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For those of you taking your first long flight (over 6 hours), it's probably an indescribable thrill. I felt the same way. But once the flight is over, jet lag kicks in, your lips and face are dry, and your body is exhausted, and you'll realize that long flights aren't always a great experience. However, without such flights, you wouldn't be able to reach your dream destination.
Below are some tips that Cơ has compiled after more than 20 long flights, and he will share them with you.
1. Carry a multi-purpose bag.
Backpacks, large bags, or suitcases you bring on the plane can hold quite a lot of things. Put your camera, batteries, laptop, or other heavy and valuable items inside, then place them in the overhead compartment.
Your versatile bag could be a small, compact tote bag, but remember to pack the items you use frequently and will need throughout the flight. Here are the items I pack in my tote bag:
Water bottle, phone charger, headphones, facial moisturizer, hand cream, lip balm, face mask for sleeping. With these simple items in your bag, you'll always feel at home and won't need to constantly get up to grab things from your bag or suitcase.
2. Eat Smart
During a flight, you'll have a lot of cravings, even food cravings. My approach is to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits and reduce carbohydrates, rather than eliminating everything.
You also need to time your meals during the flight to align with your usual meal times; don't eat whenever the flight attendant brings you food.
Like on my recent flight to Dubai, which landed at midnight, the flight attendants brought out dinner. I ate very little, just vegetables and fruit, skipping dessert and the starchy parts of the food because it was a late-night meal, and my digestive system had to work hard, generating energy that made it difficult to sleep. Then, closer to landing time, the flight attendants served a meal around my usual breakfast time, so I ate normally.
3. Always Replenish Water
Did you notice the water bottle in Cơ's all-purpose bag? That's Cơ's secret to staying hydrated and preventing dry skin.
Don't hesitate to ask the flight attendant to refill your water bottle whenever you run out. After many flights, I realized that the water in tiny plastic cups is never enough. So, I learned my lesson and brought my own water bottle and ordered extra fruit juice to drink.
You should limit your intake of soft drinks, beer, wine, tea, and coffee because they all require you to rehydrate more.
4. Always Go to Sleep
To a greater or lesser extent, you need to get some sleep. Even if the plane has countless movies you haven't seen yet, remember to get plenty of sleep as it will help you overcome jet lag during flights across multiple time zones.
Bring a face shield and headphones to isolate yourself from the flashing lights of the plane and the surrounding noise.
5. Stand Up and Move
During the time you're not sleeping, remember to always get up and move around a bit. Muscles are often shy about doing this, so people tend to retreat to the restroom to stretch without feeling embarrassed. This helps prevent your joints and muscles from becoming stiff and reduces fatigue after a long flight.
Information about the author Ly Thanh Co:
- Current job: Copywriter and manager of Ly Thanh Co Travel Blog.
- 2018: Traveled through 14 European countries and 2 Asian countries; launched the book "Youth in Your Wallet, What Can You Buy?"
- 2019 Plan: Launch my second travelogue about my journeys through Northern Europe, Western Europe, and Japan; and continue exploring Africa.
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/colythanh
- Travel Blog:https://www.facebook.com/venturology
