Lone Plane travelling

Old Feb 25th, 2003, 01:27 PM
  #1  
lex
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lone Plane travelling

Has anyone got tips for travelling on a long-haul flights with stopover for when traveling alone?
lex is offline  
Old Feb 25th, 2003, 01:31 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 547
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My favorite time to read some really good books. Don't have to worry about keeping track of anyone else. Can sleep when I want to or watch movie if I want to. Try to look at this as a good thing. Also can go in the airport shops I like instead of having to go where husband and kids like.
RachelG is offline  
Old Feb 25th, 2003, 01:59 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
When you settle in your seat if the person next to you appears to be a "chatty Cathy" type and starts to talk to you, simply shake your head no and say "glebelk? neestelenachteeno english".
Patrick is offline  
Old Feb 25th, 2003, 02:11 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 12,820
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Haha, cute Patrik!! I try that the next time!!!
kismetchimera is offline  
Old Feb 25th, 2003, 02:57 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Patrick. Would you mind giving the phonetic pronunciation to me. I would like to use that.
Sher is offline  
Old Feb 25th, 2003, 03:00 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Unlike Patrick, I prefer honesty with "Chatty Cathy" seatmates. Besides, how do you give your drink order to the flight attendant?

Most people will get the message if you answer any question with one word, don't make eye contact, and appear to be completely immersed in your reading. If that doesn't work, you make a comment like, "Sorry, I'm really not in the mood for conversation right now." OK, they'll think you're a terrible snob, but you'll never see them again anyway.

But I'm always open to an interesting conversation. It makes the time go much faster. I've gotten terrific restaurant recommendations from people who lived where I was going, tips on sights to see, etc.

One of the most unusual was when seated in first class next to a ten-or-so year old boy who was apparently bounced continually from New York to London by battling parents. Although I, a lifelong single, was dreading the situation when first seated, this young man turned out to be one of the most interesting seat-mates I've had in a long time.
KenCT is offline  
Old Feb 25th, 2003, 06:47 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 801
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I can also recommend putting on your headphones - whether or not you are really listening to the entertainment - works for me!
prue is offline  
Old Feb 25th, 2003, 06:56 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
my favorite thing to do when traveling alone is to sit and listen to music. bring along your favorite cds or tapes, and i find it makes the time go much faster!
but not all people love listening to music as much as i do.

oftentimes i make a "mix" with songs that feel like they would be in the soundtrack for a movie made about the place i'm going to. listening to it on the plane gets me totally excited about the trip.

my other suggestion is to pick up some kind of trashy, brainless novel to read.
i always take something of literary importance i've been intending to read forever but am too distracted to concentrate and just sit there bored.
a trashy mystery novel or legal thriller
(think john grisham) is enough to suck you in and you don't have to feel guilty about wasting valuable time with crappy books.
on my last trip to san francisco i read 2 of the harry potter books. would never read them at home but it was perfect for the trip.

okay that's it for now.
silvana is offline  
Old Feb 25th, 2003, 07:07 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I use the time to read (I'll pick up a couple of new novels before the trip) and catch up on movies that I haven't seen. The headphone trick really does work well if you have a chatty seatmate that you don't want to talk to.
Julie is offline  
Old Feb 26th, 2003, 07:14 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi.

If you're concerned about chatty seatmates I would suggest that, if politeness does not work (as it often does not with our fellow citizens), you inform your new friend that you are a convicted pedophile and that you are required by court order to give that information to any stranger who seems interested in a relationship of any kind.

I assure you that your new friend will no longer bother you.

You're welcome.
Pilchard is offline  
Old Feb 26th, 2003, 08:46 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Reading definitely helps me pass the time. As others have mentioned, trashy novels are great. Also mysteries that have a bit of humor, such as those by Carl Hiaasen, Tim Cockey, Gregory Mcdonald (the Fletch books), etc. For those that do not want to talk to talkative seatmates - or talkative people in the airport terminal - books usually put out the message "I'm busy." Of course, sometimes people take them as an invitation to start a conversation (about the book, the author, the book they are reading, etc.)... I always take a recent Games magazine and a mechanical pencil (since I always seem to break the lead on a regular one). Games magazine has crossword puzzles, logic puzzles, etc. - a step above the standard puzzle magazines you find at the magazine stand. They also have something called the World's Most Ornery Crossword - you can try to just use the Hard clues, which will definitely take up some of your time on the trip (or use the Easy clues if you are really stuck).
buffy888 is offline  
Old Feb 26th, 2003, 08:56 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 871
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just be sure not to play your music too loudly on your headphones - the point to headphones is so you can listen to your music without disturbing the people around you. Nothing more annoying than hearing the repetitive "ts-ts-ts-ts" of a drumbeat emanating from the headphones of the person sitting next to you. As maddening as car alarms or cell phones. Because of the engine noise on planes people invariably turn the volume up on the dinky headphones provided by the airlines.
Carta_Pisana is offline  
Old Feb 26th, 2003, 02:26 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Start your journal on the way over! Your trip has technically begun, so the flight deserves to be Page One! How are you feeling to finally be on your way? What expectations to you have about the days to come? What are you most nervous about, most excited about? Enjoy : )
Nutella is offline  
Old Feb 26th, 2003, 04:37 PM
  #14  
lex
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks so much for all you useful tips.
lex is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
kellbell
Travel Tips & Trip Ideas
14
Mar 6th, 2009 07:41 PM
agsla
Europe
4
Jun 23rd, 2007 11:02 PM
oceanmarina
Air Travel
18
Jun 21st, 2007 10:23 AM
NewbiefromNY
United States
16
Jun 17th, 2005 07:10 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -