what to do on the plane?

I bring a kindle and a small laptop. I'll alternate between reading and some mundane task on the laptop like organizing bookmarks or photo files. I try and sleep a little but I usually too excited to sleep much!

I always have my Kindle and my current pair of socks in my carry-on. I pack yarn for a second pair in my checked luggage so I don't run out of knitting.

I always take a knitting project with me. Usually socks. Mainly because it is a small portable project. I also will knit in the evenings as it makes me relax.

I take my iPod and have the kindle app on it. I also have ebooks that I have checked out from the library as I find sometimes listening to a book is preferable to reading.

Lastly, I have a very eclectic playlist Of music on my iPod that I can listen to. I also check out the onboard entertainment.

I have also been known to pop benedryl and sleep;-)

Edit: I also buy yarn on my travel if I can find it. Generally enough to make a scarf. Then every time I wear the scarf I remember the trip and where I got the yarn.

In addition to reading, I watch movies on my iPad/the in-flight TV. If I have room, I like to bring along an adult coloring book and some markers and color--I find that very relaxing. I also like to journal, especially on the trip back, to document everything I saw and did on my trip!

My priority is to try to sleep...I can even knock out before the plane takes off. When I'm awake, I love looking out the window if the scenery is spectacular (this is mostly the case on domestic flights over the Rockies, Colorado, Utah, etc.)

I'm with Agnes -- put on my noise-canceling headphones, plug in the classical music channel from the onboard entertainment and sleep as much as possible. Maybe watch a movie when I wake up, then back to my nap.

I have my little bag o' entertainment all ready, it contains the following:

I staple together maybe 20 crossword puzzles cut from the SF Chronicle, with pen clipped to them. Discard as finished.

A book--they are left all over Europe, I start with at least 2 and buy more if needed. Kindles do not appeal to me.

My knitting project in a big ziplock--usually something like a scarf or the very beginning of a sweater, always on circular wood needles and always just 1 ball of sock-weight yarn. I have never been questioned about my knitting needles. This past trip I really only knit on the plane rides, ended up just reading in my hotel at night. I'm not a particularly fast knitter so not likely to get anywhere near finishing a project on my trip.

Some kind of candy, eye drops and my reading glasses.

I have a cloth drawstring bag that measures 11' x 12" and I stick it in the seat pocket, that way all my things are at the ready and no need to access carry-on tote. My trips usually start with reading, after we are fed I knit for a long while, then usually napping, maybe a puzzle, repeat as needed.

I download a months worth of audio books from the library onto my iPod and listen to those. I hoard the months worth for my trip. It allows me to stroll the aisles, go to the restroom, etc. while listening as well. If I chose the right book for the flight, I won't want to turn it off. Or at home, do chores in a more enjoyable manner... When my daughter was young and we were flying we often hand sewed Christmas ornaments. Looking around the plane, most people look like zombies and I feel sorry for them, so I like to busy my hands or mind, or both during the trip.

Read e-books, listen to podcasts, play Jeopardy app. Read guidebooks and study maps for trip. Take ambien when ready to sleep, sleep.
Longest flight last yr was 16.5 hours. We seemed to be served food constantly so that helped too. Slept 5-6 hrs.

I've tried to crochet on long daytime flights, choosing an easy (mindless) stitch but I find as I get older that the overhead light just isn't strong enough and so I end up straining my eyes. A head lamp would work well but I'm not going to go to those lengths!

We'll drink a little.
We'll eat a little.
And then we'll look at some documentary films on the in flight television.
And after 3 whole length movies, we'll arrive.

I fare better going west than going east on long flights. We last stopped at Boston coming home and spent the night. We caught a 9:30 a.m. flight home and arrived pretty rested.

I bring books and I read them , I actually look forward to being left alone to read for hours , I wish it made me sleepy since most of our flights to Europe are red eyes and skeeeping is the best plan but I don't sleep well when so uncomfortable .
I also watch a few movies .

I bring a tiny Apple shuffle with energizing "awake music" and relaxing music plugged into my noise-cancelling headphones. I usually try to just relax & snooze on & off, getting up every 2 hours to walk a little and drink some water. I'll watch a couple of movies on the way or back - usually something I've seen previously, so I can snooze whenever I can feel tired.

My hubby downloads some mystery/action books and reads most of the time.

On the flight home, I like to browse through our photos and remember each place.

Now that in-flight entertainment has improved so much, I usually watch movies. That makes the time go by fastest for me. I need to sleep and usually do achieve at least a few hours of quality zzzzs. Between that and (it seems) constant delivery of food and drink, the time goes by reasonably quickly.

Going east, we ignore almost everything try our best to get some sleep and generally have a little success. Returning, we have a list of activities. Almost the first thing we do is review the packing list - add, subtract, add comments for the next trip. We keep a rough travel logs so that will be reviewed and expanded a bit. Make some notes on where to go next, what we might have missed, what worked well, what didn't. Most of that is on the Ipad. Review the finances - might look thought some of the receipts just to confirm. Stash the Euro and pull out the dollars. Eat and drink and just relax. Time permitting will probably do a rough review of pictures - obviously delete the really bad ones. And maybe a brief nap. We find the time goes fast returning. When we get off the plane the next trip is beginning to take shape and the packing list is done.

It's clear the posters here know how to travel!! Me? If I'm lucky I'll have a few hours to read my kindle or watch a movie - generally though I am working. Sleep definitely figures into the equation as well!!!

I watch movies and drink.

There's a subtle assumption that, during any downtime one has, one still should be "doing something" or being otherwise productive. I'm in the minority on this, but I enjoy the plane time to do absolutely nothing. It's like a treat to have a time block where your mind can be totally unencumbered. If I can't sleep, then I just close my eyes and relax. Or look out the window. Or contemplate whatever comes to mind. Whatever the case, it's quiet time with no electronics (unless there's a conversation struck up with the adjacent passenger, which I really enjoy sometimes and helps the time pass very quickly). I know everyone's different, but I encourage giving "doing nothing" a try...it's very restorative.

Well, it appears the eReader/Tablet/Laptop options may soon be out the window. So, I guess that leaves reading paper books and hoping there's something on the entertainment system.

BTW - I've always been curious why a 3 inch blade on a pocket knife is security hazard while those 10 inch pointed metal sticks are OK? Just curious...

Watch the movies on the entertainment system, play Candy Crush on my i-pad, and read what ever book I have brought along. Can't sleep on the plane, so stay awake the whole time.

I crochet and listen to audiobooks (noise cancelling headphones). Usually crochet a simple repetitive pattern. There is more yarn in my suitcase for downtime during the trip and the plane ride home. Love the idea of buying yarn along the way; what a great memory. Two years ago my metal crochet hooks were confiscated by security when returning home from Mexico, so now I travel with plastic or bamboo hooks.

Dramimine and the audiobooks help me sleep. Sometimes hubby and I play trivia on the plane entertainment screen. He watches some of the in-flight programs and works crossword puzzles. We both also read ebooks. I really hope we can continue to travel with our ipads!

Why would the eReader/tablet/laptop options not be options?

P..S. I truly hope to sleep.

Sandra, there's potentially more restrictions coming re flying w electronics.

Mom and i flew out of Scotland in August of 2006 a couple of days after Heathrow was basically shut down because of the plot to carry on liqiud explosives disguised as sodas. We were allowed not much more than a small purse coming home and rumor was that even ink pens would be confiscated. (I don't remember if they were forbidden but i had four patdowns and bag searches before we loaded.) Anyway, mom had a puzzle book w her and one of our hotel rooms had golf pencils, so we each had half a puzzle book and a pencil stub for entertainment.
When me and my eyes were younger, i would travel w a small crewel embroidery project. Adva tage to that still is it actually uses a thin yarn and is much more casual in terms of "i think I'll add one more petal" as opposed to counted cross stitch which i find very restrictive. I usually travel w a couple of magazines or a fist full of junk mail.

My mom often brings a crewel project, or sometimes she crochets fancy edges on washcloths. She likes to have the handwork in addition to having some books and magazines to read. I'm pretty much just a reader! i hardly ever even watch a movie on the plane.

I'm a quilter so take a small pouch with fabric pieces and pre cut 'hexie' hexagonal papers for hand piecing. Small blunt nosed scissors are often acceptable on flights, otherwise a dental floss container for cutting thread. If I was smart, I would take a few needles pre-threaded as turbulence and aging eyes are not a good mix.
But to be honest, that is rarely a flight project. Going is usually a short overnight flight, so I try to sleep - poor sleep is better than no sleep. On the way home, I am usually exhausted so doze and watch movies. I don't have cable at home and it can be months between movies or Netflix, so there is always something to catch up on - at least Big Bang Theory which is guaranteed to entertain.
About half way across the Atlantic, the mind turns over to all the 'to do's I have when I return home, so out comes the note pad for home to do's and the dreaded office to do's.

What a great thread. I really don't have anything I've done other than what has been mentioned, but I would love to hear more ideas!

On the way over, traveling east, I try to sleep as soon as dinner service is over. On my current trip, everyone was so engrossed in the movie during dinner that afterward everyone wanted to mill around and talk, so it wasn't easy getting to sleep. On the way back, I watch the entertainment provided or read my Kindle. I don't try to sleep headed west because it will just seem like late at night when I arrive, so I can go right to sleep at my normal time.

Especially ifwe are flying onAerLingus, I enjoy the Irish movies they have. Otherwise, try and sleep or doze. I love the canvas bag idea - to put in seat pocket . I am usually looking for whatever I brought- dont ask me how I can get disprganized in such small space

I use my iphone... e-books, audio-books, maybe a movie. Usually, though, I listen to podcasts, because they're shorter.

My main strategy, though, is -- when flying to Europe (over night), my goal is to sleep. After the meal, I take a Gravol (Dramamine in the US), have a drink or two, use either my noise-cancelling ear buds or ear plugs, put on my eye mask, use my neck pillow, and catch as much sleep as I can. I usually get a few hours! Then, when I arrive in Europe, I can function for the whole day, then go to bed that night and re-set my body clock.

Returning, is different. Especially since once we fly into Toronto, we usually have a 3-hour drive home, and must stop to pick up our dogs (another 1/2 hour), and it is daytime. I try to nap, but I don't put a lot of effort into it, and I drink less alcohol.

I used to take my iPad Mini, along with my iPhone, but during my last trip I took the phone, only, and I didn't really miss the iPad.

I try not to take crafty projects -- I don't feel like there is enough room.

Cheers,
Vivian

I wish I could knit on the plane but I always seem to get sandwiched in next to folks who take every bit of their space and sometimes some of mine. There just isn't room to knit, not even with circular needles. Reading makes the time go faster, and if I can sleep, so much the better. I don't get my tablet out because I don't want plane dirt on it. I often use my tablet at night before falling asleep in the hotel and want to keep it relatively clean. Those of you who check the Flyertalk forums know how dirty planes can get. Like another poster said, if I have a window seat, I love to look out the window. The views I've been lucky enough to see--south Florida and Cuba at night, the Grand Canyon, Norway's coast--much better than any entertainment on the screen.

yes but for so long of the trip, all you can see is CLOUDS!

Clouds are mesmerizing for some of us ! As a child I would look for angels and fairies in them .
Still do lol

Sleep as much as possible to minimise jetlag. I want to be on local time as soon as possible and try to time my flights accordingly. Its about a 24hr trip from Sydney to visit family in Boston so I've had lots of practice getting it right.

This trip we go Syd-Bangkok-Paris. Leave Sydney about 4pm Syd time. Will relax watch a movie/eat meal service and nap for a few hrs. We stopover in Bangkok for about an hr at around midnite. Take a sleeping tablet just before the next leg. Put lavender oil on my neck pillow and apply to my temples. Hopefully sleep the full 8 hrs from Bangkok and be ready to go when we land in Paris at 7am.