Random Thoughts XII - This Thread Delivers
- Thread starter stormchaser2014
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Thank you! I'd been really sort of antsy about the flight difference - you're right, getting in right at 8:30 AM. I had been debating what I should do about sleep, even got some Ambien from my Dr.
Sleeping on a plane has never been my forte. I have gotten a couple of minor naps in. What airline are you using? Different ones have different entertainment options. My last flight was United and the flight out none of their stuff worked. On the flight back you needed to download some United app BEFORE you got on the plane so I was stuck with the extremely limited free entertainment they provided.
Some people take melatonin. I have never taken anything.
We're also United - which sucks, as I don't like United in any circumstances. Their seats are so uncomfortable, and O'Hare generally sucks. I'm also a terrible car/plane sleeper!
You should be able to go online for your flight and find out what entertainment options you have. Watching a movie or two or three helps pass the time when you are sitting there for hours. You can only do so many crossword puzzles.
And the customs stuff in O'Hare when you come back was weird. Last time I landed and walked for what seemed 2 miles before we got to customs. Then they have a bunch of self service stations (like checking in) where you scan your passport and they take a picture of you before you get in line. It's probably done like that in all the airports now.
When I landed in London it took about 2 hours to get through customs.
When in doubt "non parlo Italiano"
I nearly got to ***** out the admin that booked me at my last job once for giving me one hour to get off of my flight from the UK through customs, over to the other terminal, back through security and to my gate. Somehow it worked out.
Minneapolis customs is like that, too. What's scary is that it actually seems to work.
Since I rarely travel for work, my flights are almost always for vacation or something I actually want to do. I am usually in total relaxation mode for every flight I take. As a result, I fall asleep on nearly every flight. It may also have something to do with my packing procrastination problems and not getting to sleep until 2 AM the night before every flight I take.
I think mine cut it pretty close when getting back through customs as well last time.
Poor Angie is going to read these posts and start having second thoughts.
I'm my daughter's running buddy for her 5K Girls on the Run event this Saturday. I was feeling pretty good running 2.5 miles a few weeks ago before hurting an ankle. I haven't been able to do much more than 1.5 miles lately without feeling some pain. I'm debating staying away from any more runs this week until the race on Saturday so I give it time to heal all the way.
I generally try to sleep or at least rest on the long flights in when I know I need to stay awake on arrival. One of those neck pillows may help you. And ear buds. I've generally not had too bad of jet lag on the arrival if I'm out doing stuff right away the first couple days. If you're sitting in meetings........yes. Even on the way back I seem to do ok. But I've noticed it hits DH pretty hard, which is odd because he's typically one fine with staying up late or having weird hours. I'm usually not!
Italy will be so much fun - friends went last year and had a great time. Now different friends are going this year. Must be the place to visit!
Ha, last year we were minutes from missing the plane. But it was mostly due to the flight not allowing us to be checked in for the second leg for whatever reason. So we spent most of the time in the counter line before going through customs and security. Then security pulled me aside for my cross stitch scissors.......which were fine and I got to keep. I told DH to go ahead and hold the plane for me, lol. He was boarding as I arrived. Sweaty, overheated, and in too many layers of clothing is not a fun way to spend a 90 minute flight.
Have you or wx or anyone used Mobile Pass? My mom had me download it, as she said it helped during short customs times - I guess you send your passport business to customs an hour or two before you get there. I don't know exactly how it helps.
That makes total sense. Maybe I'll do Melatonin rather than Ambien - because then I'm not screwed for the entire day if I can't sleep while on it. With Ambien, you need 7 - 8 hours of sleep.
I got one of these pillows in hopes that it will be versatile: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...VTLXACh0XZwf8EAQYASABEgKQ3fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
It packs down small. My mom is a snorer, so I got some earbuds that go inside of this headband thing. I realize I may be being a little silly, but I want to not hate the world the second I set foot in Rome!
Same here, obviously - but it looks sorta slick, I hope:
https://mobilepassport.us/
Which is good, because we've only got an hour and fifty minutes in Chicago on the way home.
Denver is the same also. And no, it didn't work. It almost would have worked, except we had to go back through security, and when we were at the head of the line and next to put our stuff on the xray belt, they brought an old man & his wife to the head of the line. He was in an airport wheelchair. They were completely confused by what they had to put on the belt, what they had to take off and out of their pockets....ay yi yi. Oh, by the way - the dude was walking, just slowly. We missed our connection by less than five minutes. The plane was still at the gate, but they had already shut the door.
Edit - this was our return flight from Okinawa, Christmas 2017.
The trip to Oki, we missed our connection in Denver BOTH times. Weather in DSM on the outbound leg (missed by 15 minutes that time), and the issue mentioned above on the return trip. Despite all the flight issues (and the unexpected but definitely enjoyed day spent in San Francisco), we were able to laugh about all of the problems because we had booked the 10-day trip in the middle of a two week vacation period; we were arriving about a week before Christmas, and returning several days before New Years, so we had a little give on each end of the trip for travel mishaps. It definitely saved the trip to not be stressing about being back in time to go back to work.
One thing PapaLew & I have realized - we're no longer slaves to returning on time. And in many cases, to arriving on time. We have decided we will start accepting offers to bump for cash (if it's enough cash) on overbooked flights. Travel is becoming a LOT more fun and relaxing.
One thing PapaLew & I have realized - we're no longer slaves to returning on time. And in many cases, to arriving on time. We have decided we will start accepting offers to bump for cash (if it's enough cash) on overbooked flights. Travel is becoming a LOT more fun and relaxing.
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