up in the air

I recently found myself in Japan’s Narita Airport during the country’s worst snowstorm in 45 years. Needless to say, I was grounded. And although I eventually made it back to the high skies, there were 36 hours of sleeping on floors and public bathrooms in between. Here are a few survival tips I picked up along the way.

1. Save Your Bottles
I was so busy trying to frantically rebook flights that I completely forgot to stock up on water, and soon every restaurant and shop had closed for the evening. My dubious oasis came in the form of sodium-packed energy drinks from the vending machine. In all honesty, I drained their contents in the bathroom sink and used the bottles as tap-water canteens.

2. Look for "Parent Rooms"
As if peeing in a public bathroom weren’t bad enough, I suddenly had to wash my face and brush my teeth using a sensor tap. This requires patience and unladylike language to complete, so try to opt for privacy by seeking out one-unit family bathrooms. They tend to be cleaner and more spacious, so you won’t accidentally knock over your purse as you’re trying to change into fresh underwear.  

3. Eat Light
Your system is already going to be out of whack from time changes and an altered routine—the last thing you want to do is add heavily processed airplane cuisine into the mix. Keep your meals light or skip them all together in favour of consistent, healthy snacks like fruit and granola bars.

4. Don’t Forget Your Vitamins
I’ve heard that airports and planes are the most likely places to catch contagious illness. In abject terror, I travel with Emergen-C close at hand.

5. Sleep
It can be difficult to catch Zzzs in a bustling airport, especially under the neon lights, but sleep deprivation is a bad look. Buy a sleep mask or throw a t-shirt over your face and do your best to nod off. I carry melatonin with me as extra incentive for my nervous system to clock out. Just don’t forget to set an alarm, because missing another flight at that point is unthinkable.

6. Set a Playlist
You know what keeps me sane in massive crowds of people and stressful situations? Rap music. Find the music that motivate you and keep it on repeat. Even just one song can become your anthem for survival.

7. Recharge
In the digital age, battery life is up there with food and water. Sharing the Narita floors with 5,000 stranded travellers meant that every plug was rammed full of laptops and cell phones. In other words, when you see an empty outlet, grab some juice even if you’re at 80 per cent because you never know when the next one may come along.

8. Look Back
What’s worse than being stranded at the airport? Losing your passport. With so much luggage to juggle it’s easy to lose track of your things. Toss a dramatic lingering gaze over your shoulder anytime you walk away from a seat to ensure nothing and nobody gets left behind in perpetual airport-land. —Laura Lanktree