BOS-JFK-LHR-DXB-CPT

In an attempt to stay within budget while also getting in a vacation with friends in the UK, I ended up taking a series of four flights to get to Cape Town. I don’t mind flying as much as I used to, which is to say that I no longer panic at the idea. Still, four flights over two days is no one’s definition of pleasant.

Here are the suggestions I got to make my travel easier, all worth heeding:

1. Don’t try to stay up all night to exhaust yourself into a new time zone. I would have appreciated (but likely not heeded) this advice at 15.

2. Better choice = Benadryl + eye mask + foam ear plugs.

3. Leave Heathrow if your layover is even close to long – mine was 11 hours, and I got to go into London and see a college friend with whom Facebook had reunited me. We had a lovely picnic lunch near the National Gallery, and I got to roam around Central London for a few hours. (Tip: wifi is not abundant in London the way it is in American cities. Pret A Manger is your best bet, and they’re ubiquitous.)

4. If you must connect, the Dubai airport is a pretty nice place to do so. It was like being in the States, more specifically Houston, to which it has multiple nonstop flights. I found this rather amusing. On my way back I will be in Dubai for 8 hours, but am not convinced that it’s worth it to go through customs and see the sights.

5. You probably don’t need to pack as much stuff as you think you do. You certainly need less than you want to haul around a major airport. When I went to Vietnam in 2005, my friends convinced me to bring clothes I wasn’t attached to, and leave them behind as a donation. Out of no altruism whatsoever, I am hoping to significantly lighten my load for the trip back to the States.

Other suggestions, which I will report back on:

6. Go to church, and not the white ones. If I could do this in Central PA, I think I will be able to do it in Cape Town.

7. Go to ____ National Park. As I decided against brining malaria prophylaxis, I will bypass Kruger and go somewhere without malaria.

8. Take a weekend trip to Harare.

9. Hike Table Mountain.

10. Find a braai – I think once my friend moves here I will be all set with this, as it was her advice.

Feel free to chime in with your experiences of Cape Town, South Africa, or travel in general.