Topic Winner: Long Flights

So, my one vote was to write about long flights...

Well, I have certainly been on my share of long trips.  Growing up, we would drive from Northern CA to Southern CA which, with 3 kids in the car, takes 9 hours.  (as we got older, we got it down to 5 hours - man, we must have stopped a lot!)  I have never been able to sleep in the car and that has moved over to flights as well.  So, when I face the prospect of a long flight, I prepare myself for boredom.  (It's really not that bad...)

My first long flight was probably to Washington, DC in 6th grade (and again in 8th grade).  About 6 hours total non-stop, that was longer than any flight before hand of about 2 hours, tops.  And everything was still new and exciting.  But, I think that it is a good thing that I took so many long trips when I was young.  I know how to amuse myself.  That goes with any other boring things like dull baseball games, etc.  I went with my mom and a friend to a Nationals game a few years ago and it got more and more dull throughout the game (just not a good game that day) and we are talking and blah, blah, blah.  My friend was getting more and more bored (apparently he had never gone to a baseball game), but my mom and I just talked.  And eventually, I noticed a spider hanging down from the stadium overhead.  This spider must have been hanging down about 30-40 feet from the overhead and it was interesting to watch it swaying in the wind.  My mom and I started to comment on that and eventually she said, "You know, I never had to worry about finding entertainment for you.  You always found something to do."   ... I hope my kids are the same!  They certainly will have their share of long trips between the US and Jordan or the east coast and west coast (depending on where the future finds us).

Back to flights...

Where the long flights started to make a difference is when we fly overnight somewhere.  Again, I don't sleep and we usually arrive in the morning to said country and so I have to stay awake the entire day.  But, I learned how to deal with that... it helps if you have work to do.  Then you HAVE to be perky...

But, you think in your mind that it is now morning and that is that.  You are going through a normal day and basically ignore the fact that you didn't sleep and that it's 2 am back home.  DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT!  And it helps that there is a time change.  By the time that first day is done, it is time for bed in the host country and still afternoon back home so the overnighter you just pulled is ultimatly not that bad.  Certainly, staying active helps the most- if you can be active and move around, you will stay awake.  And then - you are on schedule!  Now, the minute you sleep in late within the first 2 weeks in the host country you will feel the jet lag, but for short trips it is helpful to just force yourself into the new time schedule.

My most recent worry about long flights was when I flew to China from DC.  It was very odd - I started obsessing over the length of the flight and what I was going to do for 13 hours.  I think that began when I booked the flight on United.  

Ok - I'm such an airline snob.  And United is NOT my favorite airline.  Their service ON the flight is great, but the customer service on the ground - SUCKS.  The airplanes themselves - SUCK (for the most part).  

And so, I was obsessing over what I was going to do.  It got to the point that I was worried that I was not going to adjust in China because I basically wasn't thinking of my trip (culture-wise) beyond the flight.  (it was fine - Shanghai is like NYC/Amman and Beijing is like... hmmm - maybe Budapest? sort-of...)  

Which, my fears were acknowledged when... 1. got to the airport to find my flight to Chicago (to connect to direct to Shanghai) was canceled and they put me on the next day's flight.  Which is stupid for them to do for people flying international and something I was NOT going to go along with considering I was only in Shanghai for 2 days anyways and so if I arrived a day late, I would miss ALL my meetings!!  (F--- got AMEX to get me on a direct flight to Beijing and transfer to Shanghai)  I NEVER got any email/phone call, etc about the cancellation... what if I DIDN'T live in the area?!  2. The plane was from the late 90s or something and going there, the cabin switched between too hot and too cold and there was just the films on a schedule to choose from.  Coming back - the plane was SOOOOOOOO cold and I got sick on the flight.  I don't do well with cold and I could feel myself getting more and more stuffed up as time went along...

My long flights (outside US only and over 6 hours):

Japan - 1995 - 14 hours total (2 to Vancouver, 12 to Tokyo) (I think) (Air Canada)

UK - 2001 - 7/8 hours (Virgin Atlantic)

Slovenia - 2002 - 8 to Switzerland/1 to Slovenia (Swiss)

Hungary/Poland - 2006 - 8-ish hours (+ 12 hr train ride in between) (Luftansa/LOT)

Jordan/Dubai - 2007- 13/14 hours to/from Dubai, 3 hours between Jordan and Dubai (Emirates)

UK - 2007- 7/8 hours (Vigrin Atlantic)

Spain - 2007 - 7/8 hours (Iberia)

Italy - 2007 - 8/10 hours (to Amsterdam and then Italy) (KLM & Altalia)

China - 2008 - 13/15 hours (13 direct and 2 hrs to Shanghai) (United &... Shanghai Air?)

Jordan - 2008 - 12/15 hours (going - 7 to Paris + 5 (?) to Amman; coming - 13 to NYC, 1 to DC) (Delta - not the new planes :()

Next week... 2009- UK - 7/8 hours (British Airways)

That last flight to Jordan kinda' sucked - it was Delta and they are changing out their fleet, but we got the old planes.  Well - going there it was Air France so - yay!  Coming back - it was Delta and there were NO individual screans!!!  Seriously?  For a 13 hour flight?  WHYYYYYYYY?

I am looking forward to flying BA - I usually hear good stuff about them.  My favorite airlines have been KLM, Emirates and Swiss.  My least favorite have been United, Virgin Atlantic and Iberia.