17 hour flight..1 nights sleep and start a tour at 6:45am..need your advice??

Arequipa

Hi!

In a few weeks, I am flying to Perth via Dubai. The trip will be about 18-19 hours including a short layover in Dubai.
I depart Dublin about 1pm & I arrive in Perth around 6pm the following evening.
The next morning, i will be joining a touring group at 6:45am.
Can you recommend the best way to manage this trip & arrive relatively fresh in Australia?
Any advice about food and drink, sleep;when and how long to try and sleep etc...
I got sleeping pills, as to date I have been unable to sleep in economy seats!

Thanks a million!

Arequipa.

tatli_lokma

On any flight over 2 hours I always bring a pillow - the ones the airline give out are useless and I hate those inflatable yokes. I have this great pillow which is cylindrical and quite small, and you can bend and mold it around your neck. I also bring an eye mask. Finally, I bring a pair of slipper socks, and I pop them on once I get on board. I find these things really help me to be a bit more comfortable and sleep, or at least nod off, on a flight.

Daisies

What I find helpful is to set your watch to your destination time and try to sleep when it is night time at your destination.
+1 for bringing your own pillow

jester77

Catch some sleep on the flight to Dubai, Dubai has shower facilities, take a shower, change of clothes and get refreshed. I would avoid sleeping on the connection to Perth and have a bit of food when you arrive. Hit the sack around 10 pm, you should be tired enough to sleep through until the morning and have enough energy to get you though to the evening of the following day.

Arequipa

Hey! Thank you for the replies!
Where would you get those pillows?!
I am thinking of taking sleeping pills as I have never managed to sleep on a long flight: got them in Spain; called Dormidina / or something along those lines!
So would it be better to try & sleep on the 1st flight?

Arequipa.

Peregrinus

I've done this a lot.

What works for some people doesn't work for others, but for what it's worth this is what works for me.

1. However tempting it may be, avoid all alcohol on your flight -both segments. Alcohol dehydrates, which is at the root of jetlag.

2. Take water whenever it is offered, even if you don't feel thirsty at the time. Plus buy your own bottle of water once you're airside at your departure airport, and bring it on board so if you are thirsty you can drink without having to wait to be served water. If you find you're not allowed to bring it on board, as occasionally happens, drink it before you get on.

3 Don't overeat; it may make it difficult to sleep.

4. Once you get on the second flight segment, move your watch to the local time in Perth, and behave accordingly. If it's nighttime by Perth time, sleep. If you can't sleep, pretend to sleep; you will at least doze. Resist the temptation to watch the screen. Do not accept a meal in the middle of the night, Perth time. If necessary, buy and eat a meal at the airport before getting on the plane so you won't be tempted by the airline meal, if that's going to be served when you should be sleeping.

5. I find sleeping pills are no help at all. Your mileage may vary.

6. IPod is your friend. You can doze while listening to an audiobook or the like. This helps to resist the temptation to look at the screen, and it avoids the risk that the audio selection on the in-flight entertainment will be sh*te, as it usually is.

7. The two keys to surviving a flight are sleep, or something close to it, and water.

Arequipa

Peregrinus! Thank u for the great advice!
I will drink lots of water & note the Perth time on landing in Dubai.
The flight is Dublin -Dubai
2hours layover
Then Dubai - Perth. The 2nd flight departs at about 1am Dubai time.
I am flying Emirates on a Boeing 777; a fantastic jet, but they really 'pack em in' in economy: up to 10 seats across 3-4-3
I picked out seats in rows 49 & 50 which are in 2's; easier to move around etc

Arequipa.

dingding

Also check to see if you can book an exit row seat. You migh pay extra for this but well worth it.

Arequipa

Hey! Yea, i booked seats on all 4 flights; some are marked 'blue'; for disabled customers if required, but unless a customer with a disability flies, you get the seat.
Earplugs are an idea also....

Thank u!

InTheTrees

Eugh.

First thing is to get really predatory and make sure you have a good seat. Just a little extra room can make all the difference.

Exit row, emergency exit row, NO bulkheads, No seats at the last row that dont fold. Etc etc.

If there's a chance the flight wont be full reserve your seat towards the back, those seats seem to fill up last and you're more likely to get an empty seat beside you.

Eye shades are good, as are neck supports, and something to dull the noise too. Ear plugs?

I've tried prescription sleeping pills and they were a disaster, I'm sitting there wide awake but barely conscious, awful.

The best sleeping aide I've found is good old fashioned Dramamine.

InTheTrees

Arequipa wrote: »

Hey! Yea, i booked seats on all 4 flights; some are marked 'blue'; for disabled customers if required, but unless a customer with a disability flies, you get the seat.
Earplugs are an idea also....

Thank u!

And if the flight is full and a disabled person arrives would you get bumped into first class I wonder?

I've been bumped up twice and its pretty amazing.

mel.b

When i fly to Oz i do the following...

- try to match my sleeping time to OZ as soon as possible. You're departing at 1pm Irish time, which is 9pm Perth time. I'd try to stay up as late as possible the night before your flight so you can sleep on the DUB - DXB leg. Then stay awake as much as you can on the leg to perth. You're arriving in Perth at 6pm so you only need to try and stay awake for 3-4hrs and then can sleep again for the night.

- wear really comfy clothes or take some tracky pants to change into. Def ditch the shoes as soon as you can, but make sure your shoes aren't too tight too start with otherwise you might struggle to get them back on as your feet can swell.

- get a neck pillow, but not one with the small beans in them and not an inflatable one. The ones with the small beans compress too easily and the air ones aren't comfy. Try luggage shops first and if that fails you will be able to get one at the airport. I think mine is a samsonite.

- take and use an eye mask. You might not feel tired but put your eye mask on, recline your chair, shut ypur eyes and you'll be amazed how you can actually fall asleep.

- keep an eye on the seating chart and try to get a seat with no one next to you(tricky if you are flying at xmas time!) If you end up with someone next to you, keep an eye on the seats around you as the plane boards - you might be able to nab another seat with no one there. As soon as the doors are shut, the flight attendants will normally let you change seats.

- i always prefer aisle seats as you've got more room to stretch your legs but the disadvatage is that will have to get up for your seat mate to get past you.

- don't eat too much and drink plenty of (non alcoholic) fluids. If you're planning to sleep you can ket the FA know that you don't want to be disturbed.

- if you have one, stick your ipad up with a fav tv show, or a show you have been wanting to see. I had a whole season of Dexter on mine and was amazed how fast the time went on my last flight.

HTH & enjoy your flight

tommyombomb

i always bring a pair of sunglasses. makes it easier to sleep as the light is dimmed

Arequipa

Thanks a mil!
I will be flying out just a couple of days before Christmas, so I imagine it will be quite busy.
I chose 50A on the Dublin - Dubai flight. I attached a pic of the seat plan: the seat is at the very back: I hope the seats can recline.

re. the possibility of an upgrade: this would be fab, ...is always a good idea to dress well & if a seat becomes available, they might pick someone who fits in!
Love the advice about
- changing time
-sleeping on earlier flights
-pillow & eye patches
-earplugs
-lots of water
-not so much food
-oh yea, good music or dvd on iphone/ipad

Thanks so much!

Arequipa.

InTheTrees

mel.b wrote: »

keep an eye on the seats around you as the plane boards - you might be able to nab another seat with no one there. As soon as the doors are shut, the flight attendants will normally let you change seats.

This is good advice. Its amazing how people are lazy and stay where they're put, but the attendants will have no problem moving you if you want as long as everyone's on board and the doors are closed.

So pay attention if there's empty seats around you or (Holy Grail) an empty row. And when the door's close make your move.

:cool:

dingding

Arequipa wrote: »

Thanks a mil!
I will be flying out just a couple of days before Christmas, so I imagine it will be quite busy.
I chose 50A on the Dublin - Dubai flight. I attached a pic of the seat plan: the seat is at the very back: I hope the seats can recline.

re. the possibility of an upgrade: this would be fab, ...is always a good idea to dress well & if a seat becomes available, they might pick someone who fits in!
Love the advice about
- changing time
-sleeping on earlier flights
-pillow & eye patches
-earplugs
-lots of water
-not so much food
-oh yea, good music or dvd on iphone/ipad

Thanks so much!

Arequipa.

Try and get a seat in row 23 or 37 as they are at exit rows.



http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Emirates_Airlines/Emirates_Airlines_Boeing_777-300ER_3class.php


Even if you have to pay for this seat it would be worth it.

Todd Gack

Arequipa wrote: »

I got sleeping pills, as to date I have been unable to sleep in economy seats

Bring your prescription for the sleeping pills with you as most sleeping tablets are controlled substances in UAE http://www.fairtrials.net/press/press-releases/list-of-controlled-pharmaceutical-substances-in-uae/

Arequipa

Hi! I got sleeping tablets 'Dormadina' in Spain over the counter.
Any idea, would it be safe to bring them through Dubai?

Peregrinus

You're unlikely to get into trouble, if that's your concern, but they could very well be confiscated.

If that prospect worries you, then better to visit your doctor before getting on the plane and get him to prescribe something, and then buy what has been prescribed and carry it with the prescription.

Gatica

Daisies wrote: »

What I find helpful is to set your watch to your destination time and try to sleep when it is night time at your destination.

Peregrinus wrote: »

1. However tempting it may be, avoid all alcohol on your flight -both segments. Alcohol dehydrates, which is at the root of jetlag.

2. Take water whenever it is offered, even if you don't feel thirsty at the time. Plus buy your own bottle of water once you're airside at your departure airport, and bring it on board so if you are thirsty you can drink without having to wait to be served water. If you find you're not allowed to bring it on board, as occasionally happens, drink it before you get on.

...
4. Once you get on the second flight segment, move your watch to the local time in Perth, and behave accordingly. If it's nighttime by Perth time, sleep. If you can't sleep, pretend to sleep; you will at least doze. Resist the temptation to watch the screen. Do not accept a meal in the middle of the night, Perth time. If necessary, buy and eat a meal at the airport before getting on the plane so you won't be tempted by the airline meal, if that's going to be served when you should be sleeping.

5. I find sleeping pills are no help at all. Your mileage may vary.

I once watched a program on beating jetlag and it mentioned all of the above, drink water, avoid alcohol and stay awake or sleep at destination time as soon as it becomes possible. The main thing that apparently works though is starting to take meals as appropriate at your destination.
It's tempting to eat in-flight meals cos you've paid for it already, so to speak, and watch the movies cos they've not come out yet. However, avoiding it with suggestions already made is wiser, especially as you've an early start at your destination.
As mentioned already, try to stay awake from earlier than Irish morning-time before your flight. Being extra tired will help you doze on the flight, or at least will aid reset your body clock when you finally have proper sleep in Perth.

delricyo

+1 on all the advice above

I dont think the advice about dressing well to try and get an upgrade is true. It might be one of those urban legends. Best way to get an upgrade is to pay for it

Anyway, definitely wear tracky bottoms or loose jeans.
Bring a change of some of your clothes (socks etc). A poster above mentioned shower in Dubai if you have time. This combined with a change of clothes will make the second leg nicer.
Keep checking the check-in option on the Emirates website. I changed my seats a few hours before I got on the plane before - as I saw a free row of seats available.
As with all aircraft, I suggest sitting at the back. AFAIK, check in agents will fill from the front to back. You might have a better chance of free seats at the back
Best of luck with the 777 - its a tight fit
The meal situation doesnt bother me. Im never too full after them - so you should still be able to sleep. Keep hydrated.
And podcasts are great for dosing off to ...

Any time I fly LH, I follow these steps. But sometimes, jetlag gets you anyway
Enjoy your journey and holiday

InTheTrees

delricyo wrote: »

Best of luck with the 777

Are they the ones with the arm rests that dont rotate up out of the way? I came across that recently after being lucky enough to get an empty seat beside me.

Eugh.

I remember the good old days of quarter full jumbos with the free booze and smoking section at the back...

:pac:

tatli_lokma

delricyo wrote: »

As with all aircraft, I suggest sitting at the back. AFAIK, check in agents will fill from the front to back. You might have a better chance of free seats at the back
oliday

I thought that check in was done in a manner that allows the plane to be weighted correctly? so I thought they would check in people front, middle, back, front middle back and so on, alternating between sides?

Arequipa

Thank you for your responses!
Think i will give my GP a call tomorrow & get some sleeping pills....
Yea, i hear the A330 is a smaller plane, but has more room for passengers....!!

Arequipa.