We’ve all been there – stuck on a long haul flight for endless hours with only our brains to keep us occupied. While some lucky people are able to sleep for the duration, there are those of us who can do anything but, and it’s an experience that can drive us around the bend. Being on a plane for 12 hours sucks, but it doesn’t have to if you come prepared.
Here are some activities you can do to while away the time on those long, sucky flights:
1. Read a book or two
An obvious choice but it’s still at the top of the list. Put some new books on your Kindle or bring a paperback. Books can be your best friend, especially when your travel buddy has nodded off in the seat next to you!
2. Play some games
You can always bring a deck of cards and play some games with the person sat next to you, or else, solitaire. Another idea is to spend the time filling our crossword puzzles, Sudoku games, or word searches. If you’re more of a video gamer, don’t forget to pack your PSP.
3. Watch movies
The great thing about watching movies is that they can shave off the hours without you’re even realizing it. Load up some movies on your laptop or smartphone and you’ll eat up a chunk of your flight time without any fuss.
4. Walk or stretch
This is actually beneficial for health reasons, as it can prevent blood clots. Walk up and down the aisles at regular intervals to stretch your legs. It’s a good way to break up the time between activities and dispel some of the boredom.
5. Coloring
Have you heard of adult coloring books? No, nor have we, but there are lots of children’s ones that will do just as well. Bring some coloring pencils along with too, and spend the time coloring in pictures. You’ll be surprised how much time it can kill!
6. Organize your mind
If you’re so inclined, bring a pen and paper to jot down your thoughts. In your notebook, you can plan the days ahead and jot down things you want to do at your destination when you eventually arrive. It’s a good idea to do this on your flight because the excitement of knowing you’re going to arrive there soon will help to aid your creativity.
7. Chat to the people next to you
Why the hell not? If you’re alone, get to know your seatmates. Make a new friend on a long flight. Who knows, you may just make a lifelong friend!
8. Edit photos
We’re all guilty of taking too many photos, many of which are blurred or almost identical to others that we have. And too many photos will quickly eat up the available memory on your camera or smartphone. So why not use the time on your flight to go through and delete all the duplicates and poor quality snaps? We rarely have time to do it otherwise.
