Has anyone flown to New Zealand?

[bill]

I'm flying down next week ostensibly to see my sister, but we'll be doing a lot of horse treking, jumping and gliding.

Any tips on how to handle a flight that lasts 16 hours?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

1. No. No one in the history of man has done that.

Good luck.

[TahitiNut]

5. !

:rofl:

[Yuugal]

2. an idea

stay awake for 48 hrs before the flight and then sleeeeeeeeeeeeep!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. Sleep, but also get up and walk around periodically

and drink all the liquids that they offer.

You'll be flying west, so it may be late afternoon or early evening NZ time when you arrive. If so, force yourself to stay awake till at least 10PM local time. Then go to bed.

You'll wake up 8 or 10 hours later, largely in synch with NZ time. Eat a light breakfast and get out and walk around in daylight.

You may still have a couple of sleepy periods, but force yourself to stay awake till evening.

In a couple of days, you'll be fine.

(Advice from one who is a frequent traveler to Japan.)

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Stopped in Hawaii on the way down

and fiji on the way back. But that was back in the days when airplane tickets were airplane tickets, I'm not sure you can do that anymore. Fiji was excellent.

[MADem]

4. I've flown from the East Coast to Asia by way of Hawaii

and it is a misery....sleeping is the ticket. Get on the plane tired, eat a little, walk around a bit, wiggle your toes often, and then crash...

[trixie]

7. Don't forget to try the Zorbs

Big plastic bubble like a rat ball, filled with water that you roll (inside) down a hill. Looks like a blast!

[bikebloke]

8. Did it and survived.

Boy, was I knackered. And I had my bike with me, so I rode from the airport into town. In my fatigue, I didn't secure my tent tightly on the back. It fell off on the way. Luckily, a Kiwi spotted it and gave me a holler. Whew! That was close, since I spent most of my time sleeping in my tent while pedalling around the country. I'm sorry I couldn't find a legal way to stay. Sometimes, I wish I'd have hunkered down illegally. Great country and folk.

[TahitiNut]

9. Try a layover in Tahiti.

Tahiti is about halfway between Los Angeles and Wellington.

On edit: Avoid alcohol!! Drinking makes jetlag worse. Don't do it.

[Dirty Hippie]

10. During my flight to China

I had the good fortune to have prescribed muscle relaxers. I swear they saved me.

Aside from that, get one of those cheap blow-up neck support pillows.

[Jemmons]

11. Get POSH!

There is actually a number of things that will make long distance traveling a less untoward experience:

* Bring a deckchair and catch some sun if possible.
* Bring a map that will let you track the progress of your vessel as you keep moving.
* Write notes and letters to your family and friend that lets them know how far you have come.
* Get POSH tickets: Port out, starboard home, so that you do not have to endure too much sun.
* Have gift and tokens ready for the natives, in case you meet any on your journey.

[Lorien]

12. A friend of mine with family in India uses Ambien

she estimates what time she would be going to sleep at her destination, then takes one at that time and sleeps a solid eight hours on the plane. She awakes with her internal clock reset (she has trouble sleeping on the plane otherwise).

For long plane trips, I find that a portable DVD player with a long lasting battery, recharger and a good selection of never before seen DVDs really helps (along with a good book, of course). A neck roll pillow-especially the novaform type, is helpful. And a packable polar fleece blanket is good to have along. Wear loose shoes that you can kick off, and thick socks. Don't forget to walk around the plane every two hours at least when you're awake, and try to wiggle your feet/ toes often-deep vein thrombosis is a real danger on long trips like that (blood clots).

[xchrom]

13. i use valium.

take a couple -- and --- zzzzzzzz.

and no i haven't had jet lag yet.

[NNadir]

14. Read Finnegan's Wake.

It will bore you to sleep.

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. Take some books, some snacks, a change of underwear, a toothbrush,

and I always travel with a wet washcloth in a ziplock bag stored next to a small ice pack, for those moments when the face needs some washing and or just a refreshing. For a long flight, it feels great to change the underwear, even the undershirt, somewhere toward the end, and wash the face, brush the teeth, use some mouthwash... and nowadays, you can buy those disposable tooth brushing things that you slip over your finger, some of those listerine thingies you put on your tongue, and even disposable face wipes. But still take the cold wet washcloth.

You will likely have a shitload of movie choices on your own personal screen that you can pause and rewind and watch whenever you want - those will help.

[gollygee]

16. I've flown to Australia a few times

bring books, crossword puzzles, ipod, whatever, and you will probably have a little TV with movies and video games on the back of the seat in front of you.

grin and bear it.

Have fun in NZ!