By Julianne Will
For someone who loves to travel, I’m not built for it at all.
I have fibromyalgia, for starters, and a whole host of other issues that may or may not be related. I even landed in a hospital in Uganda thanks to swelling in my ankles after 24 hours of flights and layovers that led to an infection. So when it comes to surviving a long flight, I’ve had to learn a few tricks the hard way.
Getting up and walking around the cabin isn’t always feasible (and when it is, it doesn’t help me much), so I especially rely on a few pieces of gear to alleviate the discomfort of existing in just 17.2 inches for a day or two. I’ve wanted to go to Australia since I was a little girl, and the long-haul flight in economy is not going to hold me back!
How to Survive Long Flights Comfortably
If you want to be comfortable on a long flight, then for the love of God wear loose-fitting pants. Elastic waistbands are your friend! They’ll allow for normal digestion when you have to sit folded in half for hours on end. And it’s so much easier to pee in a tiny stall when you don’t have to deal with zippers, buttons or a belt. Joggers are my favorite.
