Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Holidays
What to take on the flight
Fieldsofsausages · 01/03/2020 18:31
I am travelling to Adelaide via Singapore in a couple of weeks with my mum and 12 year old son. I've never been on a long haul flight before and have no idea what to take on the plane! Any tips gratefully received on things I could take to make the journey easier/more pleasant!
Fieldsofsausages · 02/03/2020 15:20
Phew! Mum and I will be ok, but keeping my 12 year old son 'entertained' could be a challenge! Fortunately he loves trivia games so I've downloaded as many of those onto my phone as I could find!
Double3xposure · 02/03/2020 15:22
Doesn’t your 12 year old son have his own phone / tablet etc ? If not I’d invest £40 in one.
Fieldsofsausages · 02/03/2020 15:23
He does, but it's an iPhone 5 and very few apps are compatible with it these days! They're the sort of games we'd play together, so not a big deal having them on my phone.
BiddyPop · 02/03/2020 15:27
Wear:
Compression socks
Comfortable clothes that you can sleep in, in layers (like a vest top, a long sleeved top, a cardigan and a scarf wrapped around your neck that can double as a head cover or a blanket as necessary, or just as a throw around your shoulders).
Buy a bottle of water after security.
Most airports have water fountains somewhere to fill your own bottles if you bring them through security empty. (I now take my reusable coffee cup also, as it keeps much warmer than the takeaway cups do, mine doesn't leak so that helps).
Have some chewy or boiled sweets. If you want, bring a few snacks, but not loads - you can kill time in the airports roaming for them, and they will feed you on those long flights.
Bring a lip balm in your "liquids for carry on" clear plastic bag. I usually have my toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, cleanser, moisturiser, comb or small hairbrush, emery board (nail file) in there too and sometimes makeup if I feel I will want it.
Decent book that you are enjoying, and probably buy a magazine at the airport.
I often buy the books of sudoku puzzles, but rather than bringing the whole book, I rip out a few from each section (easy, medium, hard) and bring those, along with a notepad, pencil, pen. (I don't care if I mess them up and don't look at the solutions anyway - but once I've tried the ones each side of a page, I can throw away the page, and it's much easier to have a couple of pieces of paper and a pencil tucked into a pocket than the whole book).
Headphones, phone, spare power bank and charging cables for phone and powerbank.
Ipad or similar is very useful - games, podcasts, downloaded tv or movies, downloaded books etc.
And I usually bring spare socks and spare underwear - it's nice to freshen up with clean ones at the end of an overnight flight, and also its ALWAYS useful to have a spare pair in case luggage doesn't arrive to get you through until you can find shops etc. (A little washbag pouch is sufficient for those latter 2).
But my carryon bag is quite small - 25l backpack is plenty and has room for any shopping as well.
MrsTerryPratchett · 02/03/2020 15:28
Why do people bother buying water? I take a large, refillable bottle and refill it. I've never been unable to and I fly a LOT. And it's vastly easier, doesn't crumple like cheap water bottles and I can clip it on to my bag.
Plus chargers, headphones, pillow and comfy shoes. My feet swell so I use sheepskin boots or flip flops if it's hot.
Movinghouseatlast · 02/03/2020 15:31
Wear flat slip on shoes, like ballerinas. Flip flops if you can bear it!
It makes security easier as you wont have to take your shoes off.
AttilaTheMeerkat · 02/03/2020 17:46
You likely will not spend much time at all at Changi; such stopovers tend to be very short in duration. On our last time there we had 30 minutes from disembarking before having to line up to get back on the plane for the second leg.
AttilaTheMeerkat · 02/03/2020 17:48
No flip flops!!. These are so bad for walking about in and would suggest you wear flat shoes and or trainers instead.
Fieldsofsausages · 02/03/2020 18:22
The stopover on the way there isn't too bad, but we have just over 8 hours between flights on the way back 
MrsTerryPratchett · 02/03/2020 18:28
No flip flops!!. These are so bad for walking about in and would suggest you wear flat shoes and or trainers instead.
I love them so it's all personal preference. However Australia and Asia they can be seen as a little déclassé so maybe not that trip.
Nononononono33 · 02/03/2020 19:11
Have spent quite a long time in Singapore Airlines economy (again travelling to and from NZ) - you’ll definitely have a screen each and movies/TV on demand. More than you can possibly have time to watch!
NavyBerry · 02/03/2020 20:12
Decongestant. Nose gets so dry and blocked. Eye drops would be nice as well. Especially if any of you have contacts.
funnyfoursome · 03/03/2020 16:14
You don't need a to buy an overpriced plastic water bottle after security. Airports have free water fluintains and they'll refill for you on boarding as well as throughout the flight. Helps to keep hydrated on sucha long haul. I always take slippers and warm socks for me, moisturiser including lips and a few snacks for the kids. The films help the hours to pass!
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