While you don't have to travel very far to have a fantastic culinary experience, the fact is that it often takes a very long time to get to the exotic -- like the Na Pali coast of Kauai pictured here, which took me about 12 hours of flying time to reach from my home base in New York City. That much flying is tough on the body, especially in coach, and if you arrive feeling like a wreck, you're not going to have much of an appetite for hitting the culinary scene you've traveled so long to reach.
Over the years, I've learned a few tricks to make long-haul flights more comfortable. My strategy centers around a quart-sized zip-top bag, which I think of as my in-flight comfort kit, filled with items to help me sleep, and to feel refreshed during the flight. I just tuck this bag into the seat-back pocket and I've got all of what I need at arm's reach. (Plus, if I forget to check lotion or liquids, I can always tuck them into this bag and get through security.) You'll want to create your own kit based on your own needs, but here's what I bring:
- Eye shade
- Disposable teeth wipes. Such as Oral-B's brush-ups or the equivalent, easier than carrying toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Ipod and headphones
- Pack of tissues
- Granola bar
- Foldable hair brush and elastic hair band.
- Lip balm: That cabin air is very dry!
- Medication: I bring Advil, sleeping aids, and a few different tummy medications.
- Tampon: Obviously this is only for the ladies, but I learned this lesson the hard way on a 24 hour flight. You don't want to be begging the flight attendants for supplies, trust me.
- Pen: For filling out entry forms on arrival. Jot down your passport number and expiration date on a piece of paper and tuck it in the bag and you won't need to keep your passport with you at your seat.
- A blow-up u-shaped neck cushion. It's not as comfy as one of those bean-bag ones, but I'm also concerned about keeping my luggage weight as low as possible.
Which leads me to two items that I bring that don't fit in my bag:
- A shawl-sized scarf: I drape this around my sorta scratchy u-shaped pillow, use it as an extra blanket or even ball it into a pillow.
- Compression stockings: I resisted this for years because -- well, they sound so uncool, and also I thought they'd be uncomfortable -- but they look just like regular socks, and I find they feel good -- more like a gentle massage than a tourniquet. Deep vein thrombosis is a hazard of long-haul flights, so it's a smart precaution.
Find more ideas for in-flight comfort here. What are your tricks for arriving at a destination refreshed and with good appetite? Share in the comments!
Much as I love a Bloody Mary or a glass of wine – drink gallons of water on a flight. I think dehydration is one of the major reasons for feeling yukky after a long (or even a short) haul flight.
Absolutely true, I always bring aboard the largest bottle of water I can find post-security.
Here’s a tip, too: when traveling to the US from abroad, there’s often extra screening just before you board the plane and liquids larger than 3 ounces are confiscated. The workaround is to buy water at the duty-free, which you can then bring aboard.