My tips for the Europe/Oz long haul (which I’ve done every year for 48 years, bar maybe 2).
-keep your food bits in a seperate pouch, so you can dump them (what you don’t eat in-flight) before the quarantine check at the end. Yes, even sweets and chewing gum. Those guys aren’t kidding about the rules, and the extra delay of having them search or you declare stuff is a real faff after so many hours of travel.
-bring something that smells nice onboard, preferably a proper essential oil that helps with travel (ginger for tummy upset, lavender for relax). A teeny roll-on, or even a few drops in a hanky. There are lots of bad smells in long-haul, and there’s nowhere to run! Remember no aerosols onboard.
-bring a magazine/book in case all the technology fails. It happens. Also in case your headphones start to hurt your head/ears.
-bring mints that last a while in your mouth. Great for the inevitable bad breath of travel, and to chew/suck as the plane takes off & lands (unblocks your ears).
-don’t befriend your seat mate too early. Be civil but private until you get the measure of them. Start as you mean to continue. If you score a Chatty Cathy, it can get really awkward by Hour number 12.
-watch the fizzy drinks and farty foods. Gas can be pretty uncomfortable when you’re stuck folded like a pretzel for a day and a half!
-ziplock (clear) bags are fab. Section everything in your hand luggage with them. I include a small flannel in one, to have a quick swipe cleanup at the halfway mark. Then seal it away until you get a chance to wash it properly. Fresh tee & knickers in another one.
-speaking of knickers, I always wear tampons inflight. Something about plane travel increases the...ahem... action in that area (whether you’re on your period or not). Makes me feel fresher and avoids accidents.
-don’t forget a couple of pens. There’s a fair bit of paperwork to fill out along the way!
-write out the contact info for where you need to go, or who is picking you up at the other end. On paper. Remember to write phone numbers as they would need to be without the international code. You can’t always control how your tech will travel. Your brain may not be at full strength reminding you to charge your device, or the charging might happen at unexpected (low) speeds. Also country to country network connection can be troublesome, and airport wifi tricky too. A scrap of paper has saved me multiple times.
-photocopy your itinerary, credit card & passport (photo pages). Carry one copy (in a seperate bag to the real thing). Leave one copy at home with family. Take pics of your check-in luggage just before you close it, and of the outside (with any tags/branding showing). In case anything is lost, delayed or stolen.
-bring medicines (two ‘serves’ of each) in a ziplock. Preferably in its correct packaging, but if not possible, cut the important info out of the box it came in and secure it with a hair tie. Bring pain meds, eye drops, heartburn lozenges, 2 bandaids, mini sanitiser, mini first aid cream. Almost anything else can wait, but being stuck in a plane in pain or discomfort for soooooo long is torture. I always bring a mini spray or tube of tea tree (dilution or cream). It’s a brilliant anti-itch, anti-fungal, anti-bac and generally soothing. Magical stuff. Buy some in Oz as a souvenir!
Happy flights, hope this helps!