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Thread: Coping with Long Haul

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Howick near Auckland
    Posts
    93

    Default Coping with Long Haul

    Hi All,

    We'll be flying to Auckland via Hong Kong in a few weeks time.

    Just wondering if you guys have any tips for coping with the long flight?

    Our son is 12 so he'll be fine with films etc, but we are all hoping we'll get some sleep.

    Does anyone recommend mild sleeping tablets etc (for the adults) for example?

    Any advice/views appreciated.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,824

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    I think, don't dread this too much. You'll be spending roughly a day, mostly sitting in a chair, with people bringing you things to eat and drink - it's not so bad.

    I wouldn't go for drugs. Particularly if you're not used to them, you can't tell how much you'll be affected, and you'll want your wits about you at times. I put my watch on NZ time as soon as I get on the plane in the UK, and I try to think myself ahead into their day and night pattern, to go by that as much as I can. Of course this isn't entirely possible, because you get interrupted, but you don't HAVE to give in and sleep when they darken the cabin, or vice versa, and you can tell the stewards that e.g. you're going to be sleeping so you won't require the next meal (if you don't want it).

    For your waking time, the entertainment is pretty comprehensive - films, TV shows, music are all available. Or have a fat book you have saved for the journey, or whatever else you like to do, e.g. writing, drawing, a travel Scrabble, etc.. Do foot exercises regularly, and have a walk all around the aircraft every hour or so.

    For your comfort, I recommend having in your flight bag your own C-shaped neck pillow (stops your head 'falling off'), washing kit, a general moisturizer as hands and face can get very dry in the plane, and a change of underwear and maybe T-shirt for half-way - there are good showers available at Hong Kong. It's a good place for a walk about, with some decent shops, too. Drink plenty of water on the plane - you can ask the stewards to bring you more even in between their rounds.

    Do something to your luggage to make it easier to pick out on the carousel - a bright coloured strap round it, or a ribbon tied on the handle.

    When you arrive, don't expect awful things (because I bet people have been saying 'jet lag' in voice of doom!). You'll be a funny mixture of wired with excitement, and weary, and for a day or two, you'll sometimes feel like being awake when those around you are sleeping, or the other way round. It's not an illness, so don't worry about it - just be kind to yourselves, and it will pass. On the first day, even if you can't help having a little nap or two, don't let yourselves have a long sleep - just get your breath, then press on till as normal a bedtime as you can, then you'll be tired enough to get at least some sleep in the NZ night. Don't try and do too much that needs you to be decisive that first day - your brain won't be on full power, so be careful. Make a point of getting outside with the light on your face first thing in the mornings, as this helps your body clock adjust.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Auckland<->Penang
    Posts
    221

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    I travel quite a big on long haul flights (> 20 hours journey at a time). Here's my travel kit :

    1) Off-the-shelves motion sickness pills.

    I don't really get motion sickness, but I pop one in about 30 minutes into the flight. It has a calming effect on me and makes me feel a little sleepy and usually that is enough to give me just a that little sleep I would need.
    4 hours into the flight, I would pop another one. I have tried sleeping pills - those don't work on me and makes me feel even worse.

    2) Small pillows. Small but it needs to be just a bigger than the tiny ones the plane gives you. Those are too small. I prefer those cylindrical pillows.

    3) A good noise cancellation headset. Someone introduced this to me recently and ever since, I have never travelled on long haul journey without it. It cuts so much of the plane's engine noise, sleeping and watching movies with it is entirely a different experience. There are some VERY good ones - ie. Bose but they can be pretty experience. I am using a fairly cheap one (~ NZD100) from Philips. It has lasted more than 1 year already with other regular non-flight uses.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    3,697

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    I flew via Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific, the attendants were very friendly and didn't trouble me while I dozed off and made sure there wasn't any disturbance around. You can refresh (shower etc) at Hong Kong airport which is quite nice, though I must say that I was just too tired and slept at the airport for good 3-4 hours and only woke up when I was called for the next leg of the flight

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    111

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    I highly recommend lots of alcohol. It was the longest flight of my life. 15 hours form the US to Sydney. You get int he plane and you think, this is nice! No problem, comfy chair, window, this is FUN..it will be fine. Then HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LATER...not so much and then HOURS MORE LATER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>seriously not so much. In my case made even worse as I discovered that guy...you know who I mean THAT guy that NO ONE wants to sit next to on a plane, IS MY HUSBAND!!!!!!!!


    Have fun, enjoy, suffer long it is worth every minute when you get here!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Warkworth , NZ
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    1,404

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    May be a silly question, but how do you connect the in flight entertainment, movies, music etcto your own headphones? I really like the sound of the noise cancellation headset if it works.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    3,697

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    You can buy on of this pin which works as an adapter to stereo pin. Noise cancellation headsets are really good (but expensive too). Previously Bose used to make it but nowadays you can also get cheaper models from Panasonic & Sony.


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    California to Tasman Bay
    Posts
    1,137

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    I don't recommend sleeping pills if you are someone who already has a difficult time staying asleep. You'll still wake up but you'll be groggy and out of it.

    I'm a really light sleeper so I never sleep for long but silicone earplugs and eyeshades help. The noise reducing earphones have been a real help to me, mine came with the airplane plug adaptor.

    I keep baby wipes in my carry on so I can wipe my face and feel somewhat cleaner when I wake up in the "morning".

    Keep a strict sleeping schedule when you get here to help with the jet lag.

    Enjoy the journey!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
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    California to Tasman Bay
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norgal View Post
    In my case made even worse as I discovered that guy...you know who I mean THAT guy that NO ONE wants to sit next to on a plane, IS MY HUSBAND!!!!!!!


    Same! My husband snores and his huge shoulders take up a lot of space. I don't have the heart to tell him he's that guy. It doesn't bother him because he could sleep on a raft in a hurricane.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    NZ (Auckland; via Canada)
    Posts
    1,350

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    I travel between Europe and NZ 2-3 times year. In economy class. I've got what works for me down to a science:

    • Try to book a morning/afternoon departure from Europe and stay awake on the first flight if at all possible: combine it with a flight from Asia to NZ that is an overnight (a "red eye") with an early morning arrival time in Auckland. For many people they'll sleep soundly on the second flight since you'll arrive in Asia in late evening/early morning European time. You'll be knackered by the time flight #2 departs...but you'll almost certainly sleep! If you do this make sure your accommodation will be available in the morning--which usually means booking it for "early check-in"--an extra night, in other words. Believe me, you do not want to have to kill 4-5 hours while you groggily (and grottily) wait for your hotel room to be available at 2pm...
    • If you're already booked on an evening departure, try the reverse: sleep first and stay awake on the second flight. You'll be arriving in AKL mid-morning to mid-afternoon, so you'll only need to push through half that first day and go to bed in NZ after a few hours.
    • Assuming your connection in HKG is at least 2.5 hours, you can prebook/prepay a shower here. Works out to about GBP25 per person--TOTALLY worth it. Book the shower for 30 minutes after your scheduled arrival: that's plenty of time to go through transfers at HKG and if you're a bit late they'll adapt. It's an airport; they need to be flexible.
    • After showering, get a drink (and food if you need it). Otherwise, grab a free luggage cart and stroll around the terminal. You've just been on your bum for 12 hours and will be again shortly for another 12. HKG airport is basically one massively long set of gates with a wing of services at either end, so it's easy to integrate getting refreshments (or some duty-free shopping) at the end of a "lap" of the terminal.
    • I definitely take a sleeping pill on any flight I hope to sleep. Zopiclone (sometimes sold as immovane or zimovane) is a hypnotic rather than a tranquilizer per sé: it just sort of turns your brain off. I find that even after an hour asleep with zopiclone, if I need to wake up I'm not drowsy. Regardless, if you want to ry using a sleeping pill do it at home first--being on an airplane is not where you want to discover you react badly to it! My husband gets by with half a pill: I use 1-2 depending on circumstances. But he also has a glass or two of wine: I'm a teatotaler.
    • Most airlines have pretty good in-flight entertainment, but I make sure my iPad is charged up; ditto my Kindle and iPhone. That way I have podcasts, some games, The Economist and a few books if there's nothing on "telly" that interests me.
    • Buy a decent eye mask and some earplugs as well. Even if the airline supplies them, I've found they're often not dark enough or noise proofing enough.


    I just flew home a couple of days ago from Budapest: 2 hours plus 11 hours plus 11.5 hours plus 4.5 hours of connections: 25 hours, not including getting to/from airports. Absolutely manageable.

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