The following are a few great tips and tricks that I don’t want to fly without:
traveltips and tricks for air travel
- My phone – which is more of a phablet, I guess, as it’s a Smartphone and while smaller than a tablet it’s bigger than your standard phone. It’s my communications hub, my flight info, my newspaper, my eReader, my music. I can take pictures, watch videos, play games, make notes, check my planner. I even make sure I’ve got copies of my eTickets, my passport, my driver’s license – in short, even if I lose everything else, as long as I have my phone, I’m good.
- My Sony Premium Active Series Lightweight Water-resistant Extra Bass Noise-Cancelling Earbud Headphones With In-line Microphone and Remote for Apple/Android Smartphone (Orange)
. It was a major splurge, but I swear I don’t know how I got along without them. The first flight that I had them was the first time I could actually hear everything – my device and their back-of-the-seat console. They really are worth it, especially if you fly a lot.
- My portable charger Mi POWER BANK 10400 mAh for SAMSUNG, NOKIA, LENOVO, HTC, APPLE, and other smartphones
. I stumbled across this thing a year ago, and now, it’s another must-have. You can see that 1, 2, and 3 play together well.
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Nearly all of my flights are either long-haul or short-hops added on to long-hauls, and almost all of my flights are international. That means when I travel I am flying virtually an entire day, and at least half my flights are red-eyes.
For years I didn’t sleep on planes: too noisy, too uncomfortable, to everything disruptive. I can’t afford first-class (more’s the pity) but on the overnight, I splurge on “economy plus” (or whatever the airline calls their slightly roomier than plain cabin class).
I get a window seat (I can’t worry about people on the aisle – if I need to get up, I ask them) because I need something to lean against when I sleep. Aisle seats don’t work for me. (Someday maybe I’ll try one of those weird neck pillows that supposedly really support your head.)
I also have downloaded several versions of “nature sounds” Sounds of Nature: Provence Natural Soundscapes
– you know, ocean waves, falling rain, night-time forest sounds. As soon as it’s bedtime (remember, on these kinds of flights there’s at least one and sometimes two meals served) I turn off my overhead light, turn off the seatback screen, pop in the ear buds, and start nature sounds on a continuous loop.
Does the trick. I have far less jet-lag than I used to and I can actually feel human when I land instead of like a grungy lump in some kind of fugue state.
So my one real piece of advice is – experiment. Find what works for you. I don’t know why it took me as long as it did, but sometimes the magic works. 😉
Do share your travel tips and tricks in the comments section below…
