Preferred Direction of Travel
 

I've done two RTWs, one northern hemisphere (4 continents) and one southern (six). In both cases, I chose westbound because I prefer to travel by day where possible and to enjoy the service. Headwinds mean westbound is usually a little longer.

What do most travellers here do, Eastbound? or Westbound?

Westbound by preference, but mainly because I can overnight Asia-Europe and find that works best for my jetlag. JFK-Asia (12 hour timeshift) is a pig for jetlag in either direction.

Westbound, mainly because the jetlag you gain time gradaully until you lose a whole lot USA - FAR EAST... but usually thats not too bad.

I haven't done a RTW, but when I do, I'll follow the one that is the cheapest $. :D

I normally do East bound on my DONE4 because being in Australia, if I want to stop in Asia on the way back (or treat that as a seperate holiday) then it will only work this way.
Also it is better for JEt Lag (as you don't loose 12 Hours in 1 flight, but rather Gain it and then gradually ease back into the original timezone).

Westbound is best. A long day or a long night makes for better sleep (or less disrupted window gazing).

My observation is that having a bed (and using it) does much, much more to minimize jetlag than direction of flight.

I'm with JohnAx on this one.

One example: If I do HKG-xLAX-SCL I get nearly 24hrs to rest and sleep at a LAX hotel, so by the time I get to SCL I'm in top shape, yet if I do it the other way around I get a few hours at the LAX lounge and that's it; by the time I get to HKG I'm a wreck. Another example, but in reverse: LHR-xLAX-SCL.

More than once I have selected the direction of travel just for this reason.

Eastbound for me too. Bed + alcohol + only sleeping if it's nightime at your destination. Otherwise, bed + alcohol + watch movies (on laptop if no AVOD). In my {Y}ounger days, I found westbound worked better - as I find sleep impossible when sitting/reclining, even with alcohol.

Prefer Eastbound also.

Unlike a lot of others including my wife - I find being on the plane a very boring experience and prefer to spend most of it sleeping.

Eastbound!!!!

Darren + Westbound = Jetlag!

Just make the flights long enough so that you can get a good 6-8 hours of sleep.

I envy you guys. Irrespective of the duration of the flight, or pill and/or booze I take, or seat type (F, J, bed, flat, exit, whatever), the *most* sleep I ever get on a plane is about 4 hours, and not very sound sleep either. My brother, on the other hand, goes to sleep during takeoff and has to be shaken pretty rough to awake on landing; he sleeps LA's direct SCL-MAD all the way (the only person I know capable of doing that), then puts in a solid work day and that night sleeps like a log; to me that's simply amazing.

If you haven't tried Ambien, it's a wonderful invention. I have also tried Zanex, but it made me feel foggy the next day. Can't imagine being on it full time.

Thanks. Yes, I have tried Ambien (Stilnox 10, actually, but it's the same, Zolpidem, 10 mg.) plus eye shades, Bose and ear plugs, yet unfortunately for me it's almost the same as taking sugar pills: first little bump, pa announcement, passenger next to me crossing over, kid running in the aisle, whatever, and that's it, I'm fully awake for the duration; last week the guy sitting next woke me up just by shaking the ice cubes in his drink. :(

Not as good as Valium :D