Need LOOOONG Trip Advice

[Bichon Barb]

It's official. DH and I leave for Penang Malaysia on 12/6. My parents are going to live at our house with the human and fur kids while we are gone.

I was hoping some of you with experience in flying to the other side of the planet could give me some advice. Here's our itinerary:

3:30 p.m (Saturday) - Syracuse to Pitt to LA
11:00 p.m. - Leave LA to Taiwan
? - Taiwan to Penang
12:50 p.m. (Monday) - Arrive in Penang

So, I'm not sure about the time difference, but it looks like about 33 hours of travel .

I guess we should sleep on the LA to Taipei flight? Should I bring dramamine or benedryl or something to help if I can't sleep?

Any tips would be most appreciated. Thanks.

 

[dianeschlicht]

A dear friend of ours just got back from a similar trip. He had virtually no lay overs except for a short one in Japan. He said the flight was HORENDOUS! I don't think he was able to sleep much, and the time changes had him all mixed up. The important thing when doing flights like this is to put yourself on the schedule of your destination while in flight. Sleep when it is their night and eat at their meal times, if you can.

 

[RUDisney]

Get your doctor to prescribe some Ambien. It is a great tranquilizer that doesn't make you feel hungover later. Try taking one prior to your flight, so you can be sure that it won't disagree with you in any way.

My advice is to invest in some tempurpedic travel pillows, or one of them from the sleep number bed that for the life of me I can't remember the name of now. They are far more comfortable than the blowup ones and don't make noise like the buckwheat ones. They are shaped like a U and fit around the back of your neck. We got them when we went to Russia. They also came in handy on the trains and in the hotels that had paper thin pillows. They aren't the most compact things in the world, but definitely worth taking along on such a long trip.

Also, from your doctor, get a prescription for zythromax (antibiotic.) You don't want to be in a foreign country and get an upper respiratory infection that requires an antibiotic and not be prepared for it. We didn't use ours, but the peace of mind that it gave us was worth carrying it.

All I can say about your trip is WOW! I'm very jealous. A friend of mine was in the Jesuit Volunteers (like the Peace Corps) for 2 years in Malaysia. He said he's never been to a more beautiful place.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Big Dude]

One very important tip to remember is to get up and stretch your legs often. Sitting for long stretchs of time in a crampped airline seat can lead to a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). So, don't forget to stretch out once in awhile.

Adam aka Big Dude

 

[RUDisney]

Select comfort! That's where my pillows are from. UGH! That was driving me crazy.

You can buy this type of pillow cheaper on ebay. We bought a tempurpedic for my Mom and it cost less than the Select Comfort pillows that we bought for ourselves and it is of the same quality as ours.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Thanks guys. This is exactly the type of advice I am looking for. Wendy, thanks for the antibiotic suggestion. I've gotten a sinus infection while on vacation once, and it was aweful.

This is a business meeting. The way it looks now, we'll have at least two full days and maybe four evenings to ourselves to go exploring.

I'm going to forward this thread to DH at work. Hi Rob! What time are you coming home? Love ya!
(Everyone reading this is probably going )

 

[Bichon Barb]

DH went to book the flight today, and the price went way up overnight. I hate it when that happens. Now, we are going the other direction on the 5th:

4:50 pm - Syracuse to Newark
9:15 pm - NYC to Singapore with stop in Frankfurt
Then we have a 9 hr. layover in Singapore, so we don't get to Penang until 5:00 pm two days later .

In any event, from what Diane is telling me, we should probably try to stay awake on the Newark to Frankfurt (night) flight, and then sleep from Frankfurt to Singapore (daytime)?

 

[Claudia1]

Be sure to drink plenty of water, too. Flying dehydrates you. On our last flight to the UK, the British Airways attendants brought water around twice. You might even consider packing a couple of bottles in your carry-on. I was amazed at how much better I felt when I drank the water on long flights!

As for sleeping....... good luck. I can never sleep when I need to or stay awake when I should.

 

[ohanafamily]

Hi Barb, a Z-Pack (Zythromax) is a great Idea, but remember that Alcohol and Antibiotics don't mix...

The rule is 1 glass of water per hour.

If your DH has a DVD player in his Laptop, you might consider bringing a few movies (along with 2 headsets and a splitter) I know your friend Nephosaurus makes us take along Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory whenever we pack a DVD player. Must airplanes (AA) Have a Cigarette lighter type of power adapter under the seats in Business class. The headsets are a good idea anyway because they are selling them now on some flights so you can watch the movie. Another suggestion is a CD with an audio book that you don't mind hearing a few times (Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix is like 24 cds long)

As far a sleeping pills go, Ambien is good, My parents used to take one that they took off of the market because people hurt people and didn't remember it, I forget the name. Call your Dr. I think the one that they are all prescribing now is Sonoma (that is what my Dr. gave me to get to sleep) I would check with your Dr. about the dryness of the air and what to take.

Also, remember...Mile High... (just kidding....)

I would also recommend packing several bottles of water in your rolling suitcase (double Zip-locked, and not enough to throw you over the weight limit) Bottled water is expensive there, and may be difficult to get to. You can leave most of what you don't drink, and the space that they took up will be filled with souvenirs.

Make sure that your carry on has a change of clothes, essential toiletries in case your bags take longer to get there than you do. I would also pack a few snacks because there is a limit to airline food, and you never know when your eyes will get glassy.

If you have a contact there, have them or a member of their family take you on any outings; in many of these countries Round-Eyes are looked down upon and they will bump the prices way up. It also helps to have your own translator and someone who knows the lay of the land...

Once you get to the hotel grab a few books of matches, or a cards from your hotel. If you get lost you can hail a Taxi and show them this and there is no doubt where you want to go if they do not speak English.

Also, when you get into your room locate the fire exits on your floor and where the stairs are. In case of an emergency it is always better to be prepared.

You will gain the day back when you return; I remember when we came back from Seoul, we left Tokyo 30 minutes after we arrived back in Dallas (International date line etc). I was a little freaked out by this.

Contact the hotel a week or so before you leave and see what kinds of tours they offer, your DH will be in meetings all day, and an organized tour can be safe and interesting. A lot of times the most popular ones fill up, so if you make the reservation before you leave it takes the worry out.

Be careful of "illegally transporting pornography" some countries consider Cosmopolitan illicit.

Make sure you have plenty of batteries for your (New) digital camera!!! (and any other electronics. Batteries there are more EXPENSIVE than at WDW!!!!!)

Above all, have a great time and post a trip report with lots of pictures!!!

 

[Bichon Barb]

Thanks Ohanafamily. One question, if I have to drink a glass of water per hour, does this mean I should request my seat to be in the restroom. Bwhaaaaa! Regarding the pornography, DRATS, that means I have to leave my prized Playgirl collection at home??!?!!

The meeting we are attending is being held by a company we rep whose headquarters are in Brooklyn. I know, why would they hold a meeting at a location which is a five hour drive from our home when they can hold it on the other side of the planet?

 

[ohanafamily]

I understand, but hey, these re just a few of the tips I have gleaned over the years. If the company is paying the tab, by all means Filet Minion and Chateau Lafette 1978 every night!!!!!

Sounds like a great trip!!!