Traveling on Long-Haul Flights

Traveling on long-haul flights is torturous enough. But what if you’re flying with the whole family, including young children? Here are some handy hits to make long-haul fun:

• Choose your in-flight entertainment - Check websites and consult a travel agent for airlines with diversionary activates such as video games. Even better, seek out those with individual in-seat audio and video systems with dedicated kids’ channels. Or take a portable DVD player or MP3 player with your own movies and music.
  

• Choose flight times carefully – If you’re spending most of the time airborne at night, that’s good thing. There’s more chance your kids will sleep and less need to entertain them. If bedtime is usually 8p.m, choose a flight that leaves in the late afternoon – lots of time for a meal and a movie, then slumber.
  

• Give a helping hand. Jet lag affects everyone, including toddlers. Encourage your kids to drink more water than usual. Take a stopover if you can. Your kids will get a chance to slowly adjust to changing time zones.

Tips for the Physically Challenged Traveler

1. If flying with a wheelchair, ensure that your batteries operate on gel. If your wheelchair has a “wet cell” battery, it will have to be disconnected, taken out of the chair and placed in a special container.
2. Have your chair serviced one or two weeks before you leave.
3. Talk to your travel agent about these needs:

• Is the resort or cruise ship wheelchair accessible?
• Is your room and washroom large enough to accommodate a wheelchair?
• What electrical current does your resort or cruise ship use? If 220 volts is required, make sure this will be provided.
• Ensure you have transportation from the airport to your destination, and back.

4. Before travelling overseas, phone the consulate or embassy or any countries you will be visiting. They may be able to supply information on appropriate local medical and transportation services.

How to Overcome Jet Lag?

If you shift time zones by more than six hours on a trip that’s at least three days, it’s worth taking these steps:

• Adjust your watch before boarding the place or even the night before. On the aircraft, act according to your “local time.”
  

• At your destination, force your body clock to adapt straight away. If you need to stay awake when you feel like sleeping, listen to upbeat music, work on a crossword, take exercise, eat chocolate or drink coffee. To make yourself sleep, darken your surroundings, drink milk, eat yogurt, chicken or tuna, takes aspirin or a herbal sedative (such as passionflower).
  

• Take melatonin supplements when you’re on the plane and it’s your destination’s bedtime. Combine with either a sleeping pill or alcoholic nightcap, and use for several further nights.

Keep Your Kids Healthy Abroad

There are several traveling tips that you have to know in order to keep your kids healthy abroad:

• Vaccination schedules can be different for children. Ask your doctor at least six weeks before travel. If bringing medication, ensure it’s legal in the country you’re visiting.

• Diarrhea affects up to half of travelers, particularly the young. Avoid uncooked food unless you can peel or shell it. Eat fish and meat only hot and well cooked. If you have doubts about the water, stick to bottled (even for brushing teeth) and avoid ice in drinks.
  

• Dehydration, often caused by diarrhea, can develop quickly in children. Replace lost fluids and salts with safe water and re-hydration tablets. If it does not settle in 72 hours, or it there’s a fever or blood in stools, get medical help.

• Child’s skin burns easily in the sun, so take sensible clothing, use high-SPF sunscreen and stay in-doors at midday.