to be bored on a long journey...

[redeyes1]

(posting here for traffic really as I don't think IABU.)

I have a long haul flight next week and I find these excruciatingly boring. I know I'm lucky as it is preceding a lovely holiday, but I'm flying alone and when I've done this before I arrive feeling exhausted. I think it is because I pretty much do nothing for 7 hours apart from flick through photos on phone and try to read/watch a film. (a day flight and I won't sleep at all).

I'm trying to think of a 'project' I can do whilst onboard that will keep my brain occupied and keep me alert. I can take a laptop but obviously won't have wifi.

I've just done my tax return otherwise that could have been a good thing to do :)

Would love any ideas of projects or things I can do. Am happy to break journey down, eg 1.5 hours watching a film, 1-2 hours reading, etc. It is a 7 hour flight.

Thank you so much for any ideas that might help me arrive less groggy and more alert.

Take The Ordnance Survey puzzle book. Hours of interest. And have a daytime nap. Enjoy your holiday.

Cross stitch.

Write a torrid erotic novel, and occasionally stop typing and ask your seat companions things like, "What's the best sex position if you've got a bad back?" or, "Do you think it's possible to undo a bra with one hand, if you're blindfolded?"

Sleep?

Tidy up the laptop. Delete rubbish photos and old/redundant files.
Organise those remaining into sensible folders.

If you have 'planning' or list spreadsheets etc, organise those although it might be hard to do if your laptop isn't touchscreen and there isn't room to use a mouse.

I agree that long flights are boring as hell. The longest I've ever been on was just over 5 hours and I usually do a combination of read and sleep, even if its a daytime flight. I find a big carby fatty meal just before the flight and booze helps enormously.

Or what about a game? I used to like playing monopoly on the laptop but haven't done it for ages. You can probably buy very cheap dvd versions or downloads of stuff like that.

Those flights are deathly dull. Pre kids I used to do yoga near the emergency exit, drink tonnes of water, make a big deal out of drinking a tomato juice, take my nicest beauty products and use them all in the bathroom (esp face masks) and pre plan movies to watch. Reading that back it still sounds deathly dull.
Could you take a language class? Try and learn some really specific phrases from an audio class?

This is why I have never been on a long haul flight. I genuinely don't think I could handle the tedium.

The longest flight I have ever done was 4 hours to Gran Canaria. By the end of it I was in tears (genuinely) because I couldn't hack it. I realise this makes me sound like a total wally and I am not normally a dramatic person but I am dreadful at handling long periods of time sitting down in the same place.

FREUDIANSLIPSLIDE whilst you were in the loo pamapering yourself with a facemask what were all of the other passengers doing ? Crossing their legs i would imaine !

Hear hear ominoe. I bet the people who paid for the extra legroom seats were also pleased to have Freudian doing yoga at their feet too. .

I absolutely love long haul flights. Especially alone! I would do any or all of:

Read a book
Read a magazine
Watch a film
Listen to a podcast or audio book
Knitting or cross stitch
Write long chatty emails to people I haven't caught up with for a while
Go through my diary for the year ahead and work out when I want to take holiday/do certain activities
Have a few drinks
Sleep!

(I have also been known to do my nails but only if it's a really empty flight and no one is near me because of the smell.)

What is it that makes you unable to just read and/or watch films? What would you do at home if you'd, say, hurt your foot and needed to stay indoors without moving around much for a few hours?

The longest flight I have ever done was 4 hours to Gran Canaria. By the end of it I was in tears (genuinely) because I couldn't hack it. I realise this makes me sound like a total wally

It just makes you sound a bit mad. Don't you read or watch films, ever?

I sympathise as find long flights dull. Instead of a happy holiday novel bring a real life ordeal type book- Brian Keenan's An Evil Cradling or Joe Simpson's Touching the Void...and be glad you're not them.

Yoga?! Hahahahaha yeah don’t do that, you’ll look ridiculous.

take my nicest beauty products and use them all in the bathroom (esp face masks)

Eh? Firstly plane toilets are functional at best and grim at worst so in and out as quick as possible is preferable. But secondly you’d then sit in there for 15 minutes whilst everyone else waits? How rude!

I think you can expand on the yoga, maybe use the over head lockers to do chin ups or maybe rollie pollies in the aisle? As well as face mask maybe spend the time applying a full body fake tan!?? Maybe learn how to play the bagpipes?

I also hate long flights, I use the time to practice the language, I download YouTube videos and put head phones in. Games can help break up the boredom, also I've found reading a book I've read before helps as it's almost comforting.

I think @FreudianSlipSlide could be outed if we looked at those articles on annoying things plane passengers do.

Download Stardew Valley onto your phone. A few hours will easily disappear.

Knitting / crochet / colouring?

Any series you would like to binge watch or re watch?

How can you possibly be bored when you have a book and you are flying alone without any small children to disturb you?

Pre kids I used to do yoga near the emergency exit

Ugh one of those...

Take a long book that you've always meant to read (a classic, maybe) and read it straight through in one sitting. If it's a good enough book, you won't get bored. I also thought the suggestion above to write all those emails to friends you've meant to contact for ages but haven't is excellent.

But I'm of the opposite camp - I love long haul flights as the only time I'm away both from all work emails and household chores. And if I don't have the kids and can properly read and watch movies that's amazing. I can read or watch movies with no guilt that I should be doing something else. It's about the only time in my life I ever have that (loved breastfeeding for the same reason - baby in one hand, book or remote in the other, guilt-free couch time).

I love long haul flights. I have my iPad and my kindle and with those I can entertain myself for hours. I read novels and magazines I’ve downloaded, watch films and tv, do jigsaws and crosswords on apps and lots more. There’s so much to I don’t have time to sleep!

Thanks for some really good ideas :)

I'll organise my lists, watch a film, read a book - I like the idea of reading one I've already read actually.

I find it quite hard to concentrate with all the interruptions, food, other passengers getting in and out, etc.

Any more suggestions are very welcome. Thank you

Crikey, don't plan any trips to Australia so! 7 hours is a short jaunt by comparison!

I like long haul flights. It is time away from everything. I bring cosy socks, a big scarf that can double as a blanket.

I enjoy a 'settling in' G&T whilst looking through the inflight movie and tv menu and select what I am going to watch.

The last long haul we did was - 1 hour, airport stopover of 4 hours, 13 hour flight, airport stopover of 6 hours, 9 hour flight followed by 2 hour drive.

So I alternate between watching movies, eating, drinking wine, drinking water, reading, snoozing and then doing it all over again.

A good book and a book of puzzles / crosswords is always good.

We have done that trip many times (6 times for me and dh, 5 times for dd)

I actually can't believe someone would end up in tears of boredom after only 4 hours!!

I think you can expand on the yoga, maybe use the over head lockers to do chin ups or maybe rollie pollies in the aisle? As well as face mask maybe spend the time applying a full body fake tan!?? Maybe learn how to play the bagpipes?