in the airports' bathroom sinks or at drinking fountains, after security bag checks. Sometimes they still get taken off you though, or just get lost. Cue internal raging
• A book - Actually read more in the airport than in the plane, just to break up the boredom
• Pen and paper, usually a notebook - Good to keep track of anything and keep your flight documents together (e.g. copies of passport, insurance and itinerary)
• Wallet, camera, MP3 player/headphones, phone, computer/other gadgets - normal bag things and valuables
• A couple of chocolate bars or Werther's Original etc - for random moments of hunger or just boredom
• Facecloth in a ziplock bag - in place of a shower
• Toiletries - in a ziplock bag - deodorant and toothbrush & paste are definitely essentials. I take the minimal amount of make up (which isn't much for me anyway). Don't forget to put the panadol, chapstick and moisturiser in the bag. If everything doesn't fit in one bag, put the non-liquids in another bag, such as toothbrush, make up and hair brushes
• Passport/boarding passes (obviously!) - I carry my Very Important Stuff (also including larger amounts of cash, debit cards etc) in one of those passport holders that go around your neck. I keep this on me at all times. Even just sitting on the plane for 8 plus hours. All times.

I feel like I've had to pack a carry on bag often enough that I've gotten into a routine now, and barely have to think about it. Ditto with going through security check points - although I still always have a wee panic every time I have to step through the x-ray machines, no matter how sure I am that I have everything taken care of. I've been beeped for the metal details on my boots, having stuff in my pockets, and for nothing at all (that's the scariest). 

When I get on a plane, I try have most of the small stuff that I'll need out of my bag as soon as possible, allowing me to just chuck my bag straight up into the over head lockers, and sitting down out of other people's way as soon as I can. Small things like chapstick, panadol, chewing gum and my eye mask I put in my pockets while waiting in the queue to walk up the gangway. My water bottle is usually in the side pocket so it's easy to grab, and my neck pillow and sometimes book should be at the top of my bag. I think little things like this make life a bit easier, especially when there's another 30 people behind you in the aisle also wanting to get to their seat. And although it seems easy in theory, getting up again (either before take off or just after) to dig around in a big bag for a stick of gum is actually quite hard - especially when you aren't sitting in an aisle. Everyone else is already settled in and the lockers are packed full of everyone else's stuff.

The longer flights or night time departures usually give everyone a small pillow (which I put in the small of my back), a blanket and a little pouch that has a mini toothbrush set, an eye mask and some big warm socks. (Well, Emirates and Singapore Air do). Fantastic if you've forgot though always best to bring stuff just in case (I only use my own blanket in the airports and don't bother getting it out in the plane). Also, when the meals come I eat most of it even if I'm not super hungry or my body thinks it's about 5am. With so many time changes you never know when you will get starving, and you get fed very, very well so it's worth it to have a good meal in you.

Once I get to an airport for a transfer the first thing I do is figure out where I need to be to get on the next flight. I've found two hour stops are usually plenty of time to read the flight board, follow the miles of moving walkways to the security checks into the transit area, and find the right terminal and gate. Transit airports like Bangkok, Dubai and Singapore are absolutely huge, and definitely disorienting when you haven't been through them before. So it pays to not worry about anything else until you are sure you are going the right way, or getting on the right train to get your next terminal or whatever. It could take up to an hour by the time you wait in queues and walk a few kms (seriously, these airports are mind blowingly massive!) There are always loads of signs in English and plenty of staff to ask, no matter what time it is. But when you are finally in the right place, that is when you can head to the loo and become a bit more human again - washing your face, reapplying moisturiser and basic make up, brushing your teeth and changing your socks. This has definitely become one of my most important little routines.

Changi airport in Singapore is an amazing place to transit in - you can pay a few dollars for a shower (towel and soaps included), visit a butterfly enclosure or a koi pond or several other gardens in amongst an insane amount of other stuff to fill your time with. Bangkok and Dubai airports are good too but mainly just dazzle you with their size and the amount of shops instead. Money wise, I didn't bring cash with me for Sydney or Dubai airports as I was only in them for a couple of hours each; as I was in Bangkok for 6 hours each way though I had $20-$40NZD with me for a few snacks and bottles of water. This was plenty as I didn't need to go duty free shopping for anything. I didn't change any money over before I left, just went to one of the many, many currency exchange booths there. I thought with such a small amount I wasn't going to really lose out too much with any fees (didn't even actually notice if there was).

And lastly, don't forget to sign up to the airlines' air miles program - if you are going to sit through all this anyway, you might as well get some reward for it!