Every now and then I get to turn left upon boarding and head into the pointy end of the aircraft which elicits a ridiculous, slightly overwhelmed grin from ear to ear as I make to way to my fancy seat and pick through the goodies – with a glass of bubbles, of course.
In my flying suit and ready to go!
But sadly that is not my normal day in the office. Normally I turn right along with the rest of the throng, squawking babies, potential snorers and there will always be one person who, while you are asleep, sneezes loudly enough to bring the plane down if it wasn’t for the hand of God.
Here are my essential tips for making a long haul flight (almost) pleasant:
I take a small wheelie cabin bag (which can serve as checked luggage on the way home should I go on a spending spree), but in it I pack these essentials:
Loose fitting pants – Actually I’m already wearing this. My flying outfit has barely changed in 5 years. I wear black leggings with an elasticated waist and layer a black long sleeved top and a black tunic. If I’m heading somewhere warm I’ll wear my boots on the plane (but see point #3).
Cardy or pashmina – For a bit of colour and practicality I layer a long cardigan which can be whipped off if it gets too warm and rolled up to create a sleeping nest. A pashmina or scarf serves the same purpose.
Slippers – I whip my shoes off the minute I get to my seat and put slippers on. Even if the airline supplies free socks, slippers are essential to prevent your stockinged feet from stepping in something wet in the bathroom…
Neck pillow – I forced my brother to buy one of these last week. Get a soft fabric squishy one and if it has a little dome to hook it at the front it can hang on your cabin bag when wheeling through the airport. I often wear mine back-to-front when sleeping to keep from lolling forward too. He loved it!
Earplugs – finally I pack earplugs (the silicon kind) for squishing into my ears to prevent the aforementioned squawkers and sneezers from interrupting me. Well, not too much anyway.
Kids love neck pillows too! This is my niece heading for home in the Caymans x
What tips do you have? Feel free to share below 🙂