10 tips to survive a long haul flight

Should we learn from nature? Does he complain? 

I have started a list of items which I think will help us get through our next long flight. We are flying to New Zealand and the duration of the flight is going to be 24 hours (touching down for 1 hour only after 12 hours).

We are going to take off in the evening which is probably good since it will give us a chance (hopefully) to get some sleep during the first few hours of the trip. But after that, how do you keep yourself occupied?

Our list so far:

1. Books: I am planning to take a variety of books (Serious one for the beginning of the flight when the concentration level is still high and not so serious one for the end). I will also have a guidebook for New Zealand. This time will be perfect to plan our itinerary.

2. Games: Still wondering what to bring with us. Booklets of games like Sudoku are really good and do not take much room.

3. Music / short films: The IPod will be charged but will not last for the whole flight. We will probably have to save it for the end when the journey feels never ending.

4. Snacks: I found that we tend to eat a lot of unhealthy food while travelling. A mixture of healthy and not so healthy snacks should keep us going.

5. Work tasks: It is not good to take work with you on holiday but I am tempted just this once.

6. Exercises: We must remember to get up on a regular basis to get our legs moving. Apart from walking up and down the aisles, the options are limited.

7. Sleep: I have purchased ear plugs, eye mask and a neck pillow. I am hoping to get a bit of sleep but it depends which seats we will be allocated. We will aim to arrive early at the airport to get a chance to choose our seats. The seats near the emergency exists are always a good option particularly for tall people, as long as they are not close to the toilet.

8. Writing: This is going to be a test for me. I have launched my blog this year and I need to start writing more regularly. So I am hoping I will get some inspiration once in the air.

9. Getting to know fellow travellers: You can meet really interesting people while travelling. And when you can't sleep, you can chat to people gathered around the drinks trolley.

10. Relaxation: When do you get the chance to do nothing at all. I am the type of person that finds it hard to stay still. So, I am hoping I will be able to relax and enjoy doing nothing for a little while.

What do you do on a long haul flight to make your journey enjoyable? I would love to hear your ideas and recommendations.

Tiptoe Traveller in: Cuba

Independent travel versus package holiday: why do people choose to hide from local communities?

The Republic of Cuba is an island in the Caribbean. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the capital of this country. We went to Cuba a few years ago and decided to hire a car for 10 days to explore the island.

What an amazing experience!


That wasn't our car by the way

 The landscape was so different from one side of the island to the other.

Parque Natural Topes de Collantes

Tiptoe Traveller advice no 1: Do not rely on maps!

First of all, it is a mission to find a road map. The one we managed to find in a little shop in Havana was very basic and did not show all the roads. Good start! And no need to say that we got lost a few times.

Tiptoe Traveller advice no 2: Hablas Espagnol? A few words is a must...

Cubans are very helpful but only speak Spanish. If you need to ask for directions, it needs to be done in their language. Luckily, I get by so we managed OK. Just!

Tiptoe Traveller advice no 3: Bed and Breakfast accommodations, the best option to meet friendly locals and to eat great food!

We had booked most of our accommodations in advance from England. However, we had 3 nights for which we did not have any accommodation. We thought we would try to find something once we got there. So, we stayed in a town called Cienfuegos for one night. We then asked the owners if they could recommend a place to stay in Trinidad, our next stop. They did have some friends living there who help us find a room for two nights. We had a great time with the new family and we ate delicious food every night. From there, we did the same thing. We got another great recommendation for our next stop, Santa Clara.


Bed and Breakfast in Cienfuegos

After our 10-day tour, we had planned to spend three days in an all-inclusive resort to relax before heading home. The resort, Superclubs Breeze in Jibacoa, was very popular with Canadians. They like coming to Cuba to spend a couple of weeks in the sun. They are very recognisable because they walk around the resort with HUGE plastic mugs which they fill with cocktails at the bar (No offence to our Canadian friends, it's just that we had never seen this before).

Can you spot the HUGE mug?

Why are there so many people who do not take the time to discover the country they have travelled to?

The majority of guests in this resort were spending one or two weeks at the resort with, in some cases one day spent in Havana. As far as we are concerned, we went to Cuba to meet the Cubans, not to sit on the beach all day and eat European style food. We ate with the Cubans, we slept in their houses, we travelled on their roads and we even picked up a few Cuban hitchhikers on the way (which was another interesting experience).

Me and our new Cubans friends

Did you know that the majority of Cubans are not allowed to leave their country? I was very chocked when I found out. We are so lucky to have the freedom to travel as and when we feel like it. I think it is sad that people spend time in a resort without ever meeting the local community and discovering their culture.

How can we encourage people to look outside their resort and explore the real world? How can we show them what they are missing?

Tiptoe Traveller in: Antalya, Turkey

September 2010 - 10 days in the sun

1. Accommodation: Mediterra Art Hotel - excellent location right in the heart of the old town
2. The old town (Kaleiçi) and the private beach (hard to find but well worth it!)
3. The Turks: very friendly and helpful
4. Backgammon: the local favourite pass-time to be enjoyed while drinking Efes beer and eating roasted chick peas
5. Public transport: brand new tramway; buses are good too once you have worked out the system.

1. Food: not bad but the same tourist menus everywhere - the kebabs are delicious though
2. Souvenirs: same old stuff everywhere - Turkish delights are a good thing to bring back to your friends. I bought some local honey and a set of Turkish tea glasses at a bargain price.

Local map



Turkish spices



Mediterra Art Hotel





Bey mountains - view from Antalya old town

Amazing Duden waterfall - 15km from Antalya

Let's not forget recycling

Tiptoe Traveller in: Valensole, South East of France

Living with the locals

In the summer, my husband and I went to a small village in the south of France called Valensole. The region is called Haute Provence, only 45 minutes drive from Aix-en-Provence. We stayed for a few nights in l'Atelier du jardin, an eco-friendly gite. Écogîte© is a Gîtes de France certification for green building holiday homes.

Viviane and Jean-Nicolas were great hosts. Breakfast was all home made (yogurts, cakes, pastries, bread, jams etc..) and served in beautiful potteries made by Jean-Nicolas.

There is plenty to do in the area. Les Gorges du Verdon are definitely a must see site. They are just stunning!

The nearest airport is Marseilles or for the eco-friendly option, you could travel with the Eurostar and use French public transport. But hiring a car is recommended if you want to explore the area.

We would love to go back because we didn't managed to explore the whole area in 4 days.