@SkillWill – Hooters now closed (or at least the one opposite the Marriott Courtyard is) – now a Dennys.

Ottawa is a great cycling city – they close some of the roads on Sunday mornings – the one by the canal, and some over the river in the Gatineau Park. Pity it’ll be too cold when the OP goes.

Can recommend places to rent bikes as well ($3500 full carbon road bike for $60 per 24 hours). Some reasonable MTB in the Gatineau Park as well, though had a bit of a moment last time we went when we saw a black bear on the trail we were just about to use.

We flew Gatwick to Vancouver with a touchdown in Edmonton. We prebooked seats in the tail as they were in pairs with window and aisle, the aisle was slightly wider here which meant you could stretch a leg out, but the downside was there was a constant roar from the engines, which you didn’t get further forwards. It was a 12hr flight with an economy/short haul seating plan (Canadian Affair) and further forwards in the main part it was extremely cramped, felt relieved to be near the back where it was narrower and they couldn’t cram so many seats in. The other downside, was my ears don’t equalise very well, I discovered (both ways) that the take off was fine, first landing a bit of discomfort, then the second take off pretty uncomfortable, and the final landing bloody painful, 80% deaf on landing and it took 24hrs for the earache to go and hearing to come back. Was exactly the same coming back.

hels – Member

No way window seat for long flight – tourists !
totally tourist, that’s why window seat. On my way to the US, clear day crossing Greenland – frankly, worth gambling on a clear day to get that view. same again over mainland US, but wrong side of the plane to see Mt Rushmore.
Came back at night – saw northern lights. Awesome.
So, if night flight, sit on the north side of the aircraft (right on way out, left on way back)

@SkillWill – Hooters now closed (or at least the one opposite the Marriott Courtyard is) – now a Dennys.

Noooooo! Shame…

Take one of big religious books, Bible, Koran etc.
Read it aloud, then rip out each page after you’ve finished it whilst exclaming ‘Won’t need that anymore!’.

Always inform the stranger next to you that you love flying, but it gives you terrible wind.

If you don’t like the food, ask to see the chef. They will usually be able to rustle you up a tasty alternative.

A serious one: Get a dental checkup before you fly.

Seriously – enjoy the trip – spent a couple of days in Ottowa waaaaay back in 1988…!

Not so seriously (old ones are the best….)
ask for a seat near the flight recorder – they always find that…
or
ask for a seat at the back of the plane – never yet has a plane reversed into a mountain…

A serious one: Get a dental checkup before you fly.

LOL – they still saying that the ‘brace’ position is such that the impact breaks your neck whilst keeping your teeth in order for easier identification?

Oh, yes, don’t go mad on the booze but my one ‘rule’ when travelling – once checked in and through security, it is never, ever, too early to have a G & T 🙂

Edit…

weve been married 4 and a half years, but this is our honeymoon.

Old tip but, dress ‘smart’, be nice and mention this when you check in – seriously, Mrs MM Mk1 and I did this on our honeymoon flight – also heading to Canada and we did, 100%, get bumped to business class and not just ‘for the ride’, which would have been fine by us, we got the full on food and drink experience as well. Have been fortunate enough to go ‘business’ again since but ‘seat only’ as they’d over allocated cattle class and we got lucky….

Get the window seat if you want to doze/ignore everyone who attempts to bother you, there’s nothing much to see so pull the thing down so you can lean,put your pillow against it don’t talk to anyone avoid eye contact or they might want to bore you, transatlantic flights attract mercans and canucks who talk incessantly, tell your wife not to talk either unless she needs to speak to you then suggest she makes an appointment preferably for when the agony is over.

Noise cancelling headphones a must.

Best thing to do if funds permit, is to arrange to turn left when you get on, all that lot down the back smell, er it might cost a bit more but what the hell you can’t take it with you and you could end up not surviving anyway then what would have been the point of the saving?

Drink plenty of water and avoid alchol.
I always sit near a window, as I’m like a small excited child and love looking at interesting places.
Walk up and down the aisle a few times, even if you don’t want to.
And no chatting up the stewardess in front of the missus 😉

Window seat, beanie hat to pull over eyes to help you sleep. Drink alcohol every time they offer it
Neck travel cushion. In ear headphones with airseat adaptor.
This week I have 9 flights in 7 days. About half way through now.

Brant, with that sort of schedule, noise cancellers make sense!

As does trying to stick to one airline alliance to rack up those airmiles! Harder to do in China, I know, but always worth a try.

Oh, and derekrides, either turning left or going upstairs really is the only way to go on long haul, I agree.

Old tip but, dress ‘smart’, be nice and mention this when you check in – seriously,

Rubbish. Myth. Etc. Last time I got an upgrade (To First, as it happens!) I was wearing Reef flip flops, a pair of battered old Orvis jeans and a polo shirt. Oakleys perched on head, and a three day stubble collection on chin. I did not look “smart”. I was also tired, fed up of travelling and barely grunted at the gate attendant.

Wine was nice in First though. 8)

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/aero-engine-bird-strike-how-scary

Don’t ever read this thread!

can anyone recommend a nice restaurant

Lol.. Canada’s a big ole place there..!

Window seat for me too. Watching endless glacier scoured rocks give way to tundra then great plains… looking out for human habitation.. farmsteads, small town America/Canada rolling underneath.. following pipelines across the great Taiga forest.. the St Lawrence river.. Great Lakes.. it’s all amazing. And Greenland – omfg, is all I can say about that. One of the most incredible things I have ever seen, seriously.

Noise cancellers can be had for £50 or less, you don’t need those bose ones (although they are much better of course, the cheaper ones work).

Go for seats near the back. It’s actually quieter and there’s more room. Esp the bit right at the back where they have to remove one seat cos the plane’s narrowing, but it’s not narrowing a whole seat’s worth.

Rattles and squeaks are normal; the wings are meant to flex; it can be quite bumpy but that’s just like driving over a rough road surface too fast – perfectly normal; it’s also normal sometimes after take off to level out and slow right down to the point where you think you’ve stopped. You are still doing like 350mph, don’t worry 🙂

Go for seats near the back. It’s actually quieter and there’s more room. Esp the bit right at the back where they have to remove one seat cos the plane’s narrowing, but it’s not narrowing a whole seat’s worth.

Nope. Sorry. Seats at the back are by the galley (noise) and the bogs (noise) and other people loitering around both of these.

Up the front is much, much quieter…! 🙂

You won’t get ‘up the front’ unless it’s business class, of course. If you try and get as far forward as you can you will end up over the wings and able to see cock all. I meant that the plane noise is less at the back, further from the engines. Galley wasn’t noisey the two times I’ve flown at the back, neither was bog noise. Two of my best flights, in fact. Which is why I am recommending it 🙂

Go for seats near the back.

Everything’s a pay-off. On a long haul this often means you’re near the toilets and have a few folks (and smells) hanging around all the time. as above, you don’t generally get much noise from it. It’s just the milling around and 2 people passing each other in the isle right where I’m sitting that annoys me.

NEAR the back but not AT the back.

Seats at the back as they never reverse into mountains….

I always made sure I was last on board, then head for an empty row or pair of seats no matter what seat you should be on.

When I did stupid amounts of longhaul (NZ for 5 days, Oz for 3 days, UK for 5, then Japan) I used a hoodie called the redeye by Burton – extended hood over the eyes, built in inflatable neck cushion, loads of extra detail for flight comfort. Noise canceling head phones, often worn over ear plugs, plenty of water, and be nice to the flight crew.

this is all good stuff,
lol @ the plane reversing into a mountain.
was gonna use a combo of big headphones(totally cover my ears)whilst wearing ear plugs.

only sit at the window on shorthauls or if your wanting to sleep unless you want to be the cock thats constantantly waking people when you get incontinant from your alcohol intake !

brant
Drink alcohol every time they offer it

+1
What’s with all this advice to turn down free booze?!

It’s absolutely normal for planes to make strange noises / rattle / vibrate etc.

Yes, and the wings do flap around a lot. It’s by design. if it makes you feel any better if they were completely rigid they’d be ripped off. 😉

the wings do flap around a lot

although if the tips touch either above or below the fuselage you are allowed to have a bit of a whimper and tighten your seatbelt.

wings are meant to flex

Speaking of which, has anyone seen the wing flex on the 787?

😯

If your’e there on Friday 3rd Feb the Senators are playing the Islanders.
Wish I was going!

Speaking of which, has anyone seen the wing flex on the 787?

Saw a destruction test of one a few years back in Everett. WOW!

I fly a lot for work, mostly short-haul but can be 20-30 flights a year if i’m really unlucky.
I’m not a big fan of flying, my top tips for you is stay away from the booze if you’ve not flown before, take a book and and couple of other bits to entertain yourself, as time doesn’t exactly fly by…
I’d also try to sit near the back, its usually quieter.
Have fun and treat it as part of your holiday… and spare a thought for those of us who waste dozens of hours a year sat on their suitcase all alone in a strange airport, cursing because their ‘bargain’ low-cost flight has just been delayed, and I won’t get to see the kids tonight… again. ;o)

Go to Maplin, and ask for the aircraft 2 jack converter. Airline headphones are crappy, and you cant use yours in their place unless you have the “special” jack. Noise cancelling headphones are a deffo, as is the desire to enjoy the view. Greenland is fab – look at it this way, most folk i’ll never get to go there so might as well take in the view an brag that you’ve seen it!!

Get up and move around if you can – it’s good to keep the circulation in your legs lively.

I like a couple of drinks when flying, but don’t overdo it. If only because it’s a long old day after you’ve landed!

Go to Maplin, and ask for the aircraft 2 jack converter. Airline headphones are crappy, and you cant use yours in their place unless you have the “special” jack.

Not always the case. I take my own earphones – most planes I’ve flown in these days seem to have single sockets. But when I have plugged them into a double jack armrest – they worked fine. And yes – airline headphones are crappy!

Take a flying lesson before you go on the big silver bird.

It’s brilliant fun and will make the big plane seem dull and unexciting.

Oh and if the captain is taken ill you can be hero for the day !!

Marty, your going to be stuck in a tin tube with loads of other peoples farts for a few hours. Its not that glamorous… Take off and landing are ace, its good fun and pretty enjoyable …you’re not going to die… don’t get too excited about the food either… unless you turn left on boarding….

Airports:
Loads of signs to help. Get there early enough to avoid stress, take a note of packing stuff to take through security and help the x ray folk do their job and they will help you too. I try to work to arrive early, waste time at the airport as opposed to drive like a maniac and will I make it through security in time…. stress free

Comfy clothes, books, water, etc all help. Have a great trip and enjoy it..!

Cant help when your there but its better than meeting Merkins…

Just watch out for those A380 hairline fractures on the wings … that was the news yesterday.

Or if you feel like fainting after 30 mins take off time make sure the oxygen mask is available …

I love being at airports. It really is limbo. You can’t do anything, nothing can get to you.. it’s a parallel reality where all you have to do is be at your gate in three hours.

Don’t forget to watch channel 5 tomorrow night at 8pm. Should get a few pointers 😉

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A5t5_O8hdA&feature=related[/video]

During extreme turbulence, it is best not to put one’s arms in the air and go weeeeeeeee! 😳

Seriously:
1) Arrive in good time, those security checks take some time. Slip on shoes mark a seasoned traveler.
2) Register as a vegetarian – food is always better than “beef or chicken”.
3) Aisle out, window back, means you can get up when you want on the way out, and sleep undisturbed on the way home.
4) Remove your shoes for long-haul as your feet will swell
5) Take a book to read
6) Foam earplugs are normally enough to deaden the sound
7) Be sure to REST on the way out to minimise jet-lag. It’s not 8 hrs of entertainment, get at least four hours of rest (sleep if possible)
8) Eat before flying on the way home, you’ll sleep better

To those afraid of flying:

You have a 1 in 40,000 chance of having a car accident on your way home tonight.

You have a 1 in 30,000,000 chance of having a ‘plane crash and even then you have a 50:50 chance of surviving because many happen on the ground.

The most dangerous part of your journey is the drive from the airport to your hotel on dodgy roads with ill-maintained vehicles.

Never request a special meal. It is a guarantee that you will NEVER get upgraded. Airlines only carry ‘special’ meals that have been pre-ordered so if you were suitable for upgrade then they would pick someone less fussy.

one of the biggest disappoints is the lack of access to go and see the pilots on plane these days..

Went on a flight to malta just before 911 and my friend had never been on a plane and was freaking, but after a trip to the cockpit to see the pilots and look out of the front he was fine…

deadslow, +1.

On the upgrade point – Upgrades are very, very, very rare. Regardless of what people tell you about dressing nicely and being polite and all that. I’ve flown way too much this last year, mostly in business. I was upgraded once. As mentioned earlier, I was rather scruffy at the time!

Make the most of whatever seat/class you are in. Use SeatGuru!

Also take photos of your luggage before you check it in, both the contents and outside. Having lost a luggage before an accurate description of the case, proof of what was in it helps when you get to the insurance stage (hopefully never).