Surviving your Sentence in the Sky
Oct 06 '00 (Updated Oct 07 '00)
First I would like to say that if you are traveling to any part of Asia, I think the best airline to fly on would be ANA (All Nippon Airways). This Japanese Airline is extremely prompt, efficient, clean, courteous and has the most up to date technology for the same price as other inferior airlines. You can read my ANA review in the travel section of my profile page.
But if you are flying on another airline like Delta (also see my crucifixion...ah...I mean review of Delta on my Profile Page) then you will definitely need to know some techniques for Flying Comfortably, especially if you are traveling internationally.
This review will be written under the assumption that you are traveling for over a week and that the flight will last for over 6 hrs.
First of all, I don't think it is important to get a lot of sleep the night before. Yes, you read correctly, it is not important to get very much sleep the night before. If you are traveling in the morning, it is a great idea to stay awake well into the morning and maybe sleep a couple of hours. Make sure your things are ready to leave (of course) and that you have a little bag to bring with you on the plane. During this nocturnal, pre-travel preparation period, your trip becomes a mystical journey. Because you are not used to staying up until about 4pm regularly and you are about to travel far away, the world seems different. It is a feeling that is hard for me to convey with simple words but it is very real. You watch as the warm night air turns into cool morning air and you are ready to go. Though, the purpose of this sleep deprivation period is not to drive yourself into some self induced hallucinations but to be sure to be relaxed and drowsy when you get on the plane.
The excitement of the trip can keep you awake all night, then when you get on the plane you can lay back and relax, even if the chair is uncomfortable (Delta).
Things to bring:
Don't ever, ever, ever board an aircraft for a flight that will last for more than 6 hours without a 64 oz. bottle of water. We seldom think to bring this with us but it is absolutely essential. As soon as the aircrafts tires separate themselves from the Earth and we level out at 18,000 feet, our thoughts immediately shifts from I hope we make it to When is that drink cart coming around. This is for two reasons. 1.Eating and drinking gives us something to do when confined to small spaces. And 2.The quick change of altitude changes the balance of the water composition of our bodies taking much of it away from the upper portion. When the drink cart finally does find its way to your cubicle and the stewardess hands you a shot glass of orange juice that is supposed to last you for the next two (or in Delta's case four) hours, you begin to curse yourself for not thinking to bring something to drink.
You ask for another drink but are still not satisfied. The guy next to you, who was smart enough to ask for an aisle seat (which is one of my next points) reaches down into his handy, carry-on back pack and pulls out a 64 oz. glistening bottle of fresh Polish Springs. Gently he releases the cap, breaking the seal of freshness and raises the bounteous vessel full of dancing H20 molecules happily towards his lips. GULP!GULP!GULP!, a trickle of water shines as it rolls down his cheek and you debate whether or not to reach over and lap it off with your tongue. Your thirst has reached unprecedented levels of insanity and.....oh my dear lord....what is that thing....on the wing?!!!
I think you get the point. Don't get on the plane without bringing water.
Have you ever noticed how good a salty peanut can taste when at 30,000 feet. A peanut or a bag of pretzels becomes the most tasty delicacy in the word when you are in a plane, especially because the airlines distribute them in nickle bag sized baggies. You ration them out when you eat them, and when you feel your fingers touching the bottom and you feel no more you want to cry, scream, pout or even snatch the pack the guy next to you left on the table when he went to the bathroom.
Oh god! He's back already, it's too late!
Why is it that a peanut is so irrationally delicious when you are flying? This answer also lies in the chemical and water table affects that flying has on the human body. The salt helps to bring compositional balance where balance has been lost. But there is also a simpler answer. People love to snack on things and you don't realize how much you want a snack until you are five miles high from the nearest convenient store.
It is so nice to be on a plane during the long stretch of a 10 hour flight and remember that un-opened bag of Pepperidge Farm Milano Chocolate Cookies or a nice huge bag of Trailmix you have under your seat in your bag. While the others are making do with the anemic portions of slightly cooked food and the junkie sized bags of peanuts and pretzels, you'll be glad to have something extra.
Where to sit?
Good question. Traditionally the window seat has always been the best place to sit because you can see the clouds and all of the scenery as it passes by but in the interest of comfort, an aisle seat is where it's at. In the aisle seat, you can, at any time, get up and go to the bathroom and empty out a few of the 64 ounces of water you should be drinking. It's never fun to have to squeeze past the person sitting next to you. If they are asleep or have their tray table down with food on it, it's really tormenting having to bother them every time you need to get up.
Sitting near the window can also become very stuffy and claustrophobic. On one side you have an unrelenting wall, on the other someones legs and body. In the aisle seat you can stretch your legs out, stand up whenever you want, take a walk or stretch your arms out. After sitting in a chair for 8 hours, these basic human rights become blessings.
If you follow these simple principles your flight should be at least bearable. When flying on some airlines, like ANA, these are not so critical but they do help. Others, like Delta International, will be a nice long sentence to hell if you don't at least take 1 or more of these precautions. Thanks for reading. Happy flying. Samadust.
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Epinions.com ID:
samadust
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Member: Douglas Flowe
Location: USA
Reviews written: 182
Trusted by: 94 members
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