Long-distance travel can be a bore. Actually, before we get going on this blog, let’s immediately stop and rewind.
Long-distance travel is a privilege. Many people in this world barely aspire to visiting their neighbouring village, or finding enough food to get through the day, so let’s get this in perspective.
But, like most repeated activities, even glamorous jobs, travelling can become tiresome. Those of us who are lucky enough to have travelled far will be familiar with the scenario: hour after tedious hour spent hanging around airports, then on a plane with little leg-room (unless you’re really privileged and sitting in first-class).
There are distractions to ease your way, starting at the airport: shops, usually full of stuff you don’t really need; restaurants, how full of food do you want to be if you’re going to sit on a plane for hours?; cafes, ah, yes, mine’s a large coffee thank you.
Once on your long-distance flight, of course, you will find on the back of the seat in front of you a screen – probably called some nonsense such as an Interactive Air Entertainment Console. Call me Mr Grumpy, many have, but I find the screens too small and the seating position too uncomfortable to watch a film. The music channels might distract me for a while and I admit I do like the maps that show you the plane’s position (hopefully way up high and on course).
Usually I find myself reading a book or listening to my own choice of music. In fact, the last time Kathie and I travelled to the USA about four years ago I was the dinosaur still using a portable CD player with a bundle of CDs. I must get some sort of MP3 player before our next trip in 2012.
I’m not one for wishing my life away in normal circumstances but, whatever you do on a long flight, however much you enjoy films on a small screen, you probably wish time would go more quickly and you could reach your destination/hotel/loved ones sooner.
Here’s a method to help you feel that time is passing more quickly. It sounds a bit complicated at first but is easy once you get it. I say, pay close attention there at the back. And sit up straight.
First of all, perhaps while you are getting ready to leave home for the airport, work out how many hours it will be before you arrive at your destination at the end of your flight. It might be, for example, 17 hours.
Gosh, 17 hours, sounds like a long time. Think back from the current time – let’s say it’s 8am – to what were you were doing 17 hours ago. I don’t want to pry, but maybe you were in that tedious 3pm meeting at the office. Ok, with me so far?
You get to the airport two hours later at 10am. It is now 15 hours until you are due to arrive at your destination. Think back to what you were doing 15 hours ago, at 7pm the previous day. Perhaps you were having dinner before watching a bit of TV and getting an early night?
But notice that your previous, or past life, has moved forward four hours from 3 to 7pm while in real-time you have only moved on two hours. And watching TV last night doesn’t seem so long ago, does it?
It’s now noon, you’ve got through check-in and security, had your coffee, looked at the shops and you are waiting for your flight. It’s 13 hours to your destination. What were you doing 13 hours ago at 11pm? You were probably fast asleep already!
Can you see that the perceived speed of time is starting to shift? I find thinking using this method makes me feel as if I am getting towards my destination quicker than I am in reality.
Well, it works for me and I’d say it’s worth a try.
The small print
This method will not make you any younger.
This method will not make you fitter, happier or more attractive sexually. Well, it might make you a bit happier and therefore a little more attractive.
This method will not stop your flight being delayed.
This method will not stop your luggage being lost.
Furthermore, I will take no responsibility if strangers point at you while you sit in the airport, staring into space, trying to remember what you were doing 13 hours ago.
Graham Brown Orkney 