With 88 international caps, signings for West Ham, Fulham and Leicester City amongst others, and now playing for Maritzburg United in South Africa, John Paintsil knows a bit about travelling.
Just before boarding a British Airways’ flight back from a Fulham charity match, the affable Ghanaian defender shared some of his tips for stepping off a long-haul flight match fit.
“As a professional footballer, air travel is part of the package and I’ve long since learnt to embrace it. There precious few places where you can be undisturbed for six or eight hours, so I always make the very best of it.”
Preparation is key. John carries a small onboard bag containing a pair of comfortable cotton sweat pants and t-shirt, his noise-cancelling earphones, tablet, phone and a few toiletries. His passport and phone, with downloaded mobile boarding pass, go in a zip-up outside pocket where he can access them easily at immigration.
“I keep a ready-packed zip-lock back with a few essential toiletries, all in 100ml or less packages, in my carry-on bag. This means I don’t accidentally leave anything behind or have a last-minute scramble trying to find something essential in the appropriate packaging.”
He recommends getting a carry-on bag with a good set of wheels, rather than something you carry over your shoulder or on your back. It’s always tempting to heft a day pack on one shoulder but this can causes stiffness in your neck and shoulder. A wheelie bag with cheap wheels will always let you down at the worst possible time.
John uses his time in the lounge prior to boarding to send any last-minute e-mails and or make phone calls, so he doesn’t have a ton of things to do when he lands.
“This way I can relax on the flight without worrying about stuff I haven’t attended to.”
Once on board, he relaxes, listening to music or watching a movie, until the aircraft gets to its cruise altitude. He then changes into his sweatpants and T-shirt. Cotton is comfortable and it breathes, so you are better able to relax and sleep.
John generally avoids alcohol onboard. This is because at altitude cabin air is drier than on the ground and alcohol is dehydrating. Instead he opts for water or fruit juices.
Tempting as it is not to, he tries to limit himself to one movie allowing time to get some sleep.
“I’ve been fortunate to fly Club World on my last few flights and the flat beds really make a difference to the quality of rest I get on board. It definitely enables me to perform better when I arrive.”
John’s other top tips are:
- Get some exercise before you leave. Go for a run or a brisk walk. It’ll help offset the long period of inactivity.
- Do as much as you can before you get to the airport. Check-in, download or print out your boarding pass. This enables you to simply check your luggage at the fast-bag drop and avoid the queues.
- You may not think it’s manly, but pack some unscented moisturiser with your toiletries. The cabin air dries out your skin and a little moisturiser on your hands and face will help prevent this. It’s also a good idea to pack some lip balm.
- Before you settle down to rest or watch a long movie, stretch. There are some exercises in High Life magazine as well as on the in-flight entertainment. A few stretches will help counter the effects of sitting in one position for a long period.
- Set your watch to the time at your destination when you depart. Try to adjust your routine to the time there. This helps to limit the effects of jet lag.
- Enjoy the flight. Watch the movies, read a good book or listen to some music. It’s seldom enough that you’ll get six or eight hours to indulge yourself.
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Photo credit: Nick Morrish (British Airways)