Having never been to South America, I don't know how badly I can expect to suffer from jet lag from Portland, OR.

I return from Argentina on November 27th and then I fly out again the next day to SE Asia to work as a volunteer on a bike race in Siem Reap.

I have been to SE Asia a couple of times and to Europe dozens of times so going across many time zones is a killer.

For those of you who have experienced jet lag to Europe and SE Asia from the west coast of USA, will you share with me how you fair with jet lag returning from South America?

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst jet lag I have ever experienced, I rate returning from SE Asia a 10 and returning from Europe a 5 or 6. How would you rate returning from Argentina?

I will also post this on the Latin America Forum.

Most of South America is only 2-3 hours ahead of US West Coast. Jet lag is no more a problem than going to New York. The main issue is how much sleep you can get on the plane, as most flights are overnight. If you can sleep, it's not an issue.

I read an interesting article yesterday. It said that wearing your sunglasses on your flight helps to reduce the effects of jetlag!!(there is of course the chance you will look like a total twerp but your jet lag may be better!!!)

Interesting... sunglasses... who would've thought...

I may just have to try that one when I come home from Bangkok in July. The return to the US is always a 10!!! It isn't so bad going over there because a person is so hyped for the trip.

Jet lag refers to the difficulties one experiences from the time change. In that regard, as rkkwan note, you won't really suffer from jetlag when you return from Argentina.

I think there should be another descriptor for how you feel after getting off a long flight even if you don't change lots of time zones. Perhaps it should be called "flying fatigue." You'll likely feel exhausted after your flight from Argentina because you won't have slept on the plane. The best you can do is to take care of yourself, get on that next plane and look forward to some rest in SE Asia.

I've read the sunglasses tip. The theory is to prevent yourself from getting too much light stimulation as light re-sets out body clock. However, the light levels on the plane are likely to be too low to reset your body clock in any case. And you'd get a much bigger dose of bright light once you land at any airport!

That's funny about the sunglasses! Can you imagine if everyone started wearing them while flying now?

Better than sunglasses? The BBC is reporting that scientists in Australia have reported that *Viagra* greatly reduces the effect of jet lag in lab mice.

Now, aside from the many obvious questions, what I really want to know is, how do you give lab mice jet lag???

Michael, that is even more funny!

Now I can really envision it and it ain't a pretty site! An aircraft full of sunglass wearing, viagra affected passengers on a long flight over many time zones. Puts a whole new spin on the mile high club!!

It is a +5-hour time change to Argentina from Oregon.

I've been to Argentina twice from the eastern U.S. where it was only a 2-hour time change. Returned on 11/28 one time and 1/1 the other time. That time change wasn't a problem but the overnight 10-hour flight, both ways, was. The climate change bothered me also, as it was hot in B.A. versus winter in D.C. I'd rate it a 5 or 6 on your scale, but not just on the jet lag/ time change.

Sounds like you are a very active person, so that much travel in that short a time could literally be a killer for you. Read up on how to avoid deep vein thrombosis.