How To Pass Time on Long Haul Flights

As a frequent traveler, I have learned a thing or two about how to pass time on long haul flights. The longest journey I have ever undertaken was 36-hours long with a 3-hour layover and it’s one of the flights that taught me ways that I could pass time without going insane. Long haul travel can be quite tiring and can cause havoc on your body clock but after a while, you learn what works for your body and what doesn’t.

The first-ever long haul flight I went on was 10-hours long and I was too excited to sleep but after a couple of hours, I was bored. I didn’t know what to do with myself and I couldn’t use any of the devices I had in part due to not charging them in advance. Over the years I picked up a few tips on how to pass time on long haul flights without losing my mind. The tips I am sharing in this post are those that I use and work for me.

How To Pass Time on Long Haul Flights

Being able to travel as often as I do is something that I do not take for granted because I know how fortunate I am. But even when you do not wish to complain, long haul travel as a way of bringing out the worst in people. This is why I took the time to learn how to pass time on long haul flights without losing my mind and coming out on the other end feeling refreshed.

One of the biggest tips I ever learned from an avid traveler was timing your naps to match your destination and that’s something I do every single time I travel long haul. And in terms of passing time on these flights, I went through a trial and error and found things that worked for me and those that did not. Below are some tips on how you pass time and enjoy the journey.

Audible

If like me you prefer someone to read to you than reading yourself then audible is for you. I love listening to audible before bed, when traveling or when relaxing, it’s so refreshing. I find with audible I could stay entertained as I relax or work on something else, whilst reading I do find tedious sometimes.

Read a book

During the first few hours of the flight and sometimes the last I find reading a book and articulating helps to keep me awake. Even though I prefer audible there is nothing like holding the book in your hands and tucking into whatever story you want to read. I have so many books that are half-finished and I use long haul flights to finish them all.

Watch movies

I am a sucker for a good movie especially animation, thrillers, and romantic comedies, I can watch them for hours. Those who know me know how much I love binge-watching a series and sometimes I download them on top of my laptop or iPad and watch on a long haul flight, or truly passes the time.

Sleep

Now, this is everyone’s aim when they are on a long haul flight, as an insomniac I struggle sometimes to sleep. So what I instead do is either take sleeping tablets or force myself to sleep when it’s night time at my destination by reading SOPs from work, these always send me to sleep.

Exercise

When you are on a long haul flight, you have a high chance of getting deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and taking short but frequent breaks from sitting down can help relieve some of the tension that may cause a clot to get stuck in your veins. For a 10-hour flight, I get up from my seat and walk every 2-hours just doing simple stretches.

Walk Around

Walking around is another way to stay sane on a long haul flight, I find when I want to exercise a bit I walk up and down the plane. Most flights do not allow you passed your class but there is always enough room to walk about.

Practice good skincare

Practicing good skincare is important to me, I have skincare routines for every season as well as for in-flight. I find that keeping my skin moistures and hydrated helps it look young and healthy.

Hydration

There is nothing more important than staying hydrated when you are traveling on long haul flights. Not only is it good for you but it’s good for your skin and overall well-being. Take measured drinks throughout the flight so you stay hydrated but don’t have to rush to the loo every 10-minutes.

For Bloggers

As a blogger, I have found that inspiration can strike at any moment but for me its usually on long flights. On many occasions, I have found it easier to write a more accurate account of my travels without the distraction of the internet or everyday life. This is why for bloggers and other creatives I recommend using this time to

• Plan blog content – sometimes I even write all the articles in full and only need images when I am back online.
• Plan Social Media content – again I plan social media content during these long flights and add them to my calendar and post when I am back online.
• Edit pictures – I find it much easier to edit images during these flights.

Long haul flights can be fun when traveling with other people but as a solo traveler, I have had to find ways to pass time and keep myself entertained. As a blogger, I can create content until I wish to fall asleep or I can just as easily watch movies or listen to audible. When traveling long haul, what do you like to do to pass time? Are movies your cure or do you sleep easily?