My family and I will be flying in two nights, and while I can do it with what I'd think are only normal levels of anxiety, I'm no big fan of being on airplanes.

A friend was supposed to tag along, but she flaked out. She can't sleep for several nights before flying, grunts and screams through the entire flight, grabs people... once even vomited on a plane from motion sickness. I manage with simply saying a little prayer; resolving that when we crash, I'll probably die quickly; ensuring my laptop has got enough juice to occupy me when I'm done scoffing at the trash in SkyMall (which I must always read); and taking a sinus relief med 30 mins. before landing (saves me from cabin pressure-shifting headaches). For long distances and time zone jumping, I strategically don't sleep for 18-24 hours beforehand, so that I can generally be out like a light in the sky and refreshed upon arrival. Oh... and I've always gotta be comfortable, yet actively cute enroute to my destination. You never know when you'll run into Tyra Banks or someting.

What do you guys do when you fly? Are there rituals or things that must be in place?

[Edited 6/4/10 13:42pm]

I walk to my seat, stow my carry-on and say hello to the person who will be sitting next to me. Then I turn on my iPod and crack open a book.

When the flight attendant comes by, I order a Jack Daniels and Diet Pepsi (no matter what time of day it is) and sip it for the duration.

I need a plaster (patch) so that I don't get travel sick . I am not really a fan of flying anyway, so that makes it worse as it has loads of annoying side affects.

BTW if you come to Vienna too let me know .

Serious said:

I need a plaster (patch) so that I don't get travel sick . I am not really a fan of flying anyway, so that makes it worse as it has loads of annoying side affects.

BTW if you come to Vienna too let me know .

I absolutely will.

imagine you're in a car. it feels the same.

Best wishes

I'd hang out the window during waving a sign and screaming "fuck you I do what I waaaant "

but they refuse to open one for me

Mach said:

Best wishes

I'd hang out the window during waving a sign and screaming "fuck you I do what I waaaant "

but they refuse to open one for me

I usually wipe as much of the seat as I can, including the fabric, with a clorox wipe. I'll usually take a Xanax before I board to give it time to work. I think I'll need something more powerful from now on since the last flight I took I had one of the worst anxiety attacks of my life. I'm not even scared of flying.

I usually try to fly JetBlue whenever possible, so I plug in my NC headphones and watch TV. I imagine I'd just watch some stuff on my laptop for other airlines.

Lammastide said:

Mach said:

Best wishes

I'd hang out the window during waving a sign and screaming "fuck you I do what I waaaant "

but they refuse to open one for me

I love flying ~

Stared at age 2

started flying cross country alone at age 12

haven't stopped

I hit the bar at at the airport, order a double whatever...

swerve to the gate, board, stow my crap...

chat up my seat neighbor, order more drinks and proceed to fall asleep, snoring loudly...

works like a charm!

start with a prayer and remember the eddie murphy joke from delirious and giggle while walking by the flight crew. I usually listen to music or read. I enjoy traveling and dislike the flying even though I enjoy the solitude under the head phones, even when someone is with me. Last year with my youngest we watched a movie on my laptop.

had a very bad flying experience as a child--Texas thunderstorm for a california baby- shudder, mama told me to pray, so I make my peace with the Lawd just in case, every time.

then I am good.

Lammastide said:

My family and I will be flying in two nights, and while I can do it with what I'd think are only normal levels of anxiety, I'm no big fan of being on airplanes.

A friend was supposed to tag along, but she flaked out. She can't sleep for several nights before flying, grunts and screams through the entire flight, grabs people... once even vomited on a plane from motion sickness. I manage with simply saying a little prayer; resolving that when we crash, I'll probably die quickly; ensuring my laptop has got enough juice to occupy me when I'm done scoffing at the trash in SkyMall (which I must always read); and taking a sinus relief med 30 mins. before landing (saves me from cabin pressure-shifting headaches). For long distances and time zone jumping, I strategically don't sleep for 18-24 hours beforehand, so that I can generally be out like a light in the sky and refreshed upon arrival. Oh... and I've always gotta be comfortable, yet actively cute enroute to my destination. You never know when you'll run into Tyra Banks or someting.

What do you guys do when you fly? Are there rituals or things that must be in place?

[Edited 6/4/10 13:42pm]

I try to avoid the paparazzi.

I've tried the not sleep before day of my flight... it doesn't work. So, I read, look at a movie and

drink.

[Edited 6/4/10 21:16pm]

I'll often wear basketball shorts to stay well ventilated because the idea of being crammed into a tin can while I sweat my balls off does not appeal to me. So I wear shorts to stay cool.

And always sit on the toilet for a minute before I go to the airport because I dont want to be the one guy that ruins the flight for everyone.

I'm cool with flying. I do have to make sure the space around me is uncluttered - I hate being in a confined space with all sorts of shit around me.

Flying with my kids next to me make this very dificult - colouring books, earphones, crayons and stuff. It really gets on my nerves.

My husband is a nervous flyer and has to drink alcohol before he flies, even if it's early in the morning. I usually get my kids to sit either side of him on the plane to keep him occupied and take his mind off things. It works well.

Good luck with your flight!

There things I love about flying and things I hate. I am in the middle about take-off and landing; it makes me nervous, but at the same time I'm elated, cuz flying's still a wonder to me and it gets me to where I wanna be, but the movements of the plane at those times wrecks havoc on my nerves.

The pressurised cabin almost always makes me sniffly and gives me headaches. Which SUCKS.

The nerves are always tempered by reading and something silly as playing Tetris on a gameboy. And, depending on who sits next to you, either talking to or ignoring the hell outa someone.

easy...no rituals...i dont fly

I love to fly. Flew on my own when I was 13 yrs old.

I have enjoyed every flight I have ever been on except the last one to Vienna. I was pregnant and experienced motion sickness for the first time on a plane. Almost puked or passed out, it was horrible.

Longest flight I have been on was 12 hours non-stop.

I enjoyed this plane the most:

[img:$uid]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/Shanti0608/Wedding%20Sri%20Lanka/Honeymoon770.jpg[/img:$uid]

MrsMdiver said:

I love to fly. Flew on my own when I was 13 yrs old.

I have enjoyed every flight I have ever been on except the last one to Vienna. I was pregnant and experienced motion sickness for the first time on a plane. Almost puked or passed out, it was horrible.

Longest flight I have been on was 12 hours non-stop.

I enjoyed this plane the most:

[img:$uid]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/Shanti0608/Wedding%20Sri%20Lanka/Honeymoon770.jpg[/img:$uid]

Lammastide said:

My family and I will be flying in two nights, and while I can do it with what I'd think are only normal levels of anxiety, I'm no big fan of being on airplanes.

A friend was supposed to tag along, but she flaked out. She can't sleep for several nights before flying, grunts and screams through the entire flight, grabs people... once even vomited on a plane from motion sickness. I manage with simply saying a little prayer; resolving that when we crash, I'll probably die quickly; ensuring my laptop has got enough juice to occupy me when I'm done scoffing at the trash in SkyMall (which I must always read); and taking a sinus relief med 30 mins. before landing (saves me from cabin pressure-shifting headaches). For long distances and time zone jumping, I strategically don't sleep for 18-24 hours beforehand, so that I can generally be out like a light in the sky and refreshed upon arrival. Oh... and I've always gotta be comfortable, yet actively cute enroute to my destination. You never know when you'll run into Tyra Banks or someting.

What do you guys do when you fly? Are there rituals or things that must be in place?

[Edited 6/4/10 13:42pm]

I've not flown since Feb 2000.

ThreadBare said:

Lammastide said:

My family and I will be flying in two nights, and while I can do it with what I'd think are only normal levels of anxiety, I'm no big fan of being on airplanes.

A friend was supposed to tag along, but she flaked out. She can't sleep for several nights before flying, grunts and screams through the entire flight, grabs people... once even vomited on a plane from motion sickness. I manage with simply saying a little prayer; resolving that when we crash, I'll probably die quickly; ensuring my laptop has got enough juice to occupy me when I'm done scoffing at the trash in SkyMall (which I must always read); and taking a sinus relief med 30 mins. before landing (saves me from cabin pressure-shifting headaches). For long distances and time zone jumping, I strategically don't sleep for 18-24 hours beforehand, so that I can generally be out like a light in the sky and refreshed upon arrival. Oh... and I've always gotta be comfortable, yet actively cute enroute to my destination. You never know when you'll run into Tyra Banks or someting.

What do you guys do when you fly? Are there rituals or things that must be in place?

[Edited 6/4/10 13:42pm]

You know by now that I'm entirely defenseless against that comparison.

i'm not afraid of heights or air crashes, but i'm highly claustrophobic. long flights in coach really do my head in.

This has been my ritual for the last three or four years. 12-24 hours before the flight I take Bonine, then one to four hours before the flight I take Benadryl. If I have a cold or allergies, the last thing I want to feel when descending is stabbing in my ears. When I sit and get strapped up in my seat and get comfortable, I pop gum in my mouth, unless I've already been chewing. When the plane is just about ready to take off, I say The Lord's Prayer, and then one of four songs plays in my head, "Fly Away" ~ Lenny Kravitz, "Spread My Wings"~ Troop, "Love's Light in Flight" ~ Stevie Wonder, or "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" ~ Genesis. Yes I'm strange!

Lammastide said:

What do you guys do when you fly? Are there rituals or things that must be in place?

I pinch myself and realize I'm dreaming. I don't like to leave my apartment anymore, never mind Toronto.

I usually lose sleep on the way out somewhere.... My roll about is one of my favorite sounds of all though.

On return flights, I have usually been pitched on the plane completely sleep deprived and hung over. IE... we left Amsterdam after an all night send off and 2 hour sleep. From London, I stayed out all night with Jon (Electrostar) and Steve(Predominate) slept 2 hours, woke up completely hungover ate chef Steve's bacon sandwich cure , and Phil (MDiver) drove me to the airport and had coffee while I finished sobering up. I always think the exhaustion will help me sleep but the cabin preasure and I aren't friends, thus I have a long flight anyway.

SIDE BAR: On the way back from Amsterdam via Germany, I was in the center isle of a jumbo jet. ( hoping to be able to stretch out and sleep over the 5 seats.) The gentlemen in the 5th seat was clearly a sky marshal. I'm a natural born shrink and it was obvious this delightful soul was not only cognisant of my every move, but knew every move occurring on the flight. Where i drifted in and out over the 11 hours, he knew exactly when i woke up and had the stewardess leave my meals and or blankets pillows, never fell into a relaxed unaware state and gave off an "at work" professional attitude at all times.

Muse2NoPharaoh said:

I usually lose sleep on the way out somewhere.... My roll about is one of my favorite sounds of all though.

On return flights, I have usually been pitched on the plane completely sleep deprived and hung over. IE... we left Amsterdam after an all night send off and 2 hour sleep. From London, I stayed out all night with Jon (Electrostar) and Steve(Predominate) slept 2 hours, woke up completely hungover ate chef Steve's bacon sandwich cure , and Phil (MDiver) drove me to the airport and had coffee while I finished sobering up. I always think the exhaustion will help me sleep but the cabin preasure and I aren't friends, thus I have a long flight anyway.

i do that too! one flight i was still tipsy and slept so deeply on the plane i didn't even feel it land

there's something kinda fun about being silly drunk at airports early in the morning

Must have tunes available. This used to include having a lap full of CDs and a Discman, but now carry an iPod.

Sometimes reading as a passenger makes me nauseous, so I like to bring just one new magazine.

Otherwise I can sleep at the drop of a