My guide to staying sane and somewhat comfortable on a long-haul flight (hint: it includes DIY food)

Air travel is uncomfortable, let’s be honest. It will usually start with a v early morning, a mad rush to the airport and a pathetic attempt at lifting your luggage that feels as though you are carrying your slow cooker, and praying that it won’t go over the weight limit and result in you paying half your savings away for some luggage. This continues with long lines, being asked for your passport every 5 seconds and your bag being checked for everything under the sun, because yeah you really look like your carrying a bomb. Then you find yourself eating dry and tasteless food, being dehydrated, cramped and hungry and swamped in a sea of chronic coughs and nose sniffers. All while trying to watch some crap movie with the quality of a Nokia phone, and unable to hear a thing.

So, in these less-than-pleasant conditions, how will I stay comfortable, healthy and hydrated on my way to NYC?

Meditation Music: Check out this Meditation playlist on Spotify to download

Some good books: Click here for my faves

Travel yoga mat -Mine is from Yellow Willow. It's light, and nails the look of a whack-job doing yoga on the airport flow while your ass is in the air and everyone is looking. Use the code 'monicayateshealth' for 10% off your purchase

Food, food and more food (I don’t add anything to my nuts because it tends to make me more thirsty and then I have to drink even MORE water). Inside my Kollab cooler bag I have; boiled eggs, salad, roasted veggies (crispy af to reduce soggy-ness ' , frozen chicken balls which keep things cold and doubles as food once defrosted, cucumber and capsicum sticks, raw chocolate, gelatine cubs, and extra greens. In my dry area I have nuts, seeds, coconut chips, avocado, Vegemite, flax crackers from Herbs Of Life, extra gelatine powder, probiotics, ACV, my own tea and tahini.

Eye patch -I need at least a little beauty sleep (although doesn't seem to do much; I still look like a wreck at the end of the flight)

headphones

Water!!!!!!

Mukti hydration spray to keep my face hydrated (obviously)

GLOW beauty powder - I put it in my water

Probiotics (unrefrigerated)

Frank Body face cleanser

Coconut oil to rub EVERYWHERE

Non-toxic Toothpaste

Erica Brooke Deodorant cause things start to get stinky AF up there

Some natural makeup for when I land (you can check out more about the products I use here)

Antipodes avocado and Pear nourishing night cream

REAL TALK HERE: Keeping your toilet habits on point is v hard when you’re travelling - especially when you're crossing time zones and it totally messes up your body clock. Be sure to stay hydrated to keep things moving. Also, load up on fibre rich foods like sweet potato and pumpkin and add coconut and olive oil or any healthy fats to just about everything to keep stuff smoooooth sailing

Also sitting for a long time can aggravate bloating to be sure to get up and move about as often as possible. (Hence my yoga mat....little cray I know)

Last note: There's no hiding the fact that we all have some seriously evil thoughts towards those crying children, people putting back their chairs (there's no going back after that move. Once 1A is down, it's like a domino effect and everyone from 1A-800A is throwing there's back too), and that dreaded dick who kicks the back of your chair and grabs it every time he gets up. WELL the one thing I can suggest: take yourself into your own world, visualise and enter a state of bliss people (or at least try). Stuff those headphones in and get deep. I find that this playlist shown above on Spotify gets me into a seriously dreamayy space. Something about the frequency in the music. Whatever it does, it works.

Well hopefully this post tires you over until I land in my home city and where my heart is. Follow me on insta-stories to see how I overcome my jetlag! x