The worst part of travelling for many people is the getting there, especially if that means a long haul plane flight. Frankly, any flight longer than five or six hours can be a physical and mental challenge for most people, so flights of twelve or fifteen hours are sometimes more than they can bear.

Everyone has their own tips for surviving these long flights, or at least enduring them. And some carriers make it easier for you than others. In fact, sometimes the difference between long-haul carriers is how they help you to pass the time bearably (or even pleasantly!). If you have any tips, Teddy would love to hear them!

Teddy’s tips:

* If you can afford it, travel first class. This won’t help everyone, obviously, but there is a huge difference in comfort these days between economy and modern first class, including fully reclining seats that feel like beds, and private cubicles. If it’s in your budget, do it.

* If you can afford it, choose a stop-over at a hotel to break your flight, rather than just a couple of hours at an airport. There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep, a shower or bath, and a real meal to recharge those travel batteries.

* Some people can sleep in economy, some can’t. If you can, do it. A few hours sleep will help make the flight seem shorter. Most airlines these days have great in-flight entertainment systems you help you pass the time. Use them as part of your “killing-the-hours” strategy. You could add reading a book, doing puzzles, writing or working on a laptop or ipad, etc to your strategy. Whatever it is you like to do, just make sure you’ve planned a number of different things to occupy your time, otherwise the flight will just draaaaaag.

* Get up and walk around the cabin at least once every couple of hours. It helps to stretch your muscles, reduce cramping, etc, and gets the blood flowing (which helps reduce the risk of DVT, swelling ankles, erc).