Rites passage
Herald Travel staff share some of the pre-flight routines that get us through longhaul travel
I know most people hate airports. I love them. They’re the promise of new adventures; the guarantee that soon you’ll be somewhere else. So I’ll get to the airport early enough to take my time getting through passport control and security, browse the duty free shops and, depending on the time of day, drink a coffee or glass of wine while doing some serious peoplewatching.
For longhaul flights, I’ve got my on-board ritual down pat — in fact,
I’m so relaxed about flying I’m usually snoozing before we’ve even taken off. Then I’ll watch movies until after the food service has been and gone, followed by a trip to the bathroom to change into loungewear and brush my teeth. Then it’s eye-mask on, ear plugs in, and I’ll generally sleep until they wake me up for breakfast. Yes, sorry, I’m that person. I can sleep anywhere, anyhow, no matter how cramped my cabin experience. What I’m good at is packing. No matter how many times I travel, I still can’t get stuffing my suitcase down to a fine art. But I’m happy to keep practising. My pre-flight ritual would be taking public transport to the airport, preferably the very last one going. Even if I’ve never ridden it before, it’s notoriously complicated and I don’t speak the language. Even if there’s the offer of a lift. “No, no, it’s quite all right.”
More accurately, my ritual is the mad dash for the departure gate. I’d prescribe it to anyone. On the flights you actually do catch, the relief is fantastic. Not even spin-cycle turbulence, insomnolent babies and the judgment of an entire airbus that you’ve just delayed can stop you sleeping the sleep of the righteous. Since I was a kid, I’ve always had McDonald’s for breakfast before a morning flight. I just don’t feel complete without a stodgy feed of syrup-drenched hotcakes, hash browns and hot chocolate – and it’s usually better than what you’ll get on board.
During take-off, I like to have a song queued up to play for the exact moment we leave the ground. Usually it will be themed around flight, the sky or the region I’m visiting — the right song will really help me get amped for a trip. Kanye West’s is a favourite and I always listen to
Look Blue Go Purple or the Clean when I land in Dunedin.
A couple of years ago I was suckered into buying an expensive bottle of Cactus Flower & Tibetan Ginseng Hydrating Face Mist at a Kiehl’s shop in Kuala Lumpur. I felt like a right ponce at the time, but it’s great for freshening up during a dry longhaul flight and now I never fly without it.