Exactly one month from today I will be leaving for Australia! I can’t believe it. It feels like just yesterday that I found out I was accepted to the Melbourne project site, and that was over a year ago. This year has absolutely been flying by, but I can’t complain. You know what they say – time flies when you’re having fun 😉
I’ve been getting a little nervous about the long flight that is instore for me. Previously, the longest flight I have ever taken was 8 hours and I was completely miserable. I can’t imagine that I am going be a happy camper sitting on a plane for TWENTY-FOUR hours.
I’ve been looking everywhere for advice on how to make the flight more bareable. Here are a few suggestions that seem to be worthwhile!
1. Dress In Layers
I learned this myself when I flew to Germany a few years ago. For the first half of the flight it was scorching hot. Everyone was stripped down to shorts and t-shirts, sweaty and miserable. For the second half, however, the plane was freezing cold! They turned the heat down but for some reason could not find a happy medium.
I’m planning on wearing leggings, slip on shoes, a tank top, a heavy cardigan, and a big scarf. A lot of times a scarf can double as a blanket to keep you extra warm if necessary. If you know me, you know that I’m always cold – so I will probably throw an extra sweatshirt in my bag just in case (along with a pair of fuzzy socks!)
These two outfits would be perfect – cute and comfortable!!
2. Keep A Regular Sleep Schedule
This is going to be a little bit funky for me, since it is a 16 hour time difference between my home town and Melbourne. One blogger suggested that you determine at what time it will make the most sense for you to sleep and try to stay awake until then. When you reach this point, put on an eye mask, neck pillow, headphones, prepare for bed, and try to get a full eight hours (or as close to it as possible). I am not sure how realistic this is – but I’ll definitely give it a try. I have a feeling I will be napping on and off throughout the whole flight anyways, since I’ve always been somebody who loves to nap.
3. Freshen Up
There is nothing worse than feeling grimy and tired when you take your first steps off of your flight to a new country. This is supposed to be an exciting time- but it’s often overwhelmed by a need to sleep, shower, and eat something other than airline peanuts. In my carry-on I plan on bringing a toothbrush, mini toothpaste, face wipes, and moisturizer. Before we arrive at our destination (it will be 8AM there so we will likely have a full day ahead of us before being able to check into our hotel) I will brush my teeth, and wash/moisturize my face. Many people have said that this can make all the differerence, so we will see!
4. Drink Tons of Water & Bring Snacks
I am so guilty of not drinking enough water in my daily life, so this will be tough for me. I plan on bringing a water bottle and filling it up at a water fountain at the airport. I do this almost every time because I just can’t justify spending $5.00 on a 12oz. plastic water bottle, and the tiny air plane cups just don’t do it for me. I’m also going to pack a bunch of healthy snacks so that I don’t succumb to the temptation of buying overpriced chips and candy at the airport convenience store. I haven’t gotten all the details figured out yet – but I imagine that I will bring trail mix, granola bars, mixed nuts, and a few other things of this nature.
As I keep planning and preparing, I will try to keep you all up to date. I want to document every aspect of this adventure. 🙂
xo,
Jaclyn
