yankiwi asked:


Hi I will be coming to America in February – arriving mid morning in either Los Angeles or San Francisco, (not sure which airport yet). My final destination is Washington, DC.

Due to the difference in time zones, my options are very limited – the flights in to DC either arrive quite late in the evening (just before midnight), or else very early in the morning.

I would prefer to arrive between noon and five pm. I really don’t want to spend the early hours of the morning in an airport. I thought I could remedy this problem by flying in a day earlier, and then stopping over midway across the country.

I could just book a room, spend the night, and then fly out to DC the next morning. This would probably help me get over my jet lag, too.

Here’s where I could use some suggestions – what would be the best city in which to stopover?

I looked on the map for somewhere about halfway across; a workmate suggested Chicago, but I thought it would be too cold, or maybe even snowing there, in February. My neighbours suggested Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta as possibilities. However, none of them could provide any first-hand information.

I’d appreciate suggestions as to what city to overnight in, as well as recommendations for inexpensive accommodations – because I am on a limited budget. I can’t afford the Hilton, but I don’t want to stay in a backpackers. Just a quiet and safe, yet inexpensive place to get cleaned up and rested – and preferably a motel with a free shuttle to the airport.

Thanks in advance for your help! I know there are many people out there in the know, who will share their travel expertise…
As far as the stopover – again this is just for clean up and sleeping – not for shopping or sightseeing.

I’ve been to Las Vegas once, and aside from the neon, it doesn’t really interest me. I’m a student so I don’t have any $ for gambling or shows.

I’m just mainly looking for a safe quiet place to have a shower and a rest before I head on to the East Coast. About the Chicago stopover – I’ve been watching the weather reports-brr! Will the ice and cold would be over by February? Or am I fooling myself?

Both of my airlines options (ANZ or Qantas and their alliences) offer multi-stop trips, and also give discounts on hotels, Trying to find the right one with an airport shuttle, and without cockroaches will be the tricky bit.

Looking at Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston as southern options, and Chicago or Indianapolis as northern options.

BTW, I can flu directly into DCA, which is only about 12 Km from where I need to be. Any ideas on safe clean places to stopover?
Thanks =)

Jet lag is an unavoidable part of flying long distances. It’s the feeling you experience when your internal clock doesn’t match up with the clock in the area that you are visiting.

Jet lag can be more intense if you are traveling to a time zone that is more than eight hours away, but it can also affect you if your internal clock is just a few hours off. By following these tips, you’ll be able get your clock back on schedule and enjoy your trip as soon as possible.

The first key to minimizing jet lag is to drink water continuously through your travel process. Dehydration can intensify some of the symptoms of jet lag and you’ll end up more out of synch. Bring your own water on the plane, and drink lots of water once you arrive at your destination. You’ll be happy you did.

Try to sleep on the plane so you’ll offset the time change by at least a few hours. Take noise canceling earphones with you so you can block out the noise of the plan and get some rest. If at all possible, try to catch a red eye flight so you’ll be able to get to sleep naturally. However, you should avoid taking sleeping pills in an attempt to get some rest. Drugs could make your jet lag even worse.



Once you get to your destination, try to stay awake until the nighttime in that location. Use a trip to the coffee house to perk up your senses and then get out and do something. Some sight seeing and light walks around your new location will help your body adjust to the time change. You’ll be able to fall asleep when night falls if you get some exercise. Although it may be hard to stay up on arrival day, you’ll be glad you did when you wake up the next morning refreshed and ready to seize the day.

On your arrival day, you should also eat some small meals throughout the day to break up your previous eating routine. The next day, you can start eating according to the time zone’s schedule more quickly and easily. It’s important that you follow this advice so you don’t find yourself ravenous at 2 am in your new time.

Make sure to give yourself time to adjust to the changes. Plan your busy days at your new location for at least two days into your trip. Your arrival day and your first full day there should be spent doing some low-key activities. Don’t plan your major business meetings or intense sight seeing for those days, or you’ll end up regretting it later.

Jet lag doesn’t have to be a problem if you follow these simple tips. Many people avoid traveling because they had a bad experience with jet lag in the past. Get on the offensive with this condition and you’ll minimize the impact that it has on your trip.



By: Jamie Jefferson

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