How to Beat Jet Lag According to Business Travelers

Jet lag is a deceptively serious issue for travelers.

The farther someone prepares to fly from home, the more excited they probably are for their trip. After all, carving out a week of vacation to head to a place like Dubai, Bali, or Tokyo is the stuff of travel dreams.

Thanks to the complex planning demands and high prices involved, travelers always want to get the most out of their trip. That’s doubly true when long-haul flights suck up a whole day (or even two) of the vacation.

Here’s where jet lag becomes a serious issue.

Jet lag carves precious time off your trip due to exhaustion and brain fog.

Even if you’re just feeling drowsy or not up for that longer stroll, jet lag can negatively impact your trip. We’ve all lived through that feeling—that our bodies are rebelling against us when it matters most.

After all, who needs shut-eye when there are dozens of adventures to be had?

To break down the nitty-gritty of jet lag, I’m following the money to see how business executives avoid jet lag. After all, business travelers aren’t there for fun. They have to show up looking fresh and speaking articulately. They might even be heading to a high-profile meeting from the airport… in a suit, nonetheless.

So, what do international entrepreneurs have to say about avoiding jet lag?

Here are the best tips and tricks I’ve collected from traveling businesspeople.

Prep beforehand

One of the most tried-and-true pieces of advice is to prep your circadian rhythm before takeoff. Many businesspeople recommend adjusting your sleep schedule one or two days before the flight.

Simply shift the time that you’re waking up and falling asleep by a few hours so that it’s more aligned with your destination. This helps prep the circadian rhythm for a specific time change. It should also help you avoid medications like Melatonin.

Use an app

Technology is revolutionizing travel in many impactful ways—and jet lag treatment is no exception. In fact, some hotels are working closely with jet lag solutions to offer their guests a better stay.

Timeshifter is one of the most well-known solutions, which is available for download on mobile devices. It works by creating sleep profiles for its users, which it compares to the latest neurological studies on jet lag and circadian disruption.

The app’s algorithm then creates a detailed plan for every user that should ideally help them avoid the worst effects of jet lag.

Most advice from Timeshifter and similar apps covers light exposure. Light informs our circadian rhythm—but our screens provide an ever-present sun. Jet lag apps can help you pin down when you should be avoiding natural or artificial light.

Maintain the health basics

Jet lag is a sign of distress. Similar to challenges like constipation, jet lag happens because our body’s rhythm is thrown off.

Jet lag usually gets mentioned around in terms of sleep schedule, but it can also impact our energy levels, ability to concentrate, appetite, and even mood.

Let’s get a little medical here. Jet lag is a sign that our body’s rhythm is off. Our organs aren’t sure when to work in overdrive and when to ‘power down’, while hormone release is also thrown off.

Even our ability to regulate our temperature can be difficult when our circadian rhythm is off.

So it pays to maintain the basics of a good diet, some exercise, and plenty of hydration. Keep your body moving and try to eat vegetables, fruits, and other high-fiber choices.

Hydration looks to be the most important factor when it comes to avoiding jet lag. So don’t try to reduce the amount of water you drink to avoid bathroom breaks on planes.

Day 1 habits

Prepping beforehand, using technology, and maintaining the basics of physical health are a great way to avoid the worst effects of jet lag. But you should also be focused on setting the right habits as soon as you reach your destination.

Forget your home time zone—you should be powering through the day, even if you arrive early in the morning.
During this first day, avoid alcohol, highly caffeinated drinks, and junk food—drink plenty of water and healthy foods to give your body a boost.
Get out in the sunlight to reprogram your mind—it’ll make you even more ready for sleep when the sun goes down.

Bathrooms Abroad: Squat Toilets, Water-Wiping, & More

Toilets are cultural.

Want to hear my most cultural toilet moment?

I was in Darjeeling in 2011 on the hunt for a public bathroom. I found one, to my great luck. And I had quite a few toilets to choose from. Unfortunately, none of the squat toilets had stalls. They were lined up on either side of the single-room bathroom… facing each other, I might add.

By the time I got to my squat toilet, everyone in the bathroom realized there was a foreigner amongst them, and no one was shy about checking me out. My second stroke of luck was that I only had to go number one, which I did with an audience.

I wiped with water, washed my hands thoroughly, and was on my way.

Just another day in India.

For me, at least.

Welcome to the squat toilet

The first country I ever visited outside of the US was Germany. After that, I stayed in rural Cambodia before heading off to India. The latter two gave me a crash course in toilet culture.

Never used squat toilets or even heard of wiping with your hand instead of toilet paper?

You aren’t alone.

After reading through a few travel stories, I realized that there are a stunning number of travel journalists, bloggers, and tourists who have no idea how to use a squat toilet or wipe with water. Or even if they know the basics of squatting, wiping with the hand might still be viewed as dirty or controversial.

It’s neither.

Squat toilets are more common than you think

Let me demystify these concepts quickly.

Squat toilets are common throughout the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia—from China to Pakistan to Sri Lanka.

Of these countries, some also prefer water wiping to toilet paper. This is the case in India, Indonesia, and even parts of Sudan.

In India, for example, everyone uses their left hand when they wipe. That’s why when you exchange money or goods with someone in public, it’s bad form to use the left hand. (Being left-handed is controversial in general.)

When eating, by contrast, it’s considered clean to use the right hand.

Sounds crazy? It’s not that weird if you think about bidets. In fact, many of my friends from the East find it outright baffling that some Westerners don’t use water when cleaning up.

If you’re heading to a country that uses squat toilets or are simply interested in how squat toilets work, let me treat you to a crash course.

How to use a squat toilet

A squat toilet is a flat piece of porcelain laid on the ground. Every squat toilet is different, but there are usually ] divots where your feet should go. Ideally, there are also a few bars for those who aren’t practiced at squatting and standing.

Just assume the position and make sure you’re aimed in the right direction. When the job is done (I’ll cover wiping below), you can use the water at hand to ‘flush’. There’s no button involved—so don’t bother searching.

Instead, you should see a faucet with a small hand bucket or even a small hose. Fill the bucket to wash the toilet clean—and always handle the bucket with your clean hand, if hand-wiping is the go-to.

Want to know a pro tip? You should also be cleaning any dirt or mud left on the toilet from your shoes.

How to wipe with water

Squat toilets may or may not have toilet paper available. Even in India where most people wipe with their hands, toilet paper is normally offered at tourist establishments. In other words, if someone sees you heading to the bathroom, they might go out of their way to offer you some TP.

But remember—even if you do have toilet paper in the squat toilet, it needs to go in the bin. Don’t try to ‘flush’ the toilet paper down the squat toilet.

If there isn’t toilet paper, fill the hand bucket with water. Remember—one hand will stay ‘clean’ and one hand will do the dirty work. Do not mix up these hands.

Keep the bucket in one hand and use it to wet your ‘dirty’ hand, then wipe.

Don’t pour the water anywhere aside from your hand, and keep your hand held above the toilet for any runoff. And don’t switch hands to refill the bucket. Place it on the ground, if necessary, and refill it with your clean hand.

When you’re done, set the bucket aside and clean your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

You’ll get used to it a lot faster than you think.

Modern Plane Etiquette: The Basics of Mile-High Manners

Plane travel isn’t quite how it used to be.

I wouldn’t say that plane travel was ever magical, per se. However, air travel used to demand more patience. Flight routes weren’t nearly as vast, while budget airlines were few and far between. Staff tended to be less overworked, and legroom wasn’t a pipe dream.

These factors helped create flights with fewer hiccups. At least, when it comes to etiquette.

Larger planes and better service helped make up for passengers who seemed to spawn from alien planets.

After all, most passengers knew intuitively not to put their bare feet onto armrests, not to bring on super-stinky foods, and to give middle passengers dibs on the armrests.

Most travelers also knew when to give a bit of grace. For example, kids kicking seatbacks might just need a little time to get adjusted to the flight.

But with more flight disruptions, worse airport experiences, smaller planes, and slashes to just about every service in the airline industry, etiquette matters.

How we treat one another in the airport and on the plane is the last line of defense for our sanity.

So what’s the modern take on plane etiquette? Let’s explore the most important factors according to travel bloggers, flight attendants, and other industry pros.

Plane etiquette 101

Airplane mode isn’t a suggestion

This really isn’t a question of etiquette—it’s an example of following the rules that are instated for safety purposes. Smartphones, especially those with 5G connections, can cause interference with aircraft navigation and communication tools.

Do you really want to make the job of piloting a commercial airplane any more difficult?

The overhead bins are precious

Every time someone stuffs their coat or handbag into the overhead cabin, another passenger loses the chance to store their full-sized carry-on. So, let’s reiterate: The overhead cabin is strictly for luggage.

Suitcases get priority over backpacks, so long as backpacks fit beneath the seat in front of you. If your backpack is your carry-on, then feel free to use the overhead bins.

Put your bag by your seat

Let’s make another specification when it comes to the overhead bins: You should use the space that correlates to your seat. When you put your bag above someone else’s seat, you’re taking the space set aside for their luggage.

On the other hand, if you notice that all passengers are seated in their row and see an open space, it’s fair game.

Always use headphones

I’m surprised to clarify this, but it seems to be a growing problem—especially when it comes to younger flyers and children. No matter who is watching content or listening to music, they should be using headphones. Remember that air travel is already stressful, and nothing compounds stress like obnoxious noises.

Watch the window blinds

Everyone enjoys taking a peek out of the windows. (And it’s considered good etiquette to make sure others in your row can see out of the window when landing.)

But be mindful when the sun is shining brightly. It could be uncomfortable for passengers sitting in direct light. Additionally, bright light can reflect off of glass screens to create a really painful glare for passengers seated in other rows.

Treat staff respectfully

Similar to using headphones, this type of etiquette probably seems more self-evident than it is. Even a smile can go a long way for flight staff who are having a difficult day. I hear it can even get you a few extras, like a bottle of water or a spare treat… or even access to the emergency rows and their life-giving legroom.

No chatting necessary

A bit of small talk is normal on most flights, especially as passengers get situated in their row. But there’s nothing worse than a busybody who wants to chat through a two-hour-long flight.

Respect the signs that others might not be open to small talk. And don’t feel bad that they don’t want to chat—who knows what kind of airport experience they’re trying to survive? On top of that, who knows why they’re traveling? Not everyone is on vacation, after all.

Recline mindfully

There’s no fast-and-easy rule when it comes to reclining. Overwhelmingly, the decision should be based on the person sitting behind you. After all, etiquette is about making things easier for those around us.

Here’s what seasoned travelers and flight staff advise: If someone is eating, don’t recline. If someone is trying to work on a laptop or paper, don’t recline. If someone is visibly uncomfortable in their seat, don’t recline.

If I had to put it poetically: Every time you choose not to recline your seat, an angel gets its wings.

Visiting Ancient Roman Ruins—North Africa Edition

Everyone knows that the Roman Empire was expansive.

If you’ve traveled around Europe, you might have encountered ruins from this antiquated civilization in major cities. That’s because Ancient Romans founded some of the world’s greatest European cities during their colonial campaigns into central and northern Europe.

London began as Londinium. Barcelona as Barcino. Zurich as Turicum. Cologne as Colonia Agrippina. Vienna as Vindobona. Budapest as Aquincum.

The list goes on and on.

But they’re far from the only cities harboring buried Roman ruins. And if you’re someone who’s on the hunt for Roman ruins or other ancient archaeological sites, you need to focus beyond Europe’s borders.

Specifically, you should be looking into sites in North Africa, home of the Carthaginians. Not only can you find Carthaginian ruins in countries like Tunisia and Algeria, but you can also find Romain sites. And some of them are better preserved than Italy’s best ruins.

Here’s what you need to know about visiting Roman ruins and other ancient sites in North Africa. First up: Algeria.

Roman Ruins in Algeria

When it comes to finding Roman ruins in North Africa, Algeria and Tunisia are the best options. Algeria, for example, is home to close to a dozen visitable sites. They line its northeastern coasts where ancient Romans would have landed and conquered.

Timgad

Timgad is a well-known and well-preserved former colony. The small outpost retains its grid-like shape. Even the library is partly visible, while the Trojan Arch remains almost fully intact millennia after its construction. No tourist lines, no degraded structures.

Explore tours of Timgad here

Djemila

Djemila is another Roman ruin worth visiting—one that recently became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you can still wander through a large forum, Trojan arch, and dozens of cobbled streets. Its market event includes ‘measuring cups’, which were carved into a stone table to make measurement easy for merchants.

Explore Djemila here

Calama

Calama, hidden within the modern city of Guelma, is home to a 4,500-person amphitheater that’s in remarkable shape. A few other notable spots dot the theatre, including baths. But I think the amphitheater is jaw-dropping enough.

Explore Calama here

Roman Ruins in Tunisia

If you enjoy history, you can probably guess what our first stop in Tunisia is—the ruins of Ancient Carthage, located just outside the capital of Tunis.

(Remember that elephant-riding madman named Hannibal who decided to attack Rome from the north? He was from Carthage.)

Carthage

Carthage is the most well-known of North Africa’s ancient ruins. Like Djemila, it’s a protected UNESCO World Heritage site. Prior to the Roman takeover of Carthage, the city served as an important trading center for the Mediterranean for centuries. That means that visitors can note Carthaginian elements and Roman elements throughout the site.

Explore tours of Carthage here

Dougga

Dougga (Thugga) is described by UNESCO as a ‘small Roman town on the fringes of an empire’, which paints a lovely, if slightly intimidating, picture. Like Carthage, visitors might notice a few callbacks to its Carthaginian era. Dougga was once the Carthaginian capital city.

Explore tours of Duogga here

Bulla Regia

Bulla Regia is by far the coolest Roman ruin I’ve ever encountered. What sets it apart is its underground villas, many of which retain original mosaicwork. Like many other ruins, this city was influenced by the Romans, Carthaginians, Berbers, and Numidians. This area also has a vast amphitheater that’s still largely intact.

Explore tours of Bulla Regia here

Fly Rights: Inside the US’s New Flight Compensation Policy

Flying in the United States anytime soon? You’ve got brand new rights you might not know about.

Flight rights (or Fly Rights, officially) is a new regulation that outlines an airline’s responsibility toward its passengers. It covers what happens when flights are delayed, canceled, or rescheduled at the last minute.

Historically, Americans haven’t had too many options when things go wrong at the airport.

Even when facing issues like missed connecting flights due to previous delays, passengers haven’t had much recourse. My official advice? Be nice to gate agents, smile and show courtesy, and hope for the best.

And for a long time, that wasn’t just the best course of action—it was the only course.

This recently changed thanks to policy updates from the Department of Transportation. New regulations define a new set of rules that airlines operating in the US must follow.

More specifically, it covers passenger compensation as a result of delays caused by airlines.

But what’s actually included in the Fly Rights consumer protection approach? And what information is the most immediately impactful for passengers? Let’s explore this new era of commercial air travel.

The new flight rights policy

The Fly Rights Consumer Guide to Air Travel lays out helpful information related to airfares, baggage, overbooking, travel scams, frequent-flyer programs, and more. The goal is to educate passengers on what’s normal in the airline industry.

As someone who writes about airlines and flies with multiple companies frequently, I was pleasantly surprised while reading through the guide. It’s short and sweet in all the right ways. If you need any type of refresher on how airlines and airports work, give it a quick read-through.

Here’s what I think you need to know—

One of the primary goals of the Fly Rights campaign is to educate us passengers by laying out the norms. The second goal is to hold airlines accountable for delays, disruptions, and cancellations.

More importantly, the Fly Rights rules dictate when and how airlines must compensate passengers with refunds.

No more vouchers. No more discounts. No more begging at the counter. No more waiting in hours-long lines. No more terrible airport snacks.

Just cold hard cash. (Well, in most cases.)

Who gets refunds according to the Fly Rights program—and for what?

Let’s get to the fun stuff. So, when are you guaranteed compensation for a mix-up at the airport?

When your flight is canceled or significantly delayed. A significant delay covers domestic flights that are delayed at least three hours and international flights that are delayed at least six hours.

Airlines can offer alternative transportation or travel credits in these cases. However, its up to the passenger to choose how they’d like to be compensated.

And that’s not all.

Significant delays also cover outcomes such as increasing the number of connections, changing the departing or arriving airport, being downgraded to a lower class, or rebooking a disabled passenger on a less accessibility-friendly plane.

And that’s still not all.

Aside from significant delays or changes to a flight, airlines are also required to offer compensation when baggage is returned at least 12 hours late for domestic flights and up to 30 hours for international flights.

Additionally, airlines owe compensation when they fail to provide extra services that passengers paid for, like extra legroom.

How are passengers compensated?

The final goal of the Fly Rights program is to make it easy for passengers to make their claims and receive financial compensation. According to the rules, compensation should be pretty seamless for the passenger.

When a flight has been significantly delayed or canceled, airlines must:

Automatically issue refunds without any prompts from passengers.
They must issue these refunds within seven business days for credit card purchases or 20 days for other forms of payment.
Refunds must be provided in cash or via the passenger’s original payment method. Passengers can choose to accept other forms of payment.
Refunds must include all taxes and fees imposed by the government and airline.

So, what do you do if your flight is delayed or mismanaged? Find another way to get where you’re going—and keep a lookout for that refund. It should be deposited back to you with no added work on your part.

4 Stopover Programs Worth Your Time & Money

I’ve personally never been excited for a stopover.

After all, stopovers mark a break in transit—one that could last a few hours or a whole night depending on circumstances. They might even signal a serious delay that results in a sleepless night in a cold hotel room.

But that’s not the full story.

Back in the day, stopovers were a lot more common. Travelers couldn’t book flights on a mere whim—especially long-haul international flights. Routes were fewer and far between.

It wasn’t uncommon to have to wait a few days for your scheduled flight to take you around the world. This interim gave travelers the chance for a true stopover adventure—one in which they’d leave the airport and set up shop at a hotel for a day or two.

Given the immediacy with which we expect to book airfare and fly around the world, these types of multi-day stopovers aren’t usually on our radar. Some travelers might actively get anxious by the idea of bundling a stopover trip into their main adventure.

But what about a seamless stopover—one that’s already pre-planned by an airline, for example?

Would you be more willing to explore a city if you knew that your hotel and activities were already baked into the agenda?

That’s the idea behind airline-led stopover programs. They’re designed to keep travelers occupied for a few days by offering steep deals on lodging, dining, and more.

Let’s take a closer look at a few stopover programs that have popped up on my radar that I think are worth exploring.

Turkish Airlines

Get a free hotel stay & city tour in Istanbul

Economy class passengers who fly into Turkey from the US are eligible for two free nights at certain four-star hotels in Istanbul. (Or three free nights at a five-star location for business class flyers.)

Turkish Airlines also partners with a tour group that offers eight unique tours every day. These explore the city’s historical and cultural districts—along with a selection of its popular shopping areas.

That’s a pretty stellar offer considering Istanbul’s history and significance.

Istanbul is one of the world’s oldest cities in the world with sites that date back millennia. It straddles the continents of Asia and Europe, making it culturally distinct. On top of that, Turkey is home to some of the most renowned eats and drinks in the world.

Explore Turkish Airlines’ stopover program

Icelandair

Stay for up to a week with no additional airfare charge

In terms of popular travel destinations, Reykjavik is probably an easier sell than Istanbul. For the last decade, Iceland’s tourism department has been working overtime to attract Americans, meaning we’re a bit more inclined to visit.

And this is one of the best ways to explore the capital city—with Iceland Air’s stopover program.

Americans flying transatlantic with the airline can stay for a day or even up to a week with a unique stopover selection. But there’s one noteworthy catch: hotels aren’t included, nor is transportation.

The savings here comes from the airfare. There’s no additional charge on airfare for up to a week. In other words, you get to bundle a mini-trip into your longer travel journey. But if you’re doing a stopover program simply based on savings, look elsewhere.

Check out Icelandair’s stopover program

Qatar Airways

Explore Doha with steep discounts

I’m highly intrigued by Qatar’s capital Doha, along with other Middle Eastern hotspots like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Qatar Airways has a pretty stellar stopover program designed to introduce visitors to the Qatari way of life.

Flyers can select a range of hotel packages from Qatar, some of which are as cheap as $15/night. The stopover program runs for up to four nights. After selecting the hotel, flyers can also shop around for unique packages and excursions.

These showcase Doha’s coolest experiences, from museum tours to dune surfing to beach visits.

If you’re like me and have limited experience traveling in the Middle East, these types of programs can go a long way in introducing you to a new culture and lifestyle.

Check out Qatar Airways’ stopover program

Iberia

Explore Madrid with a list of curated offers and deals

Americans who have a stopover in Madrid on an Iberia flight can explore this cultural hotspot with ease. The caveat? The savings aren’t necessarily steep here.

Though Iberia offers discounts and promos across solid hotel brands, flyers are still going to pay a good amount to stay in the city.

That being said, the Stopover Hola Madrid program offers dozens of experiences—including museums, bars, shops, day trips, and more. Every single offer has a promotional price tag, which adds up to a lot of savings for those jaunting around the city for a few days.

Checkout the Stopover Hola Madrid program