Lynda

Help! We will be leaving for Europe again in September and I would like to know how you pass away the time on the plane? I get so bored especially the trip to Europe. I can't sleep sitting up. I get tired of sitting in the dark. I know I am whining! If I didn't have such a wonderful time when I got there, I probably wouldn't go. I really hate the plane flight. I thought maybe someone had a pointer on how to make the time pass faster!

Joe

Ever hear of "The Mile High Club?"

I'm sorry, I couldn't pass that one up. I had the same problem on my recent trip to Europe. I don't know if you like to read or not, but how about buying a new novel to read on the flight? A book of challenging crossword puzzles? I'll probably do that the next time I go, and also take my Sony Walkman to listen to a few tunes and drown out other noise. It would be nice to be able to sleep, but like you, I have a problem sleeping while sitting up.

Stephanie

The flight might be about 5 hours or so, so I you take music, take about 5 hours worth. Bring magazines of different kinds, draw, play crossword puzzles, read a novel.
If you bring a CD player, or a walkman, why not take a language tape, and brush up on your spanish or something.
If none of that works - look out the window at the pretty clouds....!!!

Lynda

Sorry but it is an eight hour flight and it is too dark to see the clouds. I always watch for the coast of England (that way I know it can't be too much further)!

Roger

Lynda, My wife and I fly from San Francisco to London often and we too find the 10 hour flight very long. Normally the plane departs around 6 pm and arrives noonish the next day. I find it hard to sleep but right after dinner with a single glass of wine I put on an eye mask and ear plugs. I close my eyes and afer a while I can manage some sleep. Not for long but if you keep your eyes closed long enought you should be able to sleep some. Sure beats staying awake for 30 hours or so. When we arrive we do not take a nap. Just stay active until time for an early dinner and then off to bed. Normally after 10 hours of sleep we are ok for the remainder of the trip. Forgot, wear one of those neck pads. The kind you blow up, but only part way as it gets hard if filled all the way.

Rod Hoots

For what it's worth. First, keep the headphones on all the time and turn up the sound when it looks interesting. If you haven't flown to Europe lately, be aware that most airlines now have something on the screen throughout the flight. Second, prolong the meal as much as possible and take advantage of the free beverages - beer before dinner to get some fluid in you - then wine with dinner - then an after dinner drink. Asleep yet? No? Then the movie. Then read the interesting book that you brought aboard. All the "experts" say don't drink so much but after flying back and forth to Europe since 1968 all I can say is "don't bother me none"! Also agree with one of the above comments to go all day when you arrive - it will keep you from having jet lag.

kat

Yes indeed, that 11-hour flight from SFO to LHR really does get very wearing. Here are my tips for conquering boredom:

1. TRAVEL SCRABBLE -- Of course, this works best when traveling with someone. I love to play Scrabble and my husband indulges me. Specially-made, very small scrabble sets are made especially for travel; available at shops specializing in travel gear. Scrabble, however, isn't everyone's cup of tea so there's also chess and cards and so on. As well as the 'solo games' of crosswords, solitaire, etc.

2. NOVELS -- A good mystery, bestseller or novel usually keeps me engaged. My fave 'airplane authors' are: Minette Walters, Joan Hess, Elizabeth Peters, Mary Gordon, Alison Lurie, Gore Vidal's historical novels. Paperbacks, naturally. If I finish a book on the plane, I leave it there rather than cart it with me.

3. MAGAZINES -- Some magazines are GREAT fun on planes. It's where I read 'People' and 'InStyle' -- I never buy these at home but, when flying, I just love wallowing in the gossip and ridiculous fashion photos of celebs. My all-time favorite airplane magazine, though, is the New Yorker. Also, travel magazines and garden magazines. If headed to the U.K., I pick up a copy of TimeOut London. If headed to LA, I read LA Magazine; if to NYC, New York magazine and so on.

4. GUIDE BOOKS -- The plane is a good place to leaf through guide books and make notes for your trip.

5. LETTERS -- This works, sometimes, for me.

My last resort is the inflight movie -- usually it's something I don't want to see. Even if it is a film in which I'm interested there's usually something wrong -- e.g., the head of the person in front of me is in the middle of the screen; the headset doesn't work; the seat's audio channel is dead; I'm 20 rows away from the screen, etc.

Kerry

If you think 6, 8 or 10 hours to Europe is a long time spare a sympathic thought for my 36 hour flight from London to Sydney. Firstly when we arrived at Heathrow we found our flight was delayed for 4 hours. I find airports about as much fun as the dentist waiting room. Finally, we were allowed on board, hooray, well not quite, sat on the ground for another couple of hours going nowhere very fast. Then liftoff.. not for long. A one hour flight to Brussels and then an unscheduled stop.. must have been something seriously wrong with this sucker... on the ground in Brussels for 4 hours - they didn't let us out of the plane. So now we had had 1 hour in the air and 10 just hanging around. Off again and another stop in Abu Dhabi - more stickey tape on the wings and a bit of hot glue on the tail. Off again - another stop in Kuala Lumpur. This time they fessed up and said something was seriously wrong with the plane and we would have to wait there for another one to collect us. All in all 36 hours to get home. So my tip for what to do on a long flight - white knuckle fear makes the time pass very quickly - you savour every moment when you think it may be your last.

Jen

What about a craft like cross stitch, knitting, etc? I like cross stitch because it's small and compact, but provides hours of fun. You can really get caught up in it and the time just flies (pun intended!). I also like to organize my travel information, play card games or solitaire (I bring a miniature deck of cards), read books or magazines. I too have trouble sleeping on a plane - I might try the ear plugs and eye mask next time though, that might help. Good luck!

Luca Bracci

WHAT'S THE MILE-HIGH CLUB?????

Carla

Luca,
You have GOT to be kidding!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone knows its a religous experience (bible reading etc.) when you're up high , a little closer to heaven.

Deanna

I agree with all of the above, with a little twist on the novel. I love to read, but prefer to take a really good book on tape. Sometimes you can even find one that's 6 hours long. I can close my eyes and listen without needing the light on, and if I fall asleep, rewind! The tapes really don't take up that much space, and it's nice to just relax and listen.

Cindi Underwood

Recently my husband and I flew to New York from San Jose on a redeye (leaving at 11:00 p.m.) 5 hour flight. Someone suggested I take a Tylenol PM as soon as the plane took off. We both took one and slept almost the entire way. I would highly suggest that. I am flying to London from SF in September with my Mom. Leaving around 4:30 p.m. and I figure sometime around 2 or 3 hours into the flight I will probably try the same thing again. It worked so well when flying to NY. Anyone else try this?

beck

I'm not a doctor but - isn't it pretty unsafe to just take Tylonol PM just to pass time on a flight?! That's just plain freaky!
I'd rather watch the retarded inflight movie on the plane!

BH

Not a doctor either. Why would Tylonol PM be dangerous in the air and not on the ground? If you are thinking about accident, etc., regardless of all the "Airport/Air One" movies, as a passenger you might as well be asleep.

As a serious insomniac who is "fed up" with arriving exhausted while husband, who sleeps soundly during any and all flights, arrives full of pep and bounce in Europe, I am planning to try this as well as the old-faithful mystery novel on our next trip in Sept.

Question: For those who have used any of the PM pills, do you wake up feeling as though you really should sleep another 4 hours?

Thanks for any info.

kathleen

What a fun series of comments. One of the things I have done is to stay up all night the night before which essentially starts throwing the body off its clock early. This is especially easy on a.m. flights to asia or return flights from europe. Just be careful not to be hungover which is the absolute worst experiences on a plane.....so people tell me!!!!!

Allison

I'm with Kerry, 8 hours would be a breeze compared with Melbourne to Europe and I travel with two young children, so even my favourite authors are not much help. But its worth every minute of it!

Peter

As with Kerry and Allison our 24hr flights to Europe leave your 10 hour flights dead for trying to fill in the time. However, having only flown there twice it is still enough of a novelty that the 2 or 3 hours sleep is enough. The rest of the time is spent looking out windows or thinking about the holiday ahead.
On my first flight, which started in the dark, I was amazed to note the next morning that there were scratch marks on my window... ON THE OUTSIDE. Who or what was scratching at my window during the night. Seriously though, the daylight hours can be interesting trying to pinpoint your location from the landmarks below.
Our next trip will be like Alisons. We will be taking our 2 children about the time of the Sydney Olympics. So as you are all coming to Sydney we will be leaving.

menius

Hi everyone ... thought I would just put in my two cents worth. Firstly I don't know which other airlines do it but singapore have a tv in every seat (including the cheap seats) which always have something going on it, approx 18 channels. If you don't like the tv you can play the playstation/nintendo/sega (who knows what it was I don't remember) games if you're that way inclined.

CJ

Not a MD either but, the PM medications ave Benadryl(sp) in them and that what knocks you out. A Dramimine also puts you to sleep. How about a natural form of sleep a book on tape. It does it to me everytime. I can't listen to a book on tape while driving a car for fear it may put me to sleep.