How to tackle long flights

Photos: Naziba Basher

For many, moving from one continent to another, going through several layovers, shifting airports and being stuck on 8-10 hour long flights can definitely become the worst nightmare ever. The childhood dream of being a traveler, spending sleepless nights to discover and appreciate the wonders of both God and man is replaced by a sinking feeling within, and several questions begin lurking inside – is my luggage going to be transferred accordingly or will I be stuck with the 'lost luggage' status upon arrival at my destination? Didn't I have the same (tasteless) airplane food a while ago? Why did I not put a warm jacket inside my hand-luggage? And they keep coming!

Here are some pointers on how to tackle long flights and painful airport layovers:
Carry chocolates, biscuits, almonds, dates – anything edible and in small quantities – in your hand luggage. Not only will this help you binge on something when you feel restless inside closed walls, but will also help you save some money at airport stopovers. Purchasing cups of Starbucks coffee is an over-rated activity in airports, which is mainly done because of the force of habit, rather than the urge to drink something hot.

Look for a drinking-water source. Long and tedious journeys somehow increase the intake of caffeinated beverages and carbonated drinks, thereby, leading to not drinking any water at all. On long flights, sip on cups of water every 40 minutes or so, so that you can stay hydrated.  Ask one of the staff members to help you get to the water, or better yet, take a walk along the aisle and look for the water source yourself. On long flights, usually bottles of water and fresh cups are displayed on counters for passengers to drink. During transits at airports, one must either buy a bottle of water or look for the small water tanks placed all over the airports for passengers to drink.

Remember that book that you have been trying to finish for the last many months? It's time to challenge yourself and finish the book during the journey. Reward yourself if you can finish two books – add one more for your return flight!

Also, remember to walk every 40 minutes to one hour – helpful for blood circulation, not to mention getting your daily exercise done in the process!