Sooner or later, many people find themselves facing a very long plane trip. Professional assignments, family events and even the occasional dream vacation can motivate people to contemplate spending many hours on an airplane. If you are planning to travel a great distance, your only options would be to cover the distance in a single flight or plan to make one or more stopovers along the way.

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and one of the main disadvantages of a flight with stopovers is time lost. In a situation where the distance will involve a great deal of travel time, the time wasted by boarding and exiting the various planes could add hours to an already lengthy trip.

Beyond this extended trip time, stopovers will also increase the risk of missing a flight or causing your luggage to be put on the wrong plane. Despite the attraction of being able to get off a plane midway through your trip, the risks and inconveniences of a flight with stopovers could ultimately be discouraging factors. If these considerations lead you to choose an uninterrupted flight, there are several tips and precautions that can make your time on the airplane more comfortable.

Food And Beverages For A Long Flight

You may or may not be allowed to bring your own food and beverages onto the airplane, but there are helpful tips that you can follow regardless of whether you will be supplying your own refreshments or getting them on the plane.

Most long flights will include a meal, and you should be careful that you don’t eat so much that it upsets your digestion. You will want to relax as much as you can, and sleep if at all possible. So while it may seem tempting to eat a lot in the hopes that a large meal will make you drowsy, you may simply end up with an upset stomach that keeps you awake.

Knowing your limits in terms of food intake will help you have a pleasant flight. Above all, any passengers hoping to sleep on the flight should avoid caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, colas and other caffeinated sodas. Not only will these drinks keep you awake, their caffeine content could also contribute to dehydration. Water, juice and decaffeinated versions of coffee, tea and sodas are much better choices for those who wish to sleep on the plane. And because the effects of caffeine can last several hours, it would be wise to avoid caffeinated beverages in the airport as well.

Moving Around On The Plane

For part of the duration of the flight, you will be allowed to move around in the aisles of the plane. On a long flight, you should take the opportunity to stretch and walk around whenever it is convenient to do so.

Getting up from your seat will not only help you avoid muscle cramps and stiffness, it will also reduce the chances of a blood clot forming due to prolonged lack of motion. Staying fully hydrated will also help reduce this risk. With these tips in mind, you should be able to reach your destination safely and with minimal stress.

There are literally hundreds of guides on budget travel to be found on the Internet and in bookstores. Some are useful, some are not. It really depends on what you want and where you are going. Many web sites offer email subscriptions and regular updates on where the best deals are. So how do you decide which ones are the most useful? A lot of the sites are confusing, so how do you find the ones that are going to give you the information you need?

Online bookstores have sections on travel guides. Try Amazon or specialty travel book stores like the Globe Corner Bookstores. They have an amazing array of guide books for the traveler on a budget. The most important thing to keep in mind about published guidebooks is that once the information is printed, it is probably out of date. Although most of them are updated annually, you cannot take what is written as set in stone. Internet guides are preferable in this area because their information is updated sometimes on a daily basis so all the deals on offer are available when you see them.

The best guides seem to be the ones that give you specific information on either your choice of destination or the type of holiday you will be taking (family vacation, backpacking, students, seniors, etc). There are the well known guide books/web sites like The Lonely Planet that will give you information on just about every destination you can think of. Or you can contact the embassy of the place you want to visit or go to the library to find out more about your choice of destination.  Most web sites will also have links to travel deals that are from the site sponsors. Some of the deals look great but research them. Compare to other sites to get the best deal for you.

Some guides worth having a look at for the budget traveler are:

* ‘The World’s Cheapest Destinations’ by Tim Leffel

* ‘Europe on $70 a Day’ by Arthur Frommer

*  Any guidebook from the Lonely Planet ‘Shoestring’ series

*  Any guidebook from the ‘Cheap Eats and Sleeps’ series

If you are backpacking, getting a guide on hostels in the area you are traveling to is a good idea. There are many sites dedicated to finding hostels. You will be able to get prices and make bookings in advance.

Once you know where you are traveling you’ll be able to find a guide on just about anything. How to get there, where to sleep, where to eat, what to visit and how to travel around are all going to be available in a travel guide. And once you get to your destination go to the local tourist information stand and look at what other helpful guides are available.

This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel – Your Online Travel Guru

www.stuartstravel.com