Paul's Guide to Living on a Jet-Plane.

It's the beginning of the new season so Buyer's all over the land are saying goodbye to their friends, families and social lives in search for the next "big" thing.

I wanted to blog about my travels... I've never wanted my blog to turn into one of those twatty fasionista or travel blogs but unfortunately the two are quite a large chunk of my life so it was inevitable they were going to come up from time to time. In the past month alone I've been to New York once and Turkey twice, there was also a visit to Wales...lovely part of the world!

Don't get me wrong, I still love the travelling and the opportunity to see some fabulous places which comes with my job; it's just not as glamorous as it sounds.

This inspired a blog. My friends, I have decided to once more share my worldly wisdom (admittedly of 26 years). No, I've not decided to write my life story (don't you hate it when Celebs do that prematurely? Coleen Rooney, you're like 12?). No, these are my tips for coping with travelling..."Paul's guide to living on a jet-plane".

Creating Home from Home

This needs to be started about two weeks before a trip. I'm hoping it helps me through my forthcoming two week stint in Hong Kong. Now we all have smells that we like, smells that we associate with people, places, good times and bad. I'm thinking that if I make my bedroom, where I relax, smell of a certain fragrance and take this same fragrance to Hong Kong to spray it in my room, it should help relax me? It kinda makes sense doesn't it? I just spent far too much money on a Diptyque Room Spray. Smells quite poofy but I'll give it a go.

Seat selection

Check-in online - If you plan on sleeping get a window seat, you can lean against the side and you won't have to be woken up by people as they nip to the bog. Most people hate the middle seat> I personally would rather avoid the aisle seat. It's great that you can get up easily (erm where you gonna go? Pop to the shops?) BUT you will spend the whole flight being nudged and knocked by people walking through the cabin, you will be leaned over with trays holding hot tea and you will have to get up for every single person in your row that has a call of nature.

Hand-luggage check-list.

Like a boy scout (I never was one) It's important to be prepared...I always have the following in my hand-luggage:

Passport and tickets - well of course.
Lipbalm - currently a Vitamin Water one.
Eye-roll on - makes you look awake when you're not...complete with tingling feeling (I use Biotherme Homme)
Eye-Mask - those cabin lights are not sleep friendly.
Sunglasses - in case the above doesn't quite cut it alone.
Paracetamol - nothing fancy just good to have around.
Chewing-Gum - for take off and landing; Chew or your ears WILL explode.
Antibacterial gel - think about how many people have sat in your seat before you...actually don't.
Hand Cream - Invest in a good one like Malin and Goetz.
I-pod - Nothing more relaxing than a bit of familiar cheesy music huh?
Book - erm...to read?
Netbook or Nintendo DS.
A little bit of British Sterling and a little bit of foreign currency - You don't want to be caught out, for example, in Turkey when you arrive you need £10 for a visa stamp and wherever you go you'll need to at least pay a taxi trip to your hotel or tip at a meal.

The Early Worm...

Much to my boyfriend's displeasure I love Duty Free. Not only does getting to the airport early mean you can dump off your massive over-weight bag (ooops) but you can shop! There are so many beautiful things that need to be looked at and sometimes bought. Oh it also reduces the risk of missing your plane.

Temporary Anorexia

I suffer jet-lag bad, I've been looking at various ways to speed up the recovery process. Avoid alcohol on the flight, stick to fruit juices and water, boring I know, but smelling of booze and having a hang over when you arrive is not a good look! Don't eat ANYTHING. Controversial I know. My theory is that your body clock, amongst other things, uses your meals to establish what time of day it is. Don't eat the food and just have the first correctly timed meal when you arrive..let's face it, it's crap food anyway.

In-flight entertainment

Depending on time of flight and the time you are arriving in the new country depends on how much you should listen to your ipod, watch the movies etc. My tip is to try and correct your timing as quickly as possibly, often the best way to do this is to sleep on the flight. I tend to limit myself to one movie and then sleep the rest.

If I could turn back time

When the pilot tells you the destination time, change your watch, ipod, laptop everything...when you get off the plane you have to think new time not old. It's confusing when you glance down at your laptop and realise that you're about to have lunch and it's only 3am back home. Admittedly I confuse easily.

Un-pack...completely.

When ever I get to my hotel, regardless of time, I always un-pack completely, I hang all my clothes up, I put all my toiletries out, shoes lined up, passport and valuables in the safe. There's nothing more effective at reminding you of your current gypsy status than having to go to your suitcase to find some crumpled up shirt to put on.

Never drink the water.

Simple - Don't drink water abroad. If you want to spend your week holding your meetings sat on the toilet be my guest, I personally don't want to.

Always raid the mini-bar.

For the Vegetarians out there! Our kind don't exist outside of the UK! As a Vegetarian who recently accidentally dug into a plate of chicken, as the restaurant didn't think it was a meat, I assure you, they don't understand our picky ways. Just say you eat vegetables. Also get some snacks from the mini bar and fill up your hand-bag/ man-bag, fainting is not cool.

So just a few ideas, I hope they help! Now excuse me whilst I go spritz my bed-linen with Berry fragrance - fruity!