Zooming through the air at 800k's is SO boring
May 13, 2010 11:03 PM Subscribe
I'm about to embark on a long flight... how can I keep myself entertained?
As per my previous question, I'm about to fly from Sydney to Oslo. The 1st flight is about 26 hours and the flight back about 24, including multi hour stopovers.
I'm flying Finnair, and from what I can see they won't have the new fancy enterainment systems where I get to pick what I want to watch. Boooo.
I have a hacked old PSP sitting around somewhere with a 1 gig card, I could put a few podcasts or tv shows onto it (I've done this in the past), but I'm willing to buy something new ... Nintendo DS maybe?
I love Zombie games, puzzle games, Spelunky, Nethack, would like to be able to watch a movie or a show on it. Would like to be able to get old and new games for it easily and legally. Would like to to be able to charge via USB, as well as easily transfer over USB.
I don't really want the hassle of a laptop given the whole "remove the battery" scanning techniques at some airports.
Thanks!
As per my previous question, I'm about to fly from Sydney to Oslo. The 1st flight is about 26 hours and the flight back about 24, including multi hour stopovers.
I'm flying Finnair, and from what I can see they won't have the new fancy enterainment systems where I get to pick what I want to watch. Boooo.
I have a hacked old PSP sitting around somewhere with a 1 gig card, I could put a few podcasts or tv shows onto it (I've done this in the past), but I'm willing to buy something new ... Nintendo DS maybe?
I love Zombie games, puzzle games, Spelunky, Nethack, would like to be able to watch a movie or a show on it. Would like to be able to get old and new games for it easily and legally. Would like to to be able to charge via USB, as well as easily transfer over USB.
I don't really want the hassle of a laptop given the whole "remove the battery" scanning techniques at some airports.
Thanks!
Best answer: Seconding the iPod Touch. It is a good device if you are prepared to purchase something, as then you have a single device for podcasts/video/games/ebooks and you can also use this for internet browsing if the airport has free wifi.
Many great App Store games are priced at $1-$5 and it is usb chargeable.
You can pickup usb travel chargers and external battery packs quite cheaply from the Hong Kong-based vendors or from DealExtreme.
Something like this will help extend your battery life for the very long flights.
posted by cwhitfcd at 11:22 PM on May 13, 2010
Many great App Store games are priced at $1-$5 and it is usb chargeable.
You can pickup usb travel chargers and external battery packs quite cheaply from the Hong Kong-based vendors or from DealExtreme.
Something like this will help extend your battery life for the very long flights.
posted by cwhitfcd at 11:22 PM on May 13, 2010
Best answer: seconding iPod Touch. My last flight to Chicago (14 hours) I had probably 10 movies and at least a season or two of various tv shows I've been catching up on. A couple games or apps would help break the monotony of finishing one thing then just starting another. I'm pretty sure there are apps for the kind of games you like.
As for the battery, it won't last that long, but there are several companies that make plug in attachments that you can just dump a couple AAs into when the power drops. Take a pack of four AAs and that should get you through to your destination.
(Just in case you're wondering, you do NOT have to buy video from Apple to watch it on your iPod. Just click on movies on your device in iTunes, then drag and drop movie files from a folder. You'll most likely have to re-encode them to match the file type and screen size, but that's about it)
posted by Ghidorah at 11:27 PM on May 13, 2010
As for the battery, it won't last that long, but there are several companies that make plug in attachments that you can just dump a couple AAs into when the power drops. Take a pack of four AAs and that should get you through to your destination.
(Just in case you're wondering, you do NOT have to buy video from Apple to watch it on your iPod. Just click on movies on your device in iTunes, then drag and drop movie files from a folder. You'll most likely have to re-encode them to match the file type and screen size, but that's about it)
posted by Ghidorah at 11:27 PM on May 13, 2010
Response by poster: I'm coming around to the iPod Touch (despite my very negative experiences with iTunes in the past)... but open to other suggestions as well.
posted by Admira at 11:29 PM on May 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Admira at 11:29 PM on May 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you go down the iPod Touch path, get Plants Vs Zombies! It's got a very different take on zombies and you can play it for hours.
posted by Xany at 11:29 PM on May 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Xany at 11:29 PM on May 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Are there any book series you like that you haven't read the latest in? Stuff you want to reread that you haven't picked up in a while? Books are somewhat more to carry around, but two 24+ hour flights would give you plenty of time to get through a lot of reading.
Same goes for TV series if you're carrying something electronic; if you have space on your harddrive you could get through a couple of seasons on a flight, and there are lots of shows that are engrossing enough to keep you hooked for quite a while.
posted by NoraReed at 11:38 PM on May 13, 2010
Same goes for TV series if you're carrying something electronic; if you have space on your harddrive you could get through a couple of seasons on a flight, and there are lots of shows that are engrossing enough to keep you hooked for quite a while.
posted by NoraReed at 11:38 PM on May 13, 2010
Take a book of crosswords, brain teasers or something similar. For me they make hours seem like minutes.
posted by jpcooper at 11:50 PM on May 13, 2010
posted by jpcooper at 11:50 PM on May 13, 2010
Used to fly a lot with a small team of people on business. The new guys would always stay awake, read, play cards, etc. The experienced guys would put in earplugs, pull on eyeshades, and get some sleep.
Once they got to destination, the experienced guys were rested and ready to go. The new guys, not so much.
So, to answer your question: the best "entertainment" for at least one of your airborne legs would probably be a full night's sleep. And the utter lifesaving value of eyeshades and earplugs cannot be overstated.
posted by Dimpy at 12:48 AM on May 14, 2010
Once they got to destination, the experienced guys were rested and ready to go. The new guys, not so much.
So, to answer your question: the best "entertainment" for at least one of your airborne legs would probably be a full night's sleep. And the utter lifesaving value of eyeshades and earplugs cannot be overstated.
posted by Dimpy at 12:48 AM on May 14, 2010
2nding Dimpy. I have flown Australia-Europe many times. You want to stay awake the whole first leg, then once you connect in Asia, if it's night, get busy with trying to sleep.
Are you sure you're flying Finnair on the first leg? AFAIK Finnair does not fly into Australia. You are probably on another OneWorld carrier - which may have in-seat entertainment.
Once you subtract 8 hours of attempted sleep, watching whatever movies are running on the plane (even if you can't select them yourself), meals, takeoffs and landings it's a lot more manageable. I take a few magazines and my iPod Touch and load it up with RSS feeds, games, audio and video etc.
I have a DS but I hardly take it, I find it great for train trips etc but I usually don't use it that much on a plane.
BTW - I have not come across an airport that makes you remove the laptop battery in years, though I know SYD domestic did this for a while.
posted by wingless_angel at 1:04 AM on May 14, 2010
Are you sure you're flying Finnair on the first leg? AFAIK Finnair does not fly into Australia. You are probably on another OneWorld carrier - which may have in-seat entertainment.
Once you subtract 8 hours of attempted sleep, watching whatever movies are running on the plane (even if you can't select them yourself), meals, takeoffs and landings it's a lot more manageable. I take a few magazines and my iPod Touch and load it up with RSS feeds, games, audio and video etc.
I have a DS but I hardly take it, I find it great for train trips etc but I usually don't use it that much on a plane.
BTW - I have not come across an airport that makes you remove the laptop battery in years, though I know SYD domestic did this for a while.
posted by wingless_angel at 1:04 AM on May 14, 2010
If you don't want an Ipod touch, there are tonnes of cheaper, nearly as good equivalents. Check out minidisc.com.au for the pmps. Cowon and iriver make some great ones that will not lock you into Itunes, or anything for that matter, and can play uncompressed video.
posted by smoke at 1:10 AM on May 14, 2010
posted by smoke at 1:10 AM on May 14, 2010
Nthing the ipod touch. I traveled frequently from aus to nyc and back and being able to put kindle and games and movies and shows on the ipod made things more pleasant in flight. I like to read several books at a time, depending on my mood, so having about 20 books on the kindle was nirvana mid-flight.
Not to mention how useful it could be once you get to your destination if you plan ahead and load it up on location specific apps.
posted by newpotato at 4:25 AM on May 14, 2010
Not to mention how useful it could be once you get to your destination if you plan ahead and load it up on location specific apps.
posted by newpotato at 4:25 AM on May 14, 2010
I would go against the iPod Touch and say DS or DS XL. The iPod touch is good for surfing and casual games, but there the games for it are more 5-10 minute wasters than full on gaming. I would also not want to stare at a 3.5" screen for more than 30 minutes.
posted by wongcorgi at 5:01 AM on May 14, 2010
posted by wongcorgi at 5:01 AM on May 14, 2010
Are you sure your flight is 26 hours? The longest flight I know of is Newark to Singapore clocking in at 9,524 miles and that takes around 18 hours.
Either way, get yourself some movies on a IPad / Phone / Touch. Get some books. Get some puzzles. Get a journal / Moleskine and do some writing, goal setting, dreaming, etc.
posted by jasondigitized at 5:33 AM on May 14, 2010
Either way, get yourself some movies on a IPad / Phone / Touch. Get some books. Get some puzzles. Get a journal / Moleskine and do some writing, goal setting, dreaming, etc.
posted by jasondigitized at 5:33 AM on May 14, 2010
I allways enjoy chatting with people on planes
you meet people you would never meet anywhere else :-)
posted by SatansCabanaboy at 8:20 AM on May 14, 2010
you meet people you would never meet anywhere else :-)
posted by SatansCabanaboy at 8:20 AM on May 14, 2010
Thirding eyemask and earplugs. And maybe one of those neck pillows and perhaps a sleeping pill or two, if that's your thing.Time your sleep with the time you arrive at your destination. Arriving in the morning? Sleep through the last leg or two. Arriving in the evening? Sleep earlier and stay awake on the last leg so you don't arrive at 10PM well-rested and ready to start your day. Try to get a window seat, at least for the flight you'll be attempting to sleep on, unless you frequently need to use the lavatory (it's no fun trying to balance how badly you need to pee with how much you don't want to disturb your sleeping seatmates).
Are you taking a laptop? If so you can load it up with things to read and listen to and with movies to watch.
Bring a few snacks, too. And maybe a bottle of water but you've got to be a little careful as I recently found some international airports would not let you bring water purchased in the terminal on the plane.
Make sure to bring a kit with a toothbrush/paste, contact case and a bottle of travel-sized solution, and a few other necessities. If you wear contacts seriously consider taking them out and wearing glasses on the flights. Your eyes will be much happier.
Oh! This is my big pro-tip: find a place to shower at one of the intermediate airports (bring a change of underwear and socks). It feels so great to be able to shower and brush after eleven hours on a long-haul. Most of the big airports you'll be flying through should have a place to shower somewhere, for US$5-10 in my experience.
Hmmm, what else. Take your shoes off on the flight, unless your feet like being locked up for 24 hours. Wear shoes that slip on and off easily or can be tied loosely. No tight boots!
posted by 6550 at 9:19 AM on May 14, 2010
Are you taking a laptop? If so you can load it up with things to read and listen to and with movies to watch.
Bring a few snacks, too. And maybe a bottle of water but you've got to be a little careful as I recently found some international airports would not let you bring water purchased in the terminal on the plane.
Make sure to bring a kit with a toothbrush/paste, contact case and a bottle of travel-sized solution, and a few other necessities. If you wear contacts seriously consider taking them out and wearing glasses on the flights. Your eyes will be much happier.
Oh! This is my big pro-tip: find a place to shower at one of the intermediate airports (bring a change of underwear and socks). It feels so great to be able to shower and brush after eleven hours on a long-haul. Most of the big airports you'll be flying through should have a place to shower somewhere, for US$5-10 in my experience.
Hmmm, what else. Take your shoes off on the flight, unless your feet like being locked up for 24 hours. Wear shoes that slip on and off easily or can be tied loosely. No tight boots!
posted by 6550 at 9:19 AM on May 14, 2010
Read a book.
Buy a cheap eBook reader and load hundreds of books onto it.
posted by alby at 10:48 AM on May 14, 2010
Buy a cheap eBook reader and load hundreds of books onto it.
posted by alby at 10:48 AM on May 14, 2010
If you do have an iPod touch or iPad, I have found the app "Ambiance" to be a real asset on long trips (or for semi-white noise in my cube). It has a bunch of different semi-nature sounds you can download -- they are at a relatively consistent volume level unlike the Nature CD I ripped many years ago and was using prior to finding this app. That app, noise canceling headphones, an eye mask, and a neck pillow are the best recipe I've found for sleeping on airplanes. Have a great trip!
posted by elmay at 10:53 AM on May 14, 2010
posted by elmay at 10:53 AM on May 14, 2010
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posted by thesailor at 11:17 PM on May 13, 2010