I’ve gone to Asia twice. So, four times I have been in a jet for more
than 14 hours at a time. I thought it would be a nightmare, but it
really wasn’t that bad. If this is your first time on an international
flight, you’ll be surprised to find out how comfortable the seating is.
On international flights, there’s more leg room, and every inch is
appreciated. Also, the seats leaned back further than on domestic
flights. sdgsdg
One lifesaver on any flight is having one of those little pillows for your neck. I used one that you blow up because it was so easy to stow in my carry-on bag, folding up to the size of half a deck of cards. It was very comfortable and easy to deal with.
I also always ask for a blanket and pillow (or two) from the steward or stewardess for extra padding and shifting and otherwise setting up my little “seat-bed”.
International flights, of course, feature movies and television shows. On our flights, we saw a couple of Korean programs, Chinese kung fu movies, as well as American movies. Sometimes, the screens would demonstrate exercises to remind us to stretch our legs and shoulders and arms. That felt good. People often got up and walked around to stretch and talk, too. I enjoyed the casual, friendly atmosphere of the flights to and from Asia.
I found the meals to be delicious. We were offered several different choices, some traditional Chinese or Korean fare, as well as American food.
One of our stewards was very fun and entertaining. On these particular flights, alcoholic drinks were complimentary, and he would walk down the aisles, calling, “Free booze! Free booze!”
Our steward spoke fluent Chinese and English, and he liked to have passengers practice their Chinese on him. If they were way off the mark, he would laugh and say, “You’d better practice some more!” But if you spoke pretty well, he would say, “Ah, good! You’ve been working on it!”
These long flights are fascinating, too, because you might meet the most interesting people and have a chance to really get to know them. I had some wonderful seat-mates.
One guy who sat next to me was an author and psychologist. He was an expert in human potential and was traveling to China to help in training the people who would be operating the great Three Gorges Dam, the largest dam in the world, which stretches more than a mile across the Yangtze River. If they were to make a mistake in operating it, millions could die, he said.
A high school girl I sat next to on another flight was coming back from spending a semester in China after staying with a Chinese family. She had some interesting stories to tell about the school she attended and the family with whom she stayed.
Of course, with any flight, the noise will get to you after awhile. The constant drone of the engines is fatiguing, so having noise-cancelling headphones is a great help.
I was surprised that I enjoyed the international flights. The service was friendly, the food was good, the seating more comfortable than normal, the “neighbors” were friendly, and the anticipation of arriving in China was exciting!
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