I have been traveling my entire life. My rode my first plane before I can remember and took my first plane ride alone when I was 10. Most of my travels have been within the United States; however, I have traveled to Mexico, Europe and Australia. The 14 hour flight from Los Angeles to Australia is the longest non-stop flight I have experienced, well until Friday that is.

On Friday I will embark upon the longest non-stop flight I have ever taken, and perhaps ever will take. I am going to Okinawa, Japan to visit my sister for my Spring Break. My journey will start at Dulles International Airport with a short flight to Newark International. It is from Newark to Narita, Japan that I will be in the air for over 20 hours. Let me tell you, the mental preparation for this non-stop flight has been no small task. Perhaps if I were flying with a companion it would not be so daunting but preparing to entertain myself for such a long period of time took organization and creativity.

As soon as my generous, older sister (the one I am visiting) booked my ticket, I researched various ideas for long flight entertainment. I literally searched several search engines, like Google and Amazon, for tips on long flights. Sadly, I did find anything overly helpful other than expensive gadgets that my Graduate Assistant salary cannot afford. So, it was time to be creative.

I spoke with my mom, who visited Okinawa for Thanksgiving. Her one piece of advice was to purchase a “neck pillow.” My first reaction to this was I am not an 80 year old woman, but my mom swore by this little, piece of heaven. I did actually break down this evening during my “vacation errands” and bought a black, fuzzy neck pillow. I will let you know my review of the pillow after I arrive in Okinawa after 21 hours in the air. I am curious if anyone else is as big of a fan of the neck pillow as my mom is?

Packing My Carry-On
The neck pillow was not the only thing on my list this afternoon. For those who may not be experience travelers, I thought I would include the list to give some ideas. Most of the list entailed items for my carry-on. I will be taking my laptop with my to watch DVD’s, however, I don’t anticipate the battery lasting more than one movie (if I’m lucky). So, my book list for the trip is rather extensive. Being a graduate student, I don’t find much time for leisure reading. While I am traveling with a few schools books, the majority of my reading is catch-up leisure reading of books and magazines.

A change of clothes is also in my bag. I am a big fan of staying comfortable and clean feeling, which can be difficult on long flights with so many lovely strangers surrounding you. Along with a change of clothes, I purchased travel size items including

• toothbrush and toothpaste
• face wash
• lotion
• ear plugs (block out the noisy child behind you kicking your seat)
• deodorant
• pain relievers
• tissues

Going along with the wanting to feel clean feeling, I decided to sacrifice space in my carry on to pack my own blanket. I plan on sleeping for as long as I can and I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m never quite comfortable in the, who-knows-the-last-time-this-was-washed airplane blankets? I would never do this for a domestic flight but with such a long flight ahead of me, I figure it can’t hurt.

I think the most important items in my carry on are my snacks. I am a woman who loves to eat, especially snack. To ensure I would no go hungry, I carefully planned my snack selection. It ranges from salty (100 calorie pack crackers) to sweet (chocolate and cookies) to an apple (gotta be at least a little healthy).

Staring My Journey
My journey will begin tomorrow afternoon. After my last class for the week, I will head to D.C. where I will spend the night with a friend before heading to the airport very early Friday morning. It’s strange to think I will leave the United States Friday morning and arrive in Japan on Sunday morning (Japan time). If anyone has tips on quick jet lag recovery, I am always open to advice.

Another strange thought…my next post will be from Japan.