101 ways to amuse yourself on an Airplane:

[zen_mistress]

Suggestions anyone? :) Tips and ideas would be welcome....

I am changing, er, hemispheres in 6 weeks time. (Ireland). The flight will be a long-haul one...

[GoogleGirl]

I sure could use some tips myself. I'm bringing my laptop. can you bring your laptop maybe? Watch movies. Read a book. I pretty much find myself staring out the window (I also try to get window seats) most of the time. If you try to get a window seat, it is a little easier to take a nap (you can rest your head on the side of the seat). Do you have an ipod? I like to listen to music even when they say not to use electronic devices. :haha:

[Kitty]

magazines
books
iPod
write letters
draw/journal
gameboy
play cards with someone

[AshleyJordan]

On international flights I try to stay up really late the night before so that I'm exhausted and sleep through the whole ordeal. . . otherwise I read a book/magazine/watch whichever movies are available that I can tolerate (on my trip back from Barcelona, that meant the Family Stone. Twice. Wouldn't recommend it.)

[analogman]

There are usually movies on long-haul flights (trans-Pacific ones do anyway). I was on a few last month and they had five or six different channels of movies. The movies are all fairly new (The Guardian, A Wonderful Year, Mary Antoinette, Flags of Our Fathers, Man of the Year, etc....) and they keep rewinding and playing so you can watch three or four per flight.

What I do depends on what time it is locally when I arrive though. If I arrive early in the day, I usually try to sleep so I don't have any jet lag.

[wordsmith]

Transcontinental flights, I try to sleep as much as possible, and when I'm awake, I use the time to read, for the most part. I usually pack a few books, since I rip through magazines incredibly quickly.

[sondra_finchley]

I do drugs. J/k- typically some sleeping pills. Try them out before you go though.

Whats your itinerary- you have almost an ultra long-haul- are you going via the US or via Asia? Can I ask what airline? Some are better than others at entertainment/comfort options.

[aggiegrad05]

Bring books that are really light reads and don't take much thought. I've made newspapers last over an hour when I really try.

Noise reducing headphones are the BIGGEST lifesaver for me. I have these (http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/product/sku__FJ450/cm_ven__adwords/cm_cat__Media/cm_pla__audio/cm_ite__sharper_noise_cancelling_headphones). They're only $40 and they work so well. Even if you don't have noisy people right next to you, they really help you to sleep/relax by drowning out the noise from the plane itself. You can plug your ipod into those, use them for the in-flight movies/music, or just use them w/o anything else (just bring extra batteries).

When I'm going to Europe, I'll sometimes take either Dramamine (get the original, not the non-drowsy) or any other kind of motion sickness pill. I don't get motion sickness, but they will KNOCK YOU OUT. I usually fly over on an afternoon flight, so I make sure that I take it right after I get on the plane since it's already the middle of the night in Europe. Just make sure that you time it correctly. The downsides are that sometimes I'll sleep through meals and even if I do sleep the whole flight, I'm so groggy when I do wake up. In my experience it's better for the jetlag to either sleep the whole way or not sleep at all.

Also, crosswords or sudoku puzzles help pass the time really well.

What airline are you flying over on? I hope you're on one that has an individual screen for you w/movie, music and game selections. Those flights by far go the fastest. KLM and NWA usually have those and Continental sometimes does, if you're on one of the bigger jets.

[EmberMae]

Get ahold of some Ambien! :p

[wanderer9]

come on guys, we can do better than that for zen_mistress.

books, mags, crosswords are all fine, but you can have real fun on long-haul flights:

strike up conversation with a stranger at near you. but give yourself an alias and come up with a bizarre story about why you are going to ireland.

see how many refreshing wipes you can accumulate (give yourself a target; become a crazy obsessive devious thief if needed)

flirt with a member of cabin crew to the point where they feel uncomfortable passing your row.

listen in to other people's conversations and add your own commentary (in your head!)

be bitchy and conduct critical analyses of other people's appearence and clothing. Once again, do this IN YOUR HEAD!

[cache]

Take a book of random statistics (http://www.amazon.com/Book-Chance-John-Hodgson/dp/0297643525/ref=sr_1_4/103-3252225-0693447?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174057856&sr=1-4), and apply it to people on the plane.

(These stats are made up) Like the chance of being hospitalized this year are 10%. So look at every 10th person and wish them a speedy recovery. Or the chance of getting married is say 5%. So look at every 20th person and congratulate them.

Hey, I'm just throwing out ideas.:p

[mishl982]

Transcontinental flights, I try to sleep as much as possible, and when I'm awake, I use the time to read, for the most part. I usually pack a few books, since I rip through magazines incredibly quickly.
For the long ones I do this, although I have the hardest time sleeping on a plane unless I'm seriously exhausted. In-flight movies help too. For regular flights I just read a book and have my ipod handy.

[zen_mistress]

Thx guys..... :)

I will definitely try and bring some books and magazines. perhaps my coloured pencils too... do some sketching. I dont have an ipod though im thinking of buying a cd walkman.

In flight movies.. I think they will be helpful too...

As for sleeping.. i never have managed to sleep on a plane. I find it nearly impossible to get beyond the first light layer of sleep where you still can hear everything... perhaps the anti-noise headphones could be an option...

I find the main reason i cant sleep though is the lack of leg room, I get really cramped. Oh for first class... or even to sleep on the floor of the plane!

The flight is a long-haul... 28 hours total. I think about 23 hours flying and 5 hours transit (2 stops). Lufthansa. (via Asia)..

Thx to wanderer9 and cache for the hilarious suggestions... I might just try some of them... LOL.

C
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[tina1979]

I took on a plane and ended up taking turns with the guy beside me to see who could get the higher score playing tetris

[Kitty]

I *heart* tetris!!!

[aggiegrad05]

Drinking red wine will help get you past that first layer of sleep too :)

[thedave]

Suggestions anyone? :) Tips and ideas would be welcome....

I am changing, er, hemispheres in 6 weeks time. (Ireland). The flight will be a long-haul one...

For 300 DOLLARS, ONE way you can amuse yourself is get a video Ipod.

[sondra_finchley]

Yeah but the charge will die on that thing not halfway into the first leg on that trip.

Wait a minute, are you on Lufthansa all the way or do you have a partial leg on Air New Zealand? Youve got issues then if its LH- I dont think they have personal video screens on their longhaul aircraft in economy. Have you checked this?

[zen_mistress]

thx,
so tetris, video ipod which i might look into.. and red wine... yes it is true that alcohol is a good sleep aid ;)

As for Lufthansa, well I wnt to the website and it said that there was onflight movies and radio on economy class. But it didnt say whether or not there were the little screens on the back of the seats... could be the big screen at the front...

If there arent screens, oh well, that isnt great but it was $600 cheaper to take this flight option... so if I can save, its all good :)

It does say there is a nice menu and the seats apparently can go back, and up, and the headrest moves... so that is cool....

C
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[beeblebrox]

I would knit, sleep, knit, read a book, watch the crappy movies/Will and Grace episodes and listen to that same playlist that they play on those stations.

[aggiegrad05]

It does say there is a nice menu and the seats apparently can go back, and up, and the headrest moves... so that is cool....

C
~
Lufthansa does have pretty decent food :)

[eastcoaster782]

In addition to the things mentioned above, how about a sketch pad and colored pencils?

Or go all out and buy a kiddie coloring book and box of crayons. I actually find coloring (even though it sounds childish) to be really relaxing and fun.

[chicagogirl]

take walks up and down the aisles. lots of em
take a new craft on the plane and learn it (like teach yourself to knit, origami)
three words "War and Peace" jk
start trading items from the meal. see if you can get 2 dozen stale cookies, 12 cups of water :)

[dacrunkest]

inflight mags are so boring.
skymall is filled with junk I don't want.
barf bags have at most two lines of text...not too thrilling of a read.

if you are a reader, bring a slew of books...

Of course, my last flight was Kennedy to LAX, and it left at 7:00 AM. I was staying in a hotel in Astoria and kinda hanging out at my friends apt. in Queens. I didn't go to sleep that night before...just stayed awake, took the N to Queensboro Plaza, the E out to Jamaica, and then the airtrain, got on the plane, fell asleep, and the next thing I know a flight attendant is waking me up telling me that I have to get off the plane. "Why?", I ask. "We are in California now, sir". That was nice.

[zen_mistress]

yes coloured pencils are a good idea for planes. My ex bought me a box a few years ago and I am going to bring that with me... I also have some black sketching pencils of various thicknesses...

I really hope I manage to sleep better this time.. it would really help..

C
~

[PenforPrez]

Join the Mile High Club?? :evil:

Somebody had to say it! :p

Paul

[zen_mistress]

LOL! Never thought of that! Perhaps there will be some hot stewards... but the toilets do tend to be a little cramped.. and smelly at times too!! I think Ill give it a miss. I will stay and sketch with my coloured pencils instead :0

[sondra_finchley]

Not if you use the handicapped-accessible middle bathroom on the A343. Its roomy and spacious!

(Note: I have never used that bathroom for that purpose but always thought wow hey I can actually turn around in here and not put my ass in either the sink or the toilet)

[PenforPrez]

LOL! Never thought of that!

Normally, I wouldn't be the one to suggest it. :p

[zen_mistress]

Hmmmm A343.. Ive never heard of that type of aircraft... sounds like a lovely spacious toilet. Unfortunately I lack someone to join the mile high club with. I prefer bedrooms anyway. Not much ambience when there is a lavatory nearby.

Normally, I wouldn't be the one to suggest it. :p

I guess someone had to. Im surprised it took that long!