Travel Tips for Long Distance Commuting

This is something I wrote back in September 2024. I have since traveled once more to the US, and plan many more in 2025. Happy New Year. 

I “commute” between East Asia and the East Coast of the United States. 

In true former alcoholic/addict fashion I take on big challenges just because it’s another way to feel alive while deep down believing that fate chose this road less traveled for me. Simply put, I’m addicted to my own drama. 

This is my fourth trip to the east coast of USA from east Asia this year. My final destination is a 14 to 16 hour journey. I even arrive before I left thanks to the international dateline being crossed. 

Before my complicated relationship with my ex boyfriend, who is my current “Affair Partner”, I travelled overseas at about the same frequency. The only difference was that the flights were shorter and almost exclusively to warm, south east pacific islands and beach locations. Never to a colder climate, inland and far from the sea. Love makes us push us out of our comfort zones; love gives me the courage to go places I would never imagine. 

With all the long haul travel that I’ve been doing, I’ve picked up a few travel tips that I would like to share with myself from the past when I first visited my boyfriend for the first time in 19 years:

1. Seats at the back or the middle row often do not get filled until the flight is full. Choose them to increase the probability of getting an entire row for the flight. 
2. Portable foot rest that hooks onto the tray in front of you is a better investment than a neck pillow. 
3. Benadryl, CBD, and melatonin combo. Say no more. 
4. Download the podcasts and Netflix series before you get on board. 
5. Bring disposable slippers on board.
6. Don’t have a heavy carryon when you have to transit in a US city to get to your destination. You’ll be stuck in immigration for at least an hour. 
7. Make sure you have at least 3 hours transit time. Otherwise be prepared to miss your flight and have to ask the airline to find a seat on the next flight out. 
8. Bring a large scarf for your domestic flight in the US. They don’t give you blankets. 
9. Try booking a flight where you transit in Canada so you don’t have to go through immigration until your destination. 
10. Be happy and grateful that you have the resources today to see your beau as frequently as you do because you have lots of air miles. You didn’t have this 20 years ago.

Commuting long distance is tough, but I’ve weighed up the pros and cons. I’m not sure what I did in my past life, but it seems I still owe the universe enough that I’m paying the price to be with the love of my life to this day. I’ll keep paying up and not rack up more debt to the universe. If I’m not careful, I’ll owe a lot in interest…