Adjusting to time differences
 

I will be going to Victoria/Melbourne in May from Salt Lake City (Mountain Time). While I have been to Europe many times and am familiar with how to adjust both there and when I come home, I am clueless about what it will be like to go to Australia. We will be there only a week, so I don't have time to sleep for 21 hours (as another poster commented about coming home) on either end. What should I expect? Any suggestions? Of course I am more concerned about being alert ASAP when I arrive, since my time there will be rather short.<BR><BR>Also, any suggestions for what to do on the (16 hr?) flight? We'll be in coach.<BR><BR>Thank you!

Hi Judy!<BR><BR>I'm in Salt Lake (Park City) right now doing some skiing. Lovely weather you're having!<BR><BR>My sympathies for you for flying coach. I was fortunate enough to fly business (frequent flyer miles) which helped. What time are you leaving? Does your flight arrive in the morning or evening? Mine arrived in Sydney at 6:30 am. The gentleman next to me, who had done the flight many times said to me to avoid all "temptation." Movies, food, drink, etc. He told me to try to sleep as much as possible, which I did. I did not watch a single movie on the way there. I managed to get about 6 hours of sleep on the 14 hour flight. <BR><BR>In the morning, I had a connecting flight to Cairns, which forced me to stay awake. When I reached Port Douglas at about 3:30, I threw my stuff in the room, took a quick shower(Don't even SIT on the bed!), and wandered and chatting with the locals until 7pm. Then went to sleep and woke up at 8am the next day. I was perfect and ready to go.<BR><BR>So I guess there's no secret...if you have a morning arrival, I'd say stay awake as long as you humanly can...at least til 6 or 7 pm, then crash. You'll be fine. Many people take flights that arrive in the evening, so even if they don't really sleep on plane, they can sleep when they arrive. I hear this is the preferred way, since those planes leave during "daylight" hours.<BR><BR>Just force yourself to the current zone's patterns as soon as possible. I know it's not a secret, but you'd be surprised how many people "give in" to a nap when they arrive at their destination in the am. On my return, I didn't have to go to work for another week. I let my body sleep whenever it wanted to. When I went to work a week later, I was still jetlagged.<BR><BR>Hope that helps. Drink plenty of water, and stay away from the booze on those planes!!!

Judy -<BR>I think Mina's advice is excellent. I went to Australia from St. Louis last August (in coach). My flight from LA to Sydney landed at 8:40 p.m., which was great. I would advise taking a flight that lands in the evening if possible. Then you can go to your hotel and go to bed. Even then, try to get some sleep on the plane as well. I usually have a beer or two when I first get on the plane, because that helps me sleep - but no booze after that. It's a long trip, but well worth it - I had a great time in Australia last year, and am starting to plan a trip to NZ for next year.<BR>Martha<BR>

Thanks so much, Martha and Mina. We are leaving LA at 11:40 p.m. so should be ready to sleep for awhile. We arrive in Melbourne at 8 something a.m. I have a harder time adjusting to European time (going East) than in coming home (west). Is that consisten with your experience--that it will be easier adjusting to Australian time than readjusting when I come home?<BR><BR>Thanks again for your great advice!

Hi again Judy:<BR><BR>Yes, I have a terrible time going east. My jetlag in London was far worse than Australia. Probably because London is a good 9 hours ahead. Australia is 18 hours ahead of LA, but in my head, for some reason, I felt that LA was just 6 hours ahead of whatever time it was in Australia (even though home was really "behind) I don't know if this makes ANY sense, but if I didn't take into account that Australia was ahead in date, it just felt like I traveled to a zone that was 6 hours behind (i.e. going west, which is easier...of course Aus is west of the US...duh). For example, if I had kept my watch when I landed on LA time, it would have been about 12 noon. It was 6 am in Sydney. I dealt with that a lot better than if it were London, in which case it would be 9pm. It's probably why the return was worse for me.<BR><BR>Of course, when you're in that tin can for 15 hours, it just messes you up, period. ;)<BR>

Thanks, Mina. I was thinking along those same lines myself, that instead of "ahead" they are "ahead." The day doesn't really matter in that sense. Fortunately I sleep quite well on a plane, even in coach, and look forward to being fairly alert relatively quickly after I arrive. I appreciate your responses.<BR><BR>Judy

The best advice you're getting is to get on a local schedule as soon as you get there. I fly to Japan a couple of times a year and I fly from Chicago so I can get a good amount of sleep on the way over. Go to bed as close to a normal time as you can and the next day won't be too bad. There's usually some point in the afternoon that you're hit with a tired feeling but you get through it.<BR><BR>The Eastward trip is clearly harder going from Boston to London. I think that it's about the same either way with the Far East. With a 13 to 15 hour difference ,how would your body care which direction the plane was pointed in. Actully it's harder to sleep significantly going to London from here as you only have a few hours between meal service at either end.<BR> <BR>I'm going to Australia next month and the United flights all get to Sydney early in the morning. That may be tougher than arriving in the afternoon or evening as I do going to Tokyo.

Martha, which airline did you take that arrives in Sydney in the evening ???<BR>