Long haul travel

Ed · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:26

I'm all legs so rarely travel beyond 5 hours but I've recently returned from my first seriously long journey (London - Brisbane) and it's wiped me out. I'm a physically fit guy but it's ruined me to the point I'm not sure if I could ever do it again, even though I had the time of my life there.

How do people manage it? How do people sleep? Is it just me being a wuss?

Jim99 · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:28

It's much easier if you get upgraded to business class.

KiwiTaff · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:30

Not really helpful in any way, but seriously...Man up!

Minstadave · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:31

I used to do UK to NZ twice a year and it's always hard. Melatonin is great for jet lag.

The times I did it business class were a revelation though. A lie flat bed and a duvet makes the flight a pleasure rather than a chore.

HecFam · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:35

Bring my tablet with me, watch TV until I can't keep my eyes open any more, drink every bit of booze offered to me. Kip.

JBuk · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:37

Split the flight and do a stop over or like a previous post says, man up!

JoeF1 · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:37

HashtagFirstWorldProblems.

I'm 6ft 6 and all legs, from Heathrow to JFK was fine because we had a free upgrade with Virgin but in economy on the way back with BA was a nightmare. People in front reclined, i reclined but did nothing was was sat in a middle seat. No man is ready for vertical sleep! Top it off, GF sleeps half of it and then complains when we land that she had a terrible trip.. Wut.

Terminal_Boy · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:39

Jim99 said:
It's much easier if you get upgraded to business class.

This with a pair of noise cancelling headphones.

randomshenans · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:41

Try and get the front row, if you're stuck in economy. Headphones, films, wine, more wine, pass out.

explicit4u · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:45

Emergency exit seats!

Freefaller · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:46

Ed said:
I'm all legs so rarely travel beyond 5 hours but I've recently returned from my first seriously long journey (London - Brisbane) and it's wiped me out. I'm a physically fit guy but it's ruined me to the point I'm not sure if I could ever do it again, even though I had the time of my life there.

How do people manage it? How do people sleep? Is it just me being a wuss?

Everyone is different. I find it fairly easy and seldom suffer jet lag - but my trick is to set my watch to the destination time and either try and get some rest, or stay awake depending on the the time at destination. Ultimately, you've just got to deal with it and accept that you're going to the other side of the world and it is a damned bit easier than driving or taking a boat!

Leg room does help, but that's why I try and get on a flight with decent seat pitch or upgrade to emergency exit seat.

Throughout my childhood and certainly in my first job after uni I spent a lot of my time travelling around the world (40+ flights a year) so I guess I just got used to it.

If you don't do it often it is unsettling - but I find it quite relaxing, providing there aren't drunken yobs or too many babies on the flight

mid_gen · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:46

I used to go to the far east and back regularly, sometimes for weekends. My tip: stay hydrated, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol. You'll feel better when you land.

subbytna · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:50

Why does it take 24 hours to get to places like NewZeland? Does the spinning of the earth have an effect on the plane and travel time? Why so long. Surely 18-20 hours would be about right no? Genuine question. Also querying why I read it took over 24 hours of flying time to reach places, non stop. How?

[FnG]magnolia · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:51

I think you endure it. It's a really short space of time in your life that gets you from one end of the world to the other and that's that.

pepsilol · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:56

Earn more money and go first class :cool:

sbi5ar · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:56

Noise cancelling headphones will see you right. Also, whilst a pain (not having something solid to lean on [window seat] and having to get up when others need the toilet), having a aisle seat will give you that little bit of extra leg room and allow you to walk about the cabin as needed (which dramatically helps in my opinion).

Others have mentioned to drink water and not alcohol... I always find the opposite, couple of glasses of wine etc... allows me to sleep much better.

sbi5ar · 27 Aug 2015 at 09:57

subbytna said:
Why does it take 24 hours to get to places like NewZeland? Does the spinning of the earth have an effect on the plane and travel time? Why so long. Surely 18-20 hours would be about right no? Genuine question. Also querying why I read it took over 24 hours of flying time to reach places, non stop. How?

I'm sure the aircraft cannot carry enough fuel for that kind of journey so has to land for refuelling which takes time (slow down, descend, land, take off again etc...)

Freefaller · 27 Aug 2015 at 10:06

Moses said:
It's like if you put a plane on a treadmill.

Ed · 27 Aug 2015 at 10:07

Minstadave said:
The times I did it business class were a revelation though. A lie flat bed and a duvet makes the flight a pleasure rather than a chore.

I'm tight but might have to pony up in future because leg and back comfort certainly accounted for 50% of it.

Terminal_Boy said:
This with a pair of noise cancelling headphones.

These helped.

Freefaller said:
Everyone is different. I find it fairly easy and seldom suffer jet lag - but my trick is to set my watch to the destination time and either try and get some rest, or stay awake depending on the the time at destination. Ultimately, you've just got to deal with it and accept that you're going to the other side of the world and it is a damned bit easier than driving or taking a boat!

Leg room does help, but that's why I try and get on a flight with decent seat pitch or upgrade to emergency exit seat.

Throughout my childhood and certainly in my first job after uni I spent a lot of my time travelling around the world (40+ flights a year) so I guess I just got used to it.

If you don't do it often it is unsettling - but I find it quite relaxing, providing there aren't drunken yobs or too many babies on the flight

The air conditioning is so noisy (A380 was much quieter), trolleys keep knocking my knees, bright tv screens, inconsiderate neighbours etc. It all makes it so difficult to settle down.

mid_gen said:
I used to go to the far east and back regularly, sometimes for weekends. My tip: stay hydrated, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol. You'll feel better when you land.

Hydration is really important, helps with the feeling of being hungover.

subbytna said:
Why does it take 24 hours to get to places like NewZeland? Does the spinning of the earth have an effect on the plane and travel time? Why so long. Surely 18-20 hours would be about right no? Genuine question. Also querying why I read it took over 24 hours of flying time to reach places, non stop. How?

12,000miles at 500mph I guess.

Thanks for the responses. The cost of upgrading irks me (exit seat exc.) as the extra is almost a little jolly to Spain on it's own.

Ed · 27 Aug 2015 at 10:08

pepsilol said:
Earn more money and go first class

I like it