homepage
  roll on christmas  
click here to find out more about ship of fools click here to sign up for the ship of fools newsletter click here to support ship of fools
community the mystery worshipper gadgets for god caption competition foolishness features ship stuff
discussion boards live chat cafe avatars frequently-asked questions the ten commandments gallery private boards register for the boards
 
Ship of Fools


Post new thread  Post a reply
My profile login | | Directory | Search | FAQs | Board home
   - Printer-friendly view Next oldest thread   Next newest thread
» Ship of Fools   »   » Oblivion   » Tips on long flights and jet lag

 - Email this page to a friend or enemy.    
Source: (consider it) Thread: Tips on long flights and jet lag
Anglican_Brat
Shipmate
# 12349

 - Posted      Profile for Anglican_Brat   Email Anglican_Brat   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
On Thursday, I'll end my three month internship in Jerusalem and begin the long trek back to the west coast.

I'm dreading the long flight. I fly 12 hours from Tel Aviv to Toronto, and then I have a four hour layover, before flying for five hours from TO to Vancouver.

Any tips on how to cope? My concern is that I might be too sleepy when I'm in TO that I might miss my second flight.

And jet lag advice would be wonderful.

--------------------
It's Reformation Day! Do your part to promote Christian unity and brotherly love and hug a schismatic.

Posts: 4332 | From: Vancouver | Registered: Feb 2007  |  IP: Logged
Adam.

Like as the
# 4991

 - Posted      Profile for Adam.   Author's homepage   Email Adam.   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Jet lag sucks and there isn't much you can do about it is my basic conclusion. The best you can do is avoid making it worse. First: no alcohol. it dehydrates you in what's an overly dry environment anyway and makes the little sleep you do get less refreshing. Some coffee to get you through the lay-over may be needed, but try to avoid too much caffeine either.

Travelling West is a lot less bad than East in my experience. When you've finished your journey, try your dandest to go to sleep at something only a little earlier than your normal time. If a brief nap helps you do this, go for it, but don't let that turn into your night's sleep. You'll probably get up a little early the next few days.

--------------------
Ave Crux, Spes Unica!
Preaching blog

Posts: 8164 | From: Notre Dame, IN | Registered: Sep 2003  |  IP: Logged
Welease Woderwick

Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424

 - Posted      Profile for Welease Woderwick   Email Welease Woderwick   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
I survive using an over the counter travel sickness medication called Stugeron [the generic name is Cinnarizine‎]. It helps me to doze away the miles. I regularly do the 11 hours from Colombo to Heathrow and back and I take two tablets in Departures and usually one more just over the halfway mark. It doesn't put me right out but I can close my eyes and rest then what I think is about half an hour later I wake up and find it is two or three hours later, then I do it again. It is great.

Pete uses something else which is also both OTC and effective.

Anyway, I find that dozing across the world reduces jetlag by about 75-80%.

Four hour lay-overs are a drag but I sit and wait and am often last off the plane then spend most of the lay-over walking about the duty-free and departure areas and I find that exercise helps, too. If there is a shower facility at Toronto that is a good way to both spend time and to make yourself feel better.

--------------------
I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details

What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?

Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005  |  IP: Logged
Firenze

Ordinary decent pagan
# 619

 - Posted      Profile for Firenze     Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Anglican_Brat:
My concern is that I might be too sleepy when I'm in TO that I might miss my second flight.

I find the adrenaline - and the inherent uncomfortableness of airport seating - is enough. I remember an Edinburgh to Santa Fe odyssey, which lasted, door-to-door, exactly 24 hours. And I still only slept for 4 hours after that.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001  |  IP: Logged
Galilit
Shipmate
# 16470

 - Posted      Profile for Galilit   Email Galilit   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Having flown several times Tel Aviv - Hong Kong/Bangkok/Singapore - Auckland then an internal flight ... and had to hit the ground running to deal with whatever Family Emergency occasioned the journey in the first place...my tuppence-worth is eat little, drink lots (water or green tea) and exercise.

Eat all the fruit and plain or salad vegetables and only half the rest of things on the food-tray. If you order vegetarian you get fed before the others.

On stop-overs walk the duty-free concourse. Even on the plane you can find a square metre to do some stretches.

Wear loose-topped sox, shoes you can slip off and on and loose-fitting clothes.

Spray your face with hydration stuff often. I use a Body Shop one but I think Evian do one too. And eye-drops. Ask at a pharmacy or health foody place.

Read rather than watch the tiny screen.

[ 15. July 2013, 14:40: Message edited by: Galilit ]

--------------------
She who does Her Son's will in all things can rely on me to do Hers.

Posts: 624 | From: a Galilee far, far away | Registered: Jun 2011  |  IP: Logged
MrsBeaky
Shipmate
# 17663

 - Posted      Profile for MrsBeaky   Author's homepage   Email MrsBeaky   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
My last trip to NZ from the UK and back involved two 12 hour flights with 5-6 hours layover. Because of antibiotics for a dental abscess I wasn't able to drink any alcohol at all on the way out and I got much less dehydrated than when I have my normal mini bottle with the food. So drink as much water as you can get and wear comfortable clothes.I too only eat some of what I'm offered and avoid the sugary stuff.
I also take travel sickness pills and they help me sleep as well as stopping the sickness. I always set my watch to the time of my destination (so I did it twice with each NZ trip) and talk myself into believing it.....
Once on terra firma I go for a walk outside and don't let myself sleep until 9 o'clock in the evening.
Hope it goes well!

--------------------
"It is better to be kind than right."

http://davidandlizacooke.wordpress.com

Posts: 693 | From: UK/ Kenya | Registered: Apr 2013  |  IP: Logged
shamwari
Shipmate
# 15556

 - Posted      Profile for shamwari   Email shamwari   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Take an aspirin before you board.

Or two or three or four or....!

Posts: 1914 | From: from the abyss of misunderstanding | Registered: Mar 2010  |  IP: Logged
The Silent Acolyte

Shipmate
# 1158

 - Posted      Profile for The Silent Acolyte     Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Anglican_Brat, do everything that Hart says. Plus: don't dread it. A positive attitude does wonders; it's not really going to be that bad.

I always bring a book or two that really excite me. The idea is, "Finally, I get an uninterrupted stretch of time!" to plow through whatever academic tome I've not been able to find time to read. The back up book is some cheezy murder mystery, PD James 'frinstance.

Posts: 7462 | From: The New World | Registered: Aug 2001  |  IP: Logged
lily pad
Shipmate
# 11456

 - Posted      Profile for lily pad   Email lily pad   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Spend at least the last hour or so of the layover at the gate for the last flight.

Also, if you can adjust your schedule for the next few days to be more like the time at your destination, it will help. Either go to bed much later than usual or much earlier in order to help with the jet lag but whatever you do, get lots of sleep this week so that you don't start out sleep deprived.

I agree with the idea that your attitude matters. If you try to capture some excitement of what it will mean to be home and look forward to something at the Toronto airport, you will do better.

--------------------
Sloppiness is not caring. Fussiness is caring about the wrong things. With thanks to Adeodatus!

Posts: 2468 | From: Truly Canadian | Registered: May 2006  |  IP: Logged
Firenze

Ordinary decent pagan
# 619

 - Posted      Profile for Firenze     Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
quote:
Originally posted by shamwari:
Take an aspirin before you board.

Or two or three or four or....!

And jet lag could be the least of your worries. As always, before popping any pill as recommended by random strangers off the Internet, take qualified advice, particularly if you are on any other meds.

Firenze
Cautionary Heaven Host

Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001  |  IP: Logged
Mechtilde
Shipmate
# 12563

 - Posted      Profile for Mechtilde   Email Mechtilde   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
And be careful about taking anything that will make you sleep. You don't want to snooze your way to a blood clot. Get up and walk the aisle at regular intervals.

I got some prescription clot prevention socks, which I wear on long-haul flights. You can also do exercises in your seat, but getting up is better.

--------------------
"Once one has seen God, what is the remedy?"
Sylvia Plath, "Mystic"

Posts: 517 | From: The cloud of unknowing | Registered: Apr 2007  |  IP: Logged
Cottontail

Shipmate
# 12234

 - Posted      Profile for Cottontail   Author's homepage     Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Book an aisle seat if you can. Sure, your fellow passengers will be climbing over you every now and then. But that is nothing compared to the convenience of being able to get up and down at will, and pace the aisle when you need to.

Cottontail's Rule: window for short haul (I like to see the pretty clouds); aisle for long haul.

--------------------
"I don't think you ought to read so much theology," said Lord Peter. "It has a brutalizing influence."

Posts: 2377 | From: Scotland | Registered: Jan 2007  |  IP: Logged
Uncle Pete

Loyaute me lie
# 10422

 - Posted      Profile for Uncle Pete     Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
I wear elastic stockings as I am basically immobile. Also my feet swell.

--------------------
Even more so than I was before

Posts: 20466 | From: No longer where I was | Registered: Sep 2005  |  IP: Logged
Macrina
Shipmate
# 8807

 - Posted      Profile for Macrina   Email Macrina   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
I've JUST got off the plane from a UK-NZ jaunt. See if you can pay a little extra for an exit row seat or extra legroom seat. You will not regret it.

Experience would suggest that you won't sleep at the Airport during layover but if you're worried you will then go to your gate to crash out.

I've done this trip a few times over the last few years. I now carry travel toiletries and try to have a freshen up during my layoever. Toothbrush and travel toothpaste, dry shampoo, deoderant and some wet wipes. You'll feel better for this. Also take a change of underwear (or just knickers, and a t-shirt) it'll help you feel more comfortable.

Buy a decent eye mask and pair of ear plugs as well as a neck pillow (turn this around backwards and it can work better) and doze as much as you can.

Drink water, do not drink any booze or fizzy drinks however tempting it may be.

Bring some snacks if you can, preferably protein based.

Good luck, you'll be fine [Smile]

Posts: 535 | From: Christchurch, New Zealand | Registered: Nov 2004  |  IP: Logged
Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564

 - Posted      Profile for Leorning Cniht   Email Leorning Cniht   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Eat a decent meal in Toronto. Even airport food is better than anything you usually get on the plane.
Posts: 5026 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2013  |  IP: Logged
Gee D
Shipmate
# 13815

 - Posted      Profile for Gee D     Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Having done lots of Aust - Europe trips over the years - 24 to 27 hours if you're going as far as London - starting off on a VC 10 (remember them?) and a few to Canada and the US:

Cut down the alcohol and coffee substantially but drink lots of water and tea;
If you're taking off in the evening, have your dinner and then sleep; but
Otherwise try to doze a lot rather than sleep.
Wear loose clothing, and take your shoes off when seated;
Have a book on your lap rather than read;
Keep the blind closed rather than look into the glary sky;
When you arrive, immediately start living in the time zone of your arrival, and don't keep telling yourself that it's really 10 pm or whatever.

--------------------
Not every Anglican in Sydney is Sydney Anglican

Posts: 7028 | From: Warrawee NSW Australia | Registered: Jun 2008  |  IP: Logged
AngloCatholicGirl
Shipmate
# 16435

 - Posted      Profile for AngloCatholicGirl   Email AngloCatholicGirl   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
I second the water and exercise, never miss an opportunity to grab a drink, I always grab a glass of water when the steward walks by and on the long haul flights I often find that they leave out glasses of water and orange juice at the back of the plane for passengers to pick up at will. (gets you a nice walk too).

Also, don't worry about missing your connection. I have a paranoia about this and I find the adrenaline of fear keeps me awake. As a last resort I hunker down by the departure gate and set the alarm on my phone for the boarding time. Plus I find it's usually so busy and noisy at airports that's it's hard to fall properly anyway. (and if nothing else, all that fluid you have taken in will mean you will keep waking up to go to the loo ) [Snigger]

--------------------
Love is the wisdom of the fool and the folly of the wise -Samuel Johnson

Posts: 75 | From: Now from across the pond | Registered: May 2011  |  IP: Logged
Augustine the Aleut
Shipmate
# 1472

 - Posted      Profile for Augustine the Aleut     Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:
Eat a decent meal in Toronto. Even airport food is better than anything you usually get on the plane.

Toronto has a decent selection of places providing good quality light food. The concourses facilitate long walks.

For reading material, I find Trollope (he wrote by chapters suitable for weekly reading from serials so if you lose the track of one, it will be like an episode of Friends or Big Bang, and you will pick it up again) excellent, but have found poetry very useful for brief but intense excursions from one's surroundings.

Posts: 6236 | From: Ottawa, Canada | Registered: Oct 2001  |  IP: Logged
no prophet's flag is set so...

Proceed to see sea
# 15560

 - Posted      Profile for no prophet's flag is set so...   Author's homepage   Email no prophet's flag is set so...   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
I would suggest setting your watch to Toronto time as soon as you are confirmed and waiting for Tel Aviv to Toronto flight. Try to psychologically shift your thinking to the Canadian time. This means, when you're on the plane, try to function with the understanding of yourself on the time of where you're going, you could reset completely to Vanc time, but seeing as you have a stop in dreaded Toronto (the airport that's always late) a staged reset may work. Save the airplane food or pack your own and eat at the Canadian times. Water is your friend. Caffeine in the Cdn morning

Melatonin over the counter at 3 or 5 mg may be worth taking when you are 'supposed' to be sleeping per Canadian time. I echo the going west is easier because you gain time.

Ear plugs, an eye visor may also help. Avoid movies during the Canadian night etc. I have a dual time zone watch, which allows the local and destination times to be switched. I've done trips like your's several times, and have found I can do in 2 days with the above, what formerly took about 4 if I try to shift ahead of time. This also means awareness of the Cdn time ahead of time as well while still in the mid-east.

--------------------
Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.
\_(ツ)_/

Posts: 11498 | From: Treaty 6 territory in the nonexistant Province of Buffalo, Canada ↄ⃝' | Registered: Mar 2010  |  IP: Logged
Ad Orientem
Shipmate
# 17574

 - Posted      Profile for Ad Orientem     Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Anglican_Brat:
On Thursday, I'll end my three month internship in Jerusalem and begin the long trek back to the west coast.

I'm dreading the long flight. I fly 12 hours from Tel Aviv to Toronto, and then I have a four hour layover, before flying for five hours from TO to Vancouver.

Any tips on how to cope? My concern is that I might be too sleepy when I'm in TO that I might miss my second flight.

And jet lag advice would be wonderful.

Copious amounts of alcohol.
Posts: 2606 | From: Finland | Registered: Feb 2013  |  IP: Logged
Kelly Alves

Bunny with an axe
# 2522

 - Posted      Profile for Kelly Alves   Email Kelly Alves   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Yeah, massive dehydration is a great cure for airsickness.

--------------------
I cannot expect people to believe “
Jesus loves me, this I know” of they don’t believe “Kelly loves me, this I know.”
Kelly Alves, somewhere around 2003.

Posts: 35076 | From: Pura Californiana | Registered: Mar 2002  |  IP: Logged
Ad Orientem
Shipmate
# 17574

 - Posted      Profile for Ad Orientem     Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Only if you're a lightweight. [Biased]
Posts: 2606 | From: Finland | Registered: Feb 2013  |  IP: Logged
Kelly Alves

Bunny with an axe
# 2522

 - Posted      Profile for Kelly Alves   Email Kelly Alves   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Listen, you go ahead and mummify yourself, and I will be a happy lightweight with wonderfully supple skin. [Cool]

--------------------
I cannot expect people to believe “
Jesus loves me, this I know” of they don’t believe “Kelly loves me, this I know.”
Kelly Alves, somewhere around 2003.

Posts: 35076 | From: Pura Californiana | Registered: Mar 2002  |  IP: Logged
orfeo

Ship's Musical Counterpoint
# 13878

 - Posted      Profile for orfeo   Author's homepage   Email orfeo   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
Echoing some of the advice about time change: the sooner you can start thinking in new time zones, the better. With the layover you may want to aim for the layover time first rather than your final destination.

I generally do it in flight because there are few external indicators of time on a plane, and it's actually fairly clear from the meal times on a long flight that the crew are trying to shift you from one time to another. Follow those cues. If there's a meal that can be interpreted as 'late' in one time zone and 'early' in another, make the shift for the meal.

--------------------
Technology has brought us all closer together. Turns out a lot of the people you meet as a result are complete idiots.

Posts: 18173 | From: Under | Registered: Jul 2008  |  IP: Logged
Vulpior

Foxier than Thou
# 12744

 - Posted      Profile for Vulpior   Author's homepage   Email Vulpior   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
If you can freshen up at Toronto it will help: wetwipes or flannel/facecloth/washer, deodorant, disposable razor. And a change of underclothes. On our last trip I wore my tattiest underwear for the first leg and threw it away when I changed; it meant not having to carry dirty clothes in my hand luggage.

If the flight has a fancy entertainment system where you can set up a playlist, create a playlist of albums that you already own. Then you can have it on at a comfortable volume as you doze and there's no surprise as it goes from track to track.

Gin & tonic is part of the tradition of long haul flying for me (that "I'm on my way" feeling), so I don't go alcohol-free, but I do moderate it nowadays and drink plenty of other fluid.

--------------------
I've started blogging. I don't promise you'll find anything to interest you at uncleconrad

Posts: 946 | From: Mount Fairy, NSW | Registered: Jun 2007  |  IP: Logged
Anglican_Brat
Shipmate
# 12349

 - Posted      Profile for Anglican_Brat   Email Anglican_Brat   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
At Ben Gurion Airport, right now! Please pray for me.

Thank you everyone for your advice and support. [Overused]

--------------------
It's Reformation Day! Do your part to promote Christian unity and brotherly love and hug a schismatic.

Posts: 4332 | From: Vancouver | Registered: Feb 2007  |  IP: Logged
AngloCatholicGirl
Shipmate
# 16435

 - Posted      Profile for AngloCatholicGirl   Email AngloCatholicGirl   Send new private message       Edit/delete post   Reply with quote 
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Anglican_Brat:
At Ben Gurion Airport, right now! Please pray for me.

Thank you everyone for your advice and support. [Overused]
[/

Prayers and have safe flight [Axe murder]

--------------------
Love is the wisdom of the fool and the folly of the wise -Samuel Johnson

Posts: 75 | From: Now from across the pond | Registered: May 2011  |  IP: Logged


 
Post new thread  Post a reply Close thread   Feature thread   Move thread   Delete thread Next oldest thread   Next newest thread
 - Printer-friendly view
Go to:

Contact us | Ship of Fools | Privacy statement

© Ship of Fools 2016

Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM 6.5.0

 
follow ship of fools on twitter
buy your ship of fools postcards
sip of fools mugs from your favourite nautical website
 
 
  ship of fools