Australian girls know how to fly. We trek up to twenty-eight hours from Sydney to New York without so much as a stopover, and we do it almost every Christmas like a flock of mad migrating birds. I collaborated on this mini-guide with Jessica Adams, managing editor of the intrepid women’s travel website www.holiday goddess.com, who jags between her homes in Australia and Brighton, UK, sometimes up to three times a year. Jessica is a business-class girl with an economy budget, so she spends a lot of her spare time nutting out clever ways to spend like a backpacker but arrive like a superstar. We all have our tricks and tips. She never travels without enormous F-off black sunglasses, and I never leave home without gourmet tea bags—because there is nothing that makes cramped economy seats better than drinking Mariage Frères tea from Paris.
So much of the pleasure of travel is dictated in the preparation, and the little comforts are what really do see you through.
Banish white noise. Use Muji earplugs (http://www.muji.eu) under your iPod headphones. These are not regular earplugs. They are made of special foam, which you roll between your thumb and forefinger into a very narrow cylinder. Poke it gently into your ear, put your head on one side, and let the foam expand to fill the ear cavity. You will be astonished at how much easier flying economy becomes when the roar of the engines disappears.
A botanical essence face spray such as rosewater, geranium, or lavender in a clear pump pack is the cheapest, loveliest way to keep skin and senses alive during flight. I spray liberally in the loo so as not to smother my co-passengers in a hippie mist. Grumpy men don’t like roses.
Be prepared for a sinus migraine or a bad dose of gas. Pack a nasal spray, de-bloating tablets, an aspirin, and a small bottle of eucalyptus oil to dot on your pulse points.
Give your face a boost with Clarins Beauty Flash, worn as a mask for the flight and rinsed off before arrival. Carry a rich eye cream and hand cream, as the air up there is so drying. Wear a tinted lip balm instead of lipstick and waterproof mascara, as you will likely be splashing your face with cool water often. Wear bronzing dust instead of blush to beat that vampire look. And for the really frugal glamour girls, marinate yourself at the fragrance counter in duty free just before flying. I love blasting off in a complementary cloud of Chanel N°5.
Indulge in a blowout before you fly, even at the airport. Limp, nothing ponytails look so much worse on arrival; and there is something implicitly dignified about landing somewhere new with big fat glossy hair and big fat dark glasses.
Personal space is the key issue with economy. Create a greater sense of privacy by using your earplugs and a luxurious silk or cotton eye mask. Pop a small bottle of lavender oil into your carry-on. Rub a few drops between your hands, breathe in, and create your own personal scent-space too.
Use a pashmina or sheer cotton sarong to create a little tent where you sleep. I pop one over my head like a Bedouin and create a barrier of light and a cocoon of warmth. When my son travels with me, I use an extra large piece of cotton to cover us both.
When in doubt, (and especially with children) choose an aisle seat. For very long flights access to the bathroom and not having to climb over people is the way to go.
Choose a boxy little handbag that works as a good footrest and make sure it zips up so you are not poking toes into bottles and bumpy books.
Call me crazy, but I love to take a full Japanese bento box on a flight that is longer than four hours. Choose a low-sodium soy sauce (for less bloating and dehydration), and indulge in wasabi to clear the sinuses. Overeating is a hazard on long flights, and a brown rice hand roll is a slow release carb that keeps you from snacking on the free sugary cookies and chips.
Order a gluten-free meal or vegetarian meal (in advance from the airline). Often it means you get more salad and fresh fruit and you always get served ahead of everyone else. Precious.
For the dreary hours pack some lovely deluxe tea bags. Drinking herbal and low-caffeine green tea through a flight is lighter on the stomach than water and encourages you to get up and walk to return the cup.
Pack a single fresh orange or tangerine and open it an hour before landing; the zesty spray that greets your nose breaks through that stale cabin air, and the fresh citrus is so hydrating and enlivening.
Always carry a small bag of raw nuts and dried fruit. No matter how bad the food is you won’t perish … or cave in to bad choices.
I love witty standout luggage tags in bright colors, stripy grosgrain ribbons tied to ordinary luggage, and navy blue instead of black.
Save the chic luggage for your carry-on. I have seen many a hot pink Kate Spade suitcase get hammered on the carousel.
Keep fresh underpants, an ironed silk scarf, and clean ballet flats folded in your carry-on; slip them on just before landing. Feels luxe.
Dress as well as you can in a soft casual style. Jeans and an oversized cashmere sweater and scarf. A cool knit dress and leggings. An A-line shift and slim sandals in summer. And pack a light jacket (I like safari best) that makes you look smart on landing. I got slipped a pass to the admiral’s lounge from an older businessman who liked my wrap dress, and I wordlessly thanked him when standing under that hot shower between flights. Alone. Of course.