Here's how I avoid jet lag on overseas flights. I#ve tried this in several variations, it really does work.

1) Drink at the airport bar. This calms you down after the 2 hour ordeal to get through security.

2) Start reading a book the moment you take your seat on the plane. This sends the message that you are not interested in talking to your fellow passengers about their 23 cats or 17 grandchildren for the entire flight.

3) Drink on the plane. It#s free, after all. How often do you get a free drink that#s not accompanied by someone hitting on you?

4) Watch only slow boring movies. No sense watching a movie that you want to see the end of. I missed the end of Waking Ned Divine not once, but twice, by breaking this rule.

5) Completing steps 3 and 4 helps you achieve 5, which is: sleep. Which is why you won#t see the end of the movie # twice.

6) If you awake before the last meal of the flight is served, repeat 3 and 4 until 5 is once again achieved.

7) When you arrive at your destination, proceed immediately to the hostel that you booked for the first night. You know the one, with 6 bunks to a room that you are sharing with 11 college freshmen on their first trip overseas, the one where you have no hope of sleeping before midnight?

8) Shower and put on fresh clothes. Please.

9) Walk, eat, explore. You#re in a new place, you want to get a feel for the neighborhood, and you need real food. Besides, you can#t go back to your room. It#s occupied by 11 giggling freshmen.

10) Repeat the above step until around 9 PM. By then your roommates will have gone out for the night, so you can sleep. And you are so tired that they won#t wake you when they return later (if they do, simply return the favor at 6 AM when you awaken refreshed and they are sleeping and hung over.

11) And, seriously, every 4th day of the trip, blow a few bucks to book a private room. Take a nap, go out for dinner and a stroll, then sleep in. You#ll see one fewer museum or building or whatever, but you#ll enjoy the rest of the trip so much more.

Michele, Oakland, CA Boston-bound in 9 more days!

Mod's Note: Can't wait to meet you at the GTG! :-)