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8 and half hour cross-country flight. Things to do?

Love

Love

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 20, 2007
1,782
4
Just southeast of Northwestshire
Later this month, I will be taking a flight on Air Canada across the country to St. John's, NL. With the stop in Montreal, it's a 8 and a half hour flight. What do you people do for long trips on planes? The plane I'm going on has an entertainment system on it, and I'll be bringing my laptop, but the battery is limited on my little Aspire (although I'll most likely end up bringing my MacBook, but it probably won't last through the first connection). I have lots of iTunes content, but I've seen it all. What are some suggestions to stay entertained?
 
Me personally, I could play some NES or SNES games for eight and a half hours and be perfectly fine. I would suggest trying to beat Super Mario Bros 3 without using the whistle, and if you succeed with that, try doing Super Mario World without using Star Road. :)
 
I always just do stuff on my laptop on long flights to solve the battery problem go to seatguru.com and lookup the seating on your plane and try to get a seat with a power plug you can get an adapter at the Apple Store. Also, sleeping is something a lot of people when flying.
 
Well new iTunes content for one. Also see if you can sleep a little (personally I can sleep anywhere anytime). Also its always fun to sprinkle around some white powder, or to start pressing down on the toe of your shoe muttering "ignite damn you ignite!" Hell you can even just dress up in a turban and long fake beard before boarding. (Too far? :D) Actually the ironic part is most people would mistake you for a muslim instead of a sikh :rolleyes:
 
God I wish I had all this fancy technology when I was young doing endless Sydney-Singapore hops. All I had to do was try not to throw up because I had been put in the smoking section. Invariably we'd end up with two lots of two seats together so my folks would sit with my little sisters and big brother would sit by himself. In the smoking section. For 8 hours. I'd never heard of the term "chain smoking" until then.

My first trip over as the plane started it's descent, I turned green, raced to the loo but managed to bring up my lunch over three people in the very back row before I'd got there.
 
Having taken 8 hour transatlantic flights a couple of times a year since I was 3 months old my technique has developed into simply sitting and staring into space with my iPod and noise-canceling headphones. I make numerous on-the-go playlists and occasionally read the inflight magazine when bored. I 86'd watching moves on my laptop (doesn't fit on tray table, uncomfortable on my knees, too warm on a stale plane), and have usually seen/not want to see the inflight movies. Crossword puzzles are a good time waster otherwise. :)
 
First, when you stop at Montreal, see if have time to speed walk through the terminals (don't run; don't want to invite a taser-happy security guard). The exercise will help.
I usually buy one paperback novel, the kind I don't mind leaving on the plane after I finish it. (Usually a Stephen King). I also rip out a few pages of crossword/Sudoko/Kenken puzzles from various newspapers and books to carry on the flight. I travel with 2 batteries for my MacBook Pro, but even for my Vancouver/Montreal flights, one is usually enough to get me through the boredom.
Air Canada food sucks (even in first class) so see if you can grab something at the airport.
Safe flying!
 
imaketouchtheme said:
Me personally, I could play some NES or SNES games for eight and a half hours and be perfectly fine. I would suggest trying to beat Super Mario Bros 3 without using the whistle, and if you succeed with that, try doing Super Mario World without using Star Road. :)
Click to expand...

I have done that with super mario world, that second level on star road dam that kicks my ass every time
 
do you read? find a book or series you might interested in and give them a whirl. It will go faster than you expect.

i wouldn't wander too far in mtl - i've heard plenty of horror stories revolving around security guards/customs folks who are massive ******s. (all stories are from different ppl too so it's not the same). power trips is the general theme.
 
Legolamb said:
First, when you stop at Montreal, see if have time to speed walk through the terminals (don't run; don't want to invite a taser-happy security guard). The exercise will help.
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I would think swift walking would look more suspicious than running. People are always running through airports. It's hard to be in an airport without seeing people running with a panicked look trying to make a flight.
 
Pill + Cocktail = Sleep.
The rest is iPhone/iPod movies, music, & books.
 
I guess I should probably invest in some new media from iTunes. All 5 seasons of The Office are in HD on iTunes... and I could complete my 30 rock collection. I like NBC.

As for reading, there's a book I definitely want to take because it's just funny. "Stuff White People Like" by Christian Lander. Air Canada has a lot of good content. However, it looks like I'll be sleeping a lot. My flight leaves at 1:20 AM.
 
Love said:
I guess I should probably invest in some new media from iTunes. All 5 seasons of The Office are in HD on iTunes... and I could complete my 30 rock collection. I like NBC.

As for reading, there's a book I definitely want to take because it's just funny. "Stuff White People Like" by Christian Lander. Air Canada has a lot of good content. However, it looks like I'll be sleeping a lot. My flight leaves at 1:20 AM.
Click to expand...

Sleep would be good for most of the trip, I would assume. And both your laptops should last for the remainder.

Like someone else suggusted, get a few emulators and some old game ROM's. You'd be surprised how fast those classics will pass the time.
 
Love said:
.... My flight leaves at 1:20 AM.
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in that case you'll regret it later if you don't try to sleep as much as possible....leave all that other stuff in your bag so you're not distracted from trying to sleep
 
DS or PSP, maybe some South Park or Spaced on the iPod. Other than that I'd sleep.
 
Get flight simulator game. Just as your seat neighbour is waking up, and still dopey, tell them that you've managed to tie into the camera in the nosewheel of the plane..... just as you crash it. :D

Seriously - sleep. At 1:20am you'll have no problems. I like to bring a light hat so that I can pull it down over my eyes. Your iPod earphones should work with the entertain system (expect to fork out a couple of bucks if you buy the Air Canada pair). Ask for the adaptor (and keep it for future use) - its free.

Happy Flying.
 
fireshot91 said:
Books,Magazines, iPod, Sleep, Laptop.

Lots.
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That is pretty much my prescription for long flights, too; I'm an avid reader, so books are a must, and music is a passion so my iPod always travels with me (this is where the good battery life of the iPod classic comes into its own). Sleep is always a good idea and I am fortunate in that I can sleep almost anywhere, anytime.

Cheers and good luck
 
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