I'm leaving from the east coast of the U.S. at 3 p.m. my time and arriving in Melbourne at 10:30 local time. Because of the date line I can't determine what the equivalent is in east coast time. Am I going to feel like sleeping for the rest of that first day or will I be ready to see the sites? Thanks for any guidance.

Three PM EST is 5:00 AM (the next day) in Melbourne. When you get on the plane, set your watch to Melbourne time to help you orient to your destination clock.

Are you flying first class or coach? Can you sleep on an airplane or not? Both are factors in determining how you'll feel. Do you usually get jet lag? I have read and found works is if you are getting in in the morning, get out, move those muscles that have frozen due to the long plane ride, and let the sun hit your face for as much as you can (without getting sunburn, of course use sunblock!!) so that your body will reset your internal clock. Then stay up as long as you can until a reasonable bedtime in the new place (8 pm is reasonable if you feel wretched.) Then you should be good to go the next day or so. Good luck!
Sally in Seattle

Thanks. Flying business class, so it will be comfortable. I appreciate the tips. Hoping to hear from someone who has made the trip.

I just flew Orlando-LA-Sydney-Cairns on July 31 arriving in Cairns at noon on Aug. 2nd. (losing Aug. 1st entirely). We spent a load of frequent flyer miles on first class tickets, so on the way over I flew first class the whole way. We were on airplanes for 23 hours and travelling for 33 hours straight.

I did very well upon arriving in Cairns though I conked out at 7:30 or 8:00 pm the first 3 nights there but was able to function well during the day.

Jetlag on the return was brutal though. On the way back, 2 of my family members flew first class but I had to fly in economy due to some Qantas policies about miles seats. I had a good flight back, with an empty seat beside me. Flight departed Sydney at around 11 am and arrived in LA around 8 am the same day. Then another 5 hour flight to the east coast. It has taken us all days to get back in the swing of things. We all just wanted to sleep all the time during the day, including my 10 year old and then one night she and I were awake the entire night. Just couldn't get to sleep. It has taken a week to get better really.

This was my 6th trip to Australia and I have never had such bad jetlag. I've been trying to figure out why. All the other times I flew economy on all legs of the flights. It always takes several days before you really feel good, but who knows all the factors that come into play...

Just plan some easy days at first with a lot of flexibility. Don't lock yourself into anything the first day for sure. There is really no way to know how your body will handle it. And how it goes one way may not be representative of how it will go the other way.

I have flown several times from the East Coast to Australia and I have to agree with Seattle's advice. Yes, you will want to go to sleep when you reach Melbourne, but make yourself get out and walk around. First of all, it would be a shame to waste a day in Australia sleeping and second of all, you will feel much better if you try to get on a "normal" sleeping pattern. You will likely conk out at 8pm and that's OK. You'll get a good night's rest and feel pretty "good-to-go" the next day.

To answer your original question (to make it easier I pick Wednesday for your departure day - transpose that as you see fit):

When you leave the US East coast at 3PM on, say, Wednesday, it is local time 5AM in Melbourne on Thursday.

You get into Melbourne on Friday morning 10:30AM local time - your Thursday never happened because you jumped over the dateline, and at the time of getting into Melbourne it is 8:30 PM back home on the US East coast.

So after the long trip you have already spent a night and a day without going to bed, and you have to stay up and keep moving for what - to you - feels like another night without going to bed.

That's why it's important to relax on the flight, take your mind off the silly little things that so many keep harping on about in-flight services (who cares about the silly movies and such...), relax, relax, and dream of the vacation ahead, wriggle yourself into a position you can maintain for a while and let yourself drift off.

Earplugs (the heavy-duty waxy kind) and eyeshades help - do nothing to rile you up (no action movies) and do everything to slow you down until you get into a "zone" where the hours go by without you noticing too much.

You can be fairly rested on arrival if you do that right, enough to make it through the day - as others have said -keep moving at all cost, have a good dinner and crash out. You'll be alternatingly drowsy amd buzzing during the day - stop drinking coffee after lunch and have some wine with dinner. You'll wake up in the middle of the night, drink some water and just lie there, you'll benefit even if you don't sleep deeply for a while.

It's mind over matter, and it's all worth it for sure!

We have done the trip a few times but other way around - Aust to US. Second time was with our 3 week old baby coming back to Aust.

Suggestions - set your clock to local time on take off, don't try and check to see what time it is at home (my husband does that and it drives me crazy. If flight arrives in morning don't try and go and sleep - get out in the sunshine and walk around, make yourself exercise, your feet might be dragging but after day 2 yo will feel a whole lot better. Worst jet lag I have ever had was flying from Melbourne to J,bug, got in at night and went straight to bed - horrid experience. By the way exposure to sunshine actually assists with preventing jetlag - check with your doctor sure they will confirm as well