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.
Step 7: unhook your eating tray and lay our head down if nothing else works.
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