Sawasdee from BKK; keep matt from losing his mind
 

This is NOT a trip report, but don't worry, I'm keeping careful notes and will place it properly on my return. Let me just say that we need a forum entitled: things to do to keep from going crazy during 26 straight hours of air travel. Thankfully its only 2 hours to Penang tonight. If anyone has thoughts for the trip home, I'd LOVE to hear 'em...

One word...cryogenics.

Two words.... alcoholic oblivion.

[This message has been edited by Merry (edited 04-11-99).]

Four words - think of the miles.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Time flies by fastest for me when I am sleeping, reading, writing, shopping or engaged in great conversations.

The shopping's not much on a plane, but 4 out of 5 isn't bad.

If you can tire yourself out BEFORE the flight (sightsee, stay up all night the night before the flight, eat a very heavy meal with wine, etc) that could help.

The other suggestions are fine too, I like NJDavid's especially.

You are a better man than me, Matt. I was about to get catty after 18 hours with delay to Sydney, Australia.

WORSE: being STUCK on a Shuttle by United in Coach with delays. If I know this is happening, I follow Merry's advice and baring F-A's waking me for my snoring I survive.



[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 04-11-99).]

We recently sat next to Isaiah Thomas on flight and he and my son played Palm Pilot games. Kind of sky high web withdrawal. I think Rudi has one too and can give more input on what's available for true cyber junkies.

arturo sey themk of arturo an tim pas fas.

Mingle with the flight attendants. Impress them with your travels and your FT buddies!

Sleep is always high on my to-do list, since I'll be coming home to three small children who'll want every minute of my time for the next week.

I pack along a notepad and pens so I can do some freehand work. I use it to plan presentations, create to-do lists (especially useful on my returning trips, because when I'm in the field I usually get great ideas from our customers!)

I usually get an hour or so of laptop time in, but I try to break it up a bit.

I also like to read. How many times have you heard about a book you'd like to read? Well, buy it and do it! You'd be amazed how quickly time passes in a good book (once to the point where I almost missed my flight because I didn't heard two boarding calls!)

Newspapers are OK, although I can't stand USA Today. Wall St. Journal is good, except they need a sports section!

In flight magazines are nice mind candy, except you probably already read them on your destination flight.

who cares Matt - If you haven't lost your mind on that flight, you will lose it anyway in Bangkok.

Write letters to friends, relatives. Write thank-you notes if you owe any. Buy a travell-size scrabble set and terrorize your seatmate. Chess, too. Read all those magazines and books you're too embarrassed to read where someone might recognize you (I postively WALLOW in People magazine on planes, after I've sworn my beloved to secrecy). Read really L O N G novels, e.g., London by Edward Rutherford. I sometimes polish my nails on a long flight but you may not wish to do so (be careful though, some flyers object to the odor of nail polish; I ask if my seatmate minds before I start).

I'm a reader. So much so that I seldom even look around. Once in a while I doze. On one recent flight DCA-ATL I was seated next to Newt Gingrich. He's a close friend of my wife's family, but I didn't even recognize him until we got off the plane, mainly because I was wrapped up in my book and wasn't paying any attention, even when one of the FA's leaned over me to faun over him. To make matters worse, Sally was in coach while I was in First (we flipped and she won). When I spoke to him in the terminal, he insisted on waiting until she got off so he could speak to her. Of course, she's told her parents and I'll never live it down. The point, though, is that you can really make the time fly (double entendre intended)if you find ANYTHING to do that you enjoy and that takes your mind of the temporary discomfort and inconvenience. All of the earlier suggestions work.

(From Hong Kong Regal Kai Tak) Thanks for the tips, folks. I already devoured the new Grisham book as well as Entertainment Weekly, People and Newsweek (all of which I put in the same category). If I have any luck, I'll sleep most of the way to ORD anyway (eastbound looks much faster than westbourd..)

Thanks again. It's nice to know you care about my sanity...