12 Hour Flight - Any Suggestions?

Hey guys, I have a long international flight coming up and was wondering if anyone had any advice or game recommendations. This is my first major flight like this so I'm a bit out if my element. I'll be taking my iPhone, my DS, and possibly my laptop.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Trevor

Klonopin

I've been doing a lot of air travel the last few months, and honestly, I found it really hard to play games on a laptop or netbook during the flights. Granted these were just 2-4 hour trips, but if it's not a handheld portable, I just wouldn't bother.

My advice is a good book, an MP3 player with podcasts, and sleep.

For the DS: Clubhouse Games. A collection of card, board, and mini-games. It has a stamp-mode where you try to achieve certain objectives in each game which has killed many a long hour for me.
BrainAge 2 (for the Sudoku)

Edit: Also I'm not sure if it's available on the iPhone, but something similar most definitely is: AudioSurf. I killed most of my last flight playing through a few of my playlists in turbo mode on my Zune HD.

I've done 12+ hour flights several times, it's not as bad as you'd think.

1. Your laptop won't last the flight. Don't rely on it.
2. Neither will your handhelds, so don't rely on them either.
3. Books are good, as well as multiple magazines.
3a. If you have an e-reader, these are best.
4. An mp3 player is also good to have.
5. Sleep lots, but don't skip meals.
6. All the long flights I've been on have had inflight movies. Generally there's 1 or two good movies, and a bad one.
7. Sleep.

Yup, sleep sleep sleep. I stocked up on fun apps on my ipod touch for my first one, and never touched it except to listen to a Conference Call. Mostly stuck with the on-board entertainment and read magazines. Both are great instruments to help you ignore the fact that you're 2 inches away from a complete stranger. Hopefully you luck out like my last flight and get an empty seat next to you, always nice to stretch out.

Safe travels!

Drugs and sleep.

12 hours is going to screw up your system, use it as an opportunity to help adjust to the time zone in which you are landing.

From where to where are you flying and how long will you be at the destination? 14 hours from Newark to Tokyo was my longest and I used the first 6 or 7 hours to fall asleep so I was awake for Tokyo morning. Woke up after my full "night's" rest (we left at 8 am or something EST), brushed my teeth, washed my face, changed my clothes, and acted like I was getting up in the morning.

I also spent the entire week prior doing the anti jet lag diet and had myself on a regimen of melatonin to get myself prepared. I hit the ground running and had almost no jet lag at all, I was pretty proud of myself. By the second night I was going to bed normal Tokyo evening and waking up fine for breakfast.

My first instinct is to say "12 hours? How about you sack the hell up?" But that's not particularly helpful.

Top tips from a veteran of over a dozen 24+ hour flights:

- Inflight movies are your friend. The vast majority of my time on a flight is spent watching movies
- DS games are a good time filler, but are even better for making you drowsy. Especially true of grindy RPGs.
- There will be times you can't use electronic devices or the inflight system. Bring 2 books, one serious and one lightweight, and a magazine.
- Sleep as best you can. I'm 6 foot and sleep on my side so I rarely get to sleep even on 24 hour flights. Still, it's worth investing in some form of flight pillow, they can make all the difference. Try working out what position you're comfortable sleeping in in an upright seat at home and work out in advance what kind of pillow may help. I have a beanbaggy one that sits between my jaw and my shoulder which is usually good for a couple of hours kip.
- If there's a refuelling stop, beg borrow or steal whatever loyalty card points or special promotions you can to get access to a club lounge. Shower, change, brush your teeth. It makes all the difference in the world.

Get some serious ear plugs and some nice drugs. A flight that long is rough, especially if someone decides it'd be a great idea to bring their baby along.

LobsterMobster wrote:

Get some serious ear plugs and some nice drugs. A flight that long is rough, especially if someone decides it'd be a great idea to bring their baby along.

Between having 4 kids myself and the 1 year old I played Peekaboo with from Baltimore to Italy on my last long flight, this is kind of offensive. People don't just "decide" to bring kids, it's part of having kids. Are some kids unruly? Yes, but I've run into equally as many unruly asshat adults who are as bad if not *worse* than the kids they're complaining about.

Ambien. Seriously. Ambien.

Also, bring snack bars. And don't forget to charge every electronic device you have beforehand.

AnimeJ wrote:
LobsterMobster wrote:

Get some serious ear plugs and some nice drugs. A flight that long is rough, especially if someone decides it'd be a great idea to bring their baby along.

Between having 4 kids myself and the 1 year old I played Peekaboo with from Baltimore to Italy on my last long flight, this is kind of offensive. People don't just "decide" to bring kids, it's part of having kids. Are some kids unruly? Yes, but I've run into equally as many unruly asshat adults who are as bad if not *worse* than the kids they're complaining about.

I'm sorry if you find it offensive, but it is a fact that babies tend to scream and some people don't like that, not because they're bad people or because they think you're a bad person who shouldn't have a life but because babies are biologically predisposed to scream when they're unhappy, we are biologically predisposed to react to that scream immediately, and if you put someone in a position where they keep hearing the scream and can't do anything about it, it creates a tremendous amount of anxiety. It says nothing about you or your quality as a parent. I'm sure the people around you really appreciated the ungodly amount of effort you put in trying to keep your child quiet and entertained. None of that changes that kids tend to scream and all the appreciation and understanding in the world doesn't make that any easier to sleep through.

So again, I'm sorry if you're offended and I know this is a sensitive issue for many parents but I'm sorry, it is objectively true that very young children don't do well on 12-hour flights and they are not shy about it, no matter how skilled, loving and aware their parents may be. I'm not telling Trevdor to read up on how to judge people, I'm telling him to anticipate a possible situation and arrange a minimal amount of preparation for it.

To me, it's like smoking. You've got a right to smoke, you may bend over backwards to keep the smoke away from me and you may be the nicest person in the universe, but I've got a right to not like the smell of smoke. If I want to sit near a window so I can get some fresh air, that's compromise. It's not an assault on your value as a person.

Oh, and my single, number one, all time top tip: Turn left when you board.

Lobster, I think he was reacting to this:

AnimeJ wrote:

especially if someone decides it'd be a great idea to bring their baby along.

It's one thing to offer advice about possible things that might be a pain. It's another to cast judgment like this.

Jayhawker wrote:

Lobster, I think he was reacting to this:

AnimeJ wrote:

especially if someone decides it'd be a great idea to bring their baby along.

It's one thing to offer advice about possible things that might be a pain. It's another to cast judgment like this.

In all fairness, bringing babies onto a flight is such a crapshoot because one never knows how they will react to the pressure change in their ears or the noise. I don't begrudge anyone bringing their spawn on their travels, but everytime I see a <1 year old on a plane I think to myself "Please don't cry the entire time."

And I do agree, that sometimes it's the adults that act like infants. Just ask Steven Slater.

Back on topic:

nel e nel wrote:

Klonopin

Drink booze.

AnimeJ wrote:
LobsterMobster wrote:

Get some serious ear plugs and some nice drugs. A flight that long is rough, especially if someone decides it'd be a great idea to bring their baby along.

Between having 4 kids myself and the 1 year old I played Peekaboo with from Baltimore to Italy on my last long flight, this is kind of offensive. People don't just "decide" to bring kids, it's part of having kids. Are some kids unruly? Yes, but I've run into equally as many unruly asshat adults who are as bad if not *worse* than the kids they're complaining about.

When I listen to some poor baby crying and inflicting his/her considerable lungs on the rest of the passengers I always remind myself that it's not the baby's fault. I can't imagine how it must be to be feeling your ears popping and that intense, awful pain when they won't pop and having no idea why you are in pain. No way to vocalize your displeasure. Poor kids.

Why do I not know how this feels? Because my parents were considerate enough to me and other passengers to wait until I was older to fly. I don't want to derail this, but it is indeed like smokers. You have a right to bring a baby on board and I have a right to cringe in terror of what's in store and prep myself accordingly.

Sorry, no sympathy for the parents. Flights can be very uncomfortable and if I made the choice to have a kid I'd wait until they were ready. So on that note, OP, I would encourage the following.

#1 - Noise canceling headphones. About 5 years ago I was almost done with flying because of kids and because of being unable to sleep on the plane. I finally sprung for some good noise canceling headphones and found out that not only do they block out baby noise, but they also make it so easy to just hear your music that it's really easy to fall asleep. I put on my headphones, turn on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and I'm out for hours. I've flown to New Orleans twice this year, Manhattan, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala and Belize (and many other domestic flights) and that's my #1 tool.

#2 - Definitely a Nintendo DS. Not only will the charge last a lot of that flight, but it indeed can help you relax if you're playing a puzzler or RPG. My favorite plane games this year were Plants vs Zombies, Advance Wars, Dragon Quest IX and Mario vs. Donkey Kong (both the retail release and the DSiWare game). I literally played Mario v Donkey Kong (DSiWare) most of the way to New Orleans and the retail release most of the way back from Belize.

#3 - If you have a phone or MP3 player that can play movies rip from your own DVDs or buy some TV or movies.

#4 - Good book or graphic novel.

Good luck and enjointhe flight. Sitting in blissful silence with options makes a flight... fly by.

I know you don't have an ipad, but the battery life is really what they're posting: ~10 hours. I have that + a portable charger and that can get me anywhere on my trips. Videos, Games, music, whatever.

Pretty much all of the current international flights have video on demand. Long flight tips: get up and stretch often - hours 10-12 get rough. Personally I like having a window seat - I'm fairly resistant to motion sickness, but long flights wear you down - good to be able to look out and get a solid horizon once in a while.

Books are good for a few hours, some sudoku puzzles, game handhelds of course.

Maq wrote:

brush your teeth. It makes all the difference in the world.

x1000 this.

AnimeJ wrote:
LobsterMobster wrote:

Get some serious ear plugs and some nice drugs. A flight that long is rough, especially if someone decides it'd be a great idea to bring their baby along.

Between having 4 kids myself and the 1 year old I played Peekaboo with from Baltimore to Italy on my last long flight, this is kind of offensive. People don't just "decide" to bring kids, it's part of having kids. Are some kids unruly? Yes, but I've run into equally as many unruly asshat adults who are as bad if not *worse* than the kids they're complaining about.

Yeah, some parents (someday my wife and I included) have to travel internationally to visit family don't have as much choice in the matter - it's either fly or don't see the family for years on end.

HedgeWizard wrote:

I know you don't have an ipad, but the battery life is really what they're posting: ~10 hours. I have that + a portable charger and that can get me anywhere on my trips. Videos, Games, music, whatever.

My wife watches tons of tv on her iPhone. See my earlier suggestion about ripping or buying tv. Anyway, we have an iPad and I convinced her to take it instead to watch TV. I didn't take it because I was busy with my DS. She is now converted. It's like having a mini TV that can hold seasons of TV, multiple movies and some music and games. That would be my device of choice if I didn't have rekindled love for my DS. So I heartily endorse this. Just spring for the headphones first.

I would not see my family for years or have them come to me. So I do think there is a choice, personally. I didn't travel to my parents for 5 years in one span. Not because I don't like them, buy because I don't want to travel to where they live really.

Best is if you're arriving in the morning at your destination. Pull an all-nighter before you leave and sleep the entire flight, waking up for meals. You'll get a jump on adjusting to the new time zone and not have to deal with being bored at 30k feet at all. I'd also bring a good book or two--something fun and easy to read, since you'll be too brain-tired to handle anything else, and some small game device with similar stuff. A laptop won't last so don't even bother. Rather an iSomething or a DS.

Oh, other random advice... bring lubricating eye drops, toothbrush and toothpaste, and some face soap. Between the three you should be able to leave the flight feeling fairly fresh and alert. Sunglasses and/or baseball cap would be worth including as well for when you arrive.

Your laptop will depend on its size. Some are just too large and unwieldy for a flight. Plus, battery life, unless your seat has outlets (which is rare, but depends on the size of the plane) and you have a proper adapter. So if it's not too big, it'll work for a little while. Plan your back up for when its battery dies. Generally I find laptops too much of a pain to use in-flight; instead, use it while waiting in the airport. Stake out an outlet at the gate.

In-flight movies tend to suck. Plan for them to show something you don't want to see.

Your iPhone should be good for watching movies if you plan ahead and rip some to it beforehand. Also listening to music. Bring closed headphones or earbuds which are good at keeping out sound. Watch your battery life because you'll want to make sure it has enough battery for calls and such after you land.

I don't know how long the battery is on the DS but it should last at least a good chunk of the flight.

Books and magazines are good backup for when batteries die and during the times when you aren't allowed to use electronic devices.

Oh, be sure to notify your cellphone and credit card companies of your trip so that stuff all works when you arrive. There's nothing worse than being in a foreign country and having something frozen because the provider thinks it's fraudulent use.

Great suggestions. I'm going to be heading to Indonesia, the longest leg of the trip is from Chicago to Tokyo. I guess I'll try sleeping as much as I can with some drugs and noise canceling headphones. I also was reading about the Ds game 9 hours, 9 people, 9 doors which sounds interesting.

Trevdor wrote:

Great suggestions. I'm going to be heading to Indonesia, the longest leg of the trip is from Chicago to Tokyo. I guess I'll try sleeping as much as I can with some drugs and noise canceling headphones. I also was reading about the Ds game 9 hours, 9 people, 9 doors which sounds interesting.

Start this 5 days before you leave:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.co...

And go to the local supermarket and get a bottle of melatonin, four or so days before you leave begin taking a dose of melatonin at the time you will be going to bed in Indonesia. You'll need to power through a couple hours of drowsiness when you first take it but it will wear off.

If you do some prep before you leave you wont even notice the time change once you get there.

complexmath wrote:

Best is if you're arriving in the morning at your destination. Pull an all-nighter before you leave and sleep the entire flight, waking up for meals.

We did this before we left for Tokyo, minus waking up for meals. I figured I wouldnt be eating after I went to bed in Japan so I wouldn't eat after I went to bed on the plane.

Well, that, and the Ambien, beer, Xanax, and melatonin cocktail I took for the flight rocked my world and I was passed out for a nice long time on that flight.

DSGamer wrote:

I would not see my family for years or have them come to me. So I do think there is a choice, personally. I didn't travel to my parents for 5 years in one span. Not because I don't like them, buy because I don't want to travel to where they live really.

For me, it's more assignment based. If I get stationed overseas, there is no taking a boat; it's fly, period. Not everyone has a choice, and casting blame on parents is garbage, regardless of your reasonings. Every international flight I've been on to date has had more than its' share of kids on board. Not *once* have I had to deal with screaming toddler or infant.

Consider yourself extremely lucky, then. I've encountered them on quite a few flights myself. Some parents you can hear trying to comfort them, and I have no real problem with those situations. It's annoying, but they've invented ear plugs for a reason. I do cast blame on the parents when their baby's crying and they're not even trying to get them to stop.

I've had to deal with some screaming kids on planes and I don't even fly that often.

It's silly to assume that all kids fly out of necessity just as it's silly to assume that they all fly at a parent's whim.

Ask to go into the cockpit, always fun :]