After traveling to London, one thing I have learned (and have become very good at) is sleeping in odd places. Everyday was packed full with activities, and after not getting a few nights of solid sleep, it became exhausting.
Flying Delta….
Someone once told me that if you fly first class you get a bed. Now, I don’t know if that is true, but I sure hope it is. In our big group of 12 we have been on 3 different planes and each time we have been but in the very back. Our second flight to London was long 8 hours and thirty minutes. We had to sleep on the plane and our seats only reclined a small amount.
The day I tried to sleep on a plane… was pretty close to the worst day of my life.
Lucky for me, my neighbor didn’t know her seat reclined so I was able to lean my seat back and prop my head up against her chair. There are many things I wish I knew before flying overnight, so here is my recipe for mastering an overnight flight.
Step 1: Make sure you get on the plane as soon as your zone is called. There will be a pillow and blanket on your chair, but sometimes people will take more than one. Leaving you cold and uncomfortable.
Step 2: Take 2 tablets of Benadryl.
Step 3: Put your headphones in and listen to calming music. I preferred listening to Yoga Top 100.
Step 4: Use the eye mask that the flight attendant offers.
Step 5: Try your best to think happy thoughts in this terrible situation.
Step 6: If you have an airplane pillow…use it.
Mitch Stanke is sporting his neck pillow to catch some rest.
Step 7: unhook your eating tray and lay our head down if nothing else works.
Alexander Hagen is trying to sleep by laying his head down on the eating tray.
Clink78…..
The hostel we stayed in was called The Clink78, it used to be a jail/court house. Which makes sense because our room was very small. I thought the beds were awfully hard. My other roommates didn’t think they were that bad, but if you are like me and are really spoiled with a queen pillow top mattress here is my recipe for surviving a hostel.
Step 1: Go to the front desk and ask for another pillow.
Step 2: Use the eye mask from the plane because you never know when someone will turn on the light.
Step 3: Put your headphones in. Intoxicated people in London never sleep.
After all is said and done, I have definitely mastered sleeping in uncomfortable places such as subways, buses, trains, planes and hostel’s. Being able to stay in London for 3 weeks was an amazing experience. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet and enjoy London with 12 fabulous people.
–Amanda Kaiser
