help scared of flying!

[Guest wyles family]

hello, going to adelaide on 25th oct and i am scared of flying!! help what can i take to help me! gonna try wine and mind over matter, but if anyone got any better ideas like good sleeping tablets then please help.. thanks

[Guest ladyarkles]

I used to be absolutely terrified of flying until I moved from the UK to Singapore.

Then it was a case of: Right, if I want to go home/see my friends/explore the region, I have to fly.

The more I did it, the less it bothered me.

 

The good thing about this particular long haul flight you are about to take is that it will bore the bejesus out of you. Honest!

Once you get over the initial fear of the take off, just give yourself half and hour and you will be bored into calmness.

Such a high level of fear is hard to maintain over long periods.

 

As you get on the plane do it with a bit of attitude, look it in the eye (figuratively) and say "Ok, you shiny metal b@stard! I'm going to ride you all the way to Australia whether you like it or not! Now get moving, you Boeing Bitch!"*

 

Fear is a cowardly bully; kick it in the goolies and have done with it.

 

Try and do the journey without alcohol or tablets. Just do it by sheer willpower and bloody-mindedness alone.

Go for it!

 

~ Rachel

 

*However, don't say this to the stewardesses or you may end up with a lap full of noodles and a trolley running over your toes every half an hour.

[Guest teamV]

Just close your eyes ,its not like its a long flight )

 

 

 

 

Kev.

[Guest BackToAdelaide]

Not sure if you've flown long haul before but you'll be pleased once you get on the plane and see how much bigger it is than anything doing short haul routes around the UK or Europe. So whereas in turbulence you'll feel every bump in a small plane I find long haul flights much smoother overall. Another great feature is the flight tracker mode on the inflight entertainment (well, Singapore Airlines has it anyway). You can always see how far you've flown and how far you've got left to go so you feel like you're making some progress. But the best way would be to sleep if you can manage it as the time will just "fly" by (sorry about the pun!).

 

Edit: just read your other post and see you are flying Singapore Airlines. They're fab! Great service, great food and great inflight entertainment. Will all help the flight go by. And be sure to make the most of your time in Changi Airport. There's so much to do! Other posts on this forum about it but my personal favourite things are getting a 1 hour full body massage with free use of shower thrown in, or if you're looking for something quicker and free there are special massage chairs that massage your calf muscles. Loads of places to eat and plenty of other entertainment including a pool, free cinema and other promotional things (they were showing off the xbox kinnect last time I went so I had a go at the soccer game). Free internet stations throughout the terminals too. There you go, you'll be so busy looking forward to the stopover you'll stop worrying about the first flight, and the Singapore to Adelaide leg's just a short hop by comparison

[Guest wyles family]

thanks very much, i have been on long haul before to adelaide and it wasnt that bad as you say the bigger the plane the less turbulance etc. we are also stopping over in singapore for 18 hours as i cant sleep on the plane and found it too exhausting last time with the two kids,etc..

we are going to have a good look around singapore and get a few hours rest in a hotel or something, then get on plane for last bit..

 

ill be ok just needed some reasurance from everyone thanks alot.

[Guest BackToAdelaide]

I've done the 18 hour stopover once, although I'd rather not again as it's a long time! To help pass the time I did a couple of the free Singapore tours they run from the airport. Great way to pass the time and you're driven around so not a big hassle looking after kids. It's a great way to spend some of your stopover.

http://www.changiairport.com/at-changi/leisure-indulgences/free-singapore-tour

 

You'll see there's been a recent post on this forum about the hotel in the airport terminal. It's also a good way to pass some time and it's wonderful to sleep lying down after being in your seat for a long flight.

[Guest wyles family]

Thanks for that! Thought it would be nice to see singapore a bit more as only stopped over for 5 hours before in no real rush to get to adelaide and thought it may help me as it will break up the flights! Will look at the tours, thanks and good luck when you go soon.

 

Where are you looking at going? Rachel

[Guest guest8040]

Stupidly one of my biggest concerns about emigrating is getting there as I'm also terrified of flying so can really sympathize. When we honeymooned in Oz 12 years ago I had Valium for the flight but would nt take it again as I have 2 kids now and I was a sleeping zombie on it!

[Guest Guest5035]

Don't believe the bigger the plane the less turbulence, 5 weeks ago i flew Melbourne/Bangkok/Rome/Heathrow/Singapore/Adelaide, two of the legs were 747's and 1 on a A380 and they were the worst, thought i was on a mini roller coaster.

 

stevo

[Guest guest8040]

Ssssshhhh you!!!

[minty]

Getting one of these will put your mind at rest.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Parachute-National-Seat-Type-425-Blue-and-Black-/200662137475?pt=UK_SportingGoods_OtherSports&hash=item2eb8653a83

 

Dont say im not helpfull.

[Guest Guest5035]

i laughed when i saw the link, my coffee went down my PJ's

 

Stevo

[Guest BackToAdelaide]

Thanks for that! Thought it would be nice to see singapore a bit more as only stopped over for 5 hours before in no real rush to get to adelaide and thought it may help me as it will break up the flights! Will look at the tours, thanks and good luck when you go soon.

 

Where are you looking at going? Rachel

 

I've got a place in Ethelton so we're moving back into that.

[Guest samog]

Hi there

 

I am also terrified of flying and am flying out on the 28th, in all honesty I take diazapam from the docs, I take 5mg the night before and 5mg about half an hour before take off. Don't get me wrong it doesn't take away the fear but it does stop the physical panic, obviously you cannot drink after taking them but I do not feel drowsy on them in the least. I never had the nerve to fly long haul until I was prescribed these and now I have done it several times. Nothing on earth will take away your fear if you are anything like me, I already feel physically sick thinking about it, but god willing you will be fine, I have no choice I have to get on the plane as my OH and my dogs and cats are already there otherwise I would be running for the hills screaming who the hell wants to live in Oz anyway :biglaugh:. I will say a little prayer for you but I know you will be fine xxxxxx

[Guest Guest5035]

http://sj.blacksteel.com/

 

perhaps one of these..

 

stevo

[Guest samog]

OMG Stevo that looks like some sort of Gimp fetish gear

[Misplaced]

Swim!!!!!!!!

[Guest Guest5035]

OMG Stevo that looks like some sort of Gimp fetish gear

 

Afraid i wouldn't know what you are talking of, but Diane liked it.... your reply that is......mmmmm ....Essex Girls....

 

stevo

[Guest samog]

Afraid i wouldn't know what you are talking of, but Diane liked it.... your reply that is......mmmmm ....Essex Girls....

 

stevo

 

Don't believe a word of it Stevo :biglaugh:

[Guest AngPhil]

I am exactly the same, you can't describe the fear to someone who doesn't feel it. We went in April this year to do our visa activation visit, I went to the doctors before and they gave me some valium, just having it in my bag made me feel much calmer. We flew from Heathrow to Singapore (13 hours) and stopped there 2 days (as I didn't think I could manage without a long break), we then flew to Perth (5 hours) and then to Adelaide (3 hours). We got hit by lightning leaving Heathrow about 5 mins after take off and it actually made me feel much calmer as we had a very small wobble and carried on just fine.

 

On the way home we went Melbourne to Hong Kong (12 hours) with a 2 day stop over and then HK to London (13 hours), the HK to London was in a thunder storm most of the way home and after about 10 mins I forgot about it completly. When we were about 3 hours from London I took a valium, as I wanted see what it was like. My husband thought I was bonkers!

 

I was completly terrified before we left, but the worst thing is sitting about for 13 hours. I couldn't sleep at all and watched loads of films, so most of the rentals out now I have seen.

 

We are moving in July next year and I am still scared of the flights, but I think with the valium in my bag I will be fine (hopefully I won't feel the need to pop one just before we land in Auz).

 

Hope that helps

 

Ang

[snifter]

I hate flying. Well I hate the thought of it, the build up, the waiting around and the actual take off and landing. Its the control aspect I think bothers most people. You having to trust in and hand over that control to the flight crew for the duration and all that. Once I am up there its a case of deal with it and get on with things as normal. And I usually do that just fine.

 

I only ever begin to relax once we have levelled out and are at cruising altitude. Then I tend to feel a bit better. Also I always figure if the cabin crew are carrying on a normal so I should be aswell.

 

I've done long haul so many times now and after the first few hours you do tend to forget you are on the plane in a simple kind of way. You are aware of it but your senses have dulled to it I think is how I'd describe it. I always ensure we take the night flight to Aus from London via Singapore and being tired and needing to snooze also helps pass a chunk of hours for me.

[catherine.c]

haha this thread has made me laugh a little - scared sh*tless of flying (literally) until I visited Australia in 2006 when I flew so much that I seem to have become cured! I still hate little planes with propellors which I have been on recently but this may be more to do with the woman next to me praying and singing throughout the flight rather than the flight itself! I have in the past found helpful the mantra "I am on a bus, I am on a bus" LOL. I am sure you will be fine, good luck!!

Catherine

[catherine.c]

Just realised that you will aready be on your way - bet it was ok wasn't it:wacko: apart from the boredom that is - let the jetlag begin!

Enjoy Adelaide

Catherine