Don't Go Crazy On Long Flights

Ever get the feeling on those really long flights that you're trapped in a cylindrical coffin and it'll never end? Tired of the monotony? You can follow these five easy tips, and you'll be fine.

First, take a moment to peruse the offered games on the back of the seat in front of you. In July of 2009, a popular airline had both super violent Doom and Tower Toppler ready for all those people flying in an aircraft. Not too soon anymore huh?

Reading material is what really comes to people's minds. Those brick-sized fantasy novels seem perfect for reading on the plane, but they will, in fact, become very wearisome after long enough. You might find your thoughts drifting towards some real history. If you're bringing medieval-themed high fantasy, bring some of its opposite along as well: science fiction. If you're not going to get too technical with this, maybe bring some real science along as well. Differing genre's, whatever they are, will keep everything fresh.

Music is the same deal. Don't just bring one kind of thing. Hip Hop will be old after 8 hours of nothing to look at since you don't have a window seat. These days this shouldn't be an issue with iPods and mp3 players, but you should still make sure your playlist is long flight appropriate. Preferably one that flows logically from one song to the next.

Movies too. Bring a movie player of some kind. A small DVD player with it's own screen is all you really need, not a lap-top. Several seasons of your favorite shows is a good idea, but of course movies are important as well. Two extremes, such as action and drama, light-hearted and serious.

Get the seat you want. This is so important it was saved for last. Do not wait until the last minute, or even the last week, to book your flight if you can help it. Even if you don't book on the actual airline's website (of course get the best deal you can), take a moment to look at the airline's website anyway. Make sure they have a seating chart that displays which seats have been taken already. Make sure you are even allowed to pick your own seats!

If you want the bulkhead, you may have to book way in advance, but doing so may also give you a better deal as well. If you want a window seat, make sure it's not right over the wing. Some airlines will show this on the diagram. Some won't. If in doubt, don't get a window seat in the middle of the plane. Again, booking early is your friend. One more thing to keep in mind about window seats is, if you're flying along the coast for part of the journey; think about which side the ocean will be on. This will make a lot of difference after 10 hours.

Basically, the secret is to just keep all your options open. Bring as much as are legally allowed to carry on the plane. You probably won't need any of it at all once you get where you're going, but long flights sometimes require packing of their own.

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Penelope Dutil