I've gotten into a number of stupid adventures in my life - travel-related or not, but one of my favourites has got to be sleeping in airports.
Am I daft, you ask? Well, I don't think that's the point ;) There are actually more reasons to sleep in airports than you might think. Sure it's a great way to save money, but the practicality of it doesn't end there. Say you have a super early flight, and really, for international flights anything 9am or earlier is early -- especially if the country is foreign to you. You need to arrive up to 3 hours ahead at some airports (now I'm not one for arriving early anywhere and don't feel you need more than 2 hours at the airport before an international flight, but let me tell you, when you're flying out of certain airports like Heathrow London, DO show up for the recommended 3 hrs... that story another time) which means getting there for 6am. Most airports are about 30min cab (which is potentially expensive) or 1hr transit away from city centers, so you should get moving by 5am. I dunno about you, but it takes me about an hour to wake up and get showered & dressed. Maybe more if I need to pack up the last of my suitcase too, so better set that alarm for...3:45am. 3:45am?! I cannot fall asleep before midnight, and prefer going to bed closer to 2am as it is, so why bother sleeping at all?
On the flipside, most airport transit runs until 11pm or 12am. So you can potentially arrive at the airport as late as 1am. Take a wander around the terminals for a good spot to settle, go brush your teeth, by then it's around 2am and you can hunker down for a good 4 hours. Wake up at 6am and you're already at the airport on time for check-in! Once you're through customs the seating will most likely be more plentiful and nicer, at which point you can doze near your gate for another 1.5hrs. By the time you get on the plane, you will be adequately tired enough to hopefully sleep through the flight. This definitely sounds like the better plan to me. Bonus: you can check out of your hotel a day earlier and save on one night's cost.
Not everyone will agree with my logic, and I'll be the first to admit that some of my overnight trips at airports have been flat-out disasters. But in travel, disasters are just another story you have to tell right? There have also been times when I stayed over at an airport with no intention of sleeping at all. This was an exhausting but good decision when I was flying home from Rome. On the way to the train station I got caught in a torrential downpour the likes of which most Southern Ontarians (Canadians) never see, my pants, my sneakers, and luggage were soaked through. It being the end of my trip I had no clothes to change into and it took most of the night for my jeans to dry (to the point of slightly damp anyway), I would never have been able to sleep in them. I arrived at the airport quite late and the good sleeping spots were already all occupied. We sat in a cluster of metal-armed (so there was no way to lie down on them) benches with an older couple, and another young lady, who had also chosen not to sleep. We conversed on and off through the night and swapped some travel stories, I also took a walk around the terminal and took some photos. Mostly of the numerous airlines serviced in that terminal, and the Da Vinci sculpture, but also of the people sleeping. I thought about how hilarious it would be to swap everyone's shoes around while they were asleep, but refrained from actually doing so. In the end I wound up trading emails with the young lady from Iran, Sarah, and we are still in touch today.
To further prove that I'm not a sole nutcase for occasionally sleeping in an airport, I'd like to direct you to one of my favourite budget travel sites: sleepinginairports.net
The Sleeping In Airports site is a mix of useful and entertaining. Whether you actually spend a night in an airport or not the list of tips is worth reading. They also have annual lists of the world's best and worst airports -- not just for sleeping but overall comfort/convenience/etc. I sure wish I'd known about this site in 2004 before I tried sleeping in Paris' Charles de Gualle airport. Some of their suggestions are a little out there (ie. I will never pack an inflatable mattress or raft for my travels, if I get to an airport and there's really no space, I'll just sleep sitting up) others make so much sense I can't believe I ever went anywhere without some of these things (ie. disinfectant wipes, eye mask, and earplugs -- I learned the hard way this past weekend that no flight is so short that you don't need earplugs).
To comment briefly on their best and worst airport lists:
Best - http://www.sleepinginairports.net/bestof.htm
I was at Singapore Changi Airport last year and have to admit it's a haven. The daybeds, immaculate washrooms, and indoor gardens! No one told me about the slide or else I would've gone looking for it! However I still prefer Hong Kong (which is #3) for their shops, food stalls (great congee!), and bright clean feel. I've been to Seoul before but that was over 20 years ago, many renovations ago and all I remember was overcrowding and a lot of people sitting on the floor. I'm sure it's completely different now.
It's also nice to see Vancouver on the top 10, I'm sure it's also largely unrecognizable after upgrades for the Olympics (it's been 9 years since I've been there. On arrival I was anxious to leave and get downtown, when departing I was incredibly hungover and lucky to find $10 to pay the airport fee so the airport itself doesn't leave much of an impression on me)
Worst - http://www.sleepinginairports.net/worst-airports.htm
I echo every bad sentiment about CDG. I only wish there were a way for me to fly into Paris without having to come through De Gualle. Every time I'm there something goes wrong. It's been a very long time since I've been to O'Hare, not that I have any inclination to go back. I just remember it being crowded and confusing with staff that wasn't overly-friendly. London Luton doesn't seem like a significant enough airport to make a world top 10 list, however I will have to agree that it's small and not a place you'd want to spend the night. Their bus terminal is about as confusing as Toronto's bus terminal only without the indoor shelter, if you're lucky enough to figure out which queue you're supposed to be in, you still have to worry about getting run over by a bus as you try to make your way over there.
So whether you decide to give this sleeping in airports thing a try or not, I will leave you with a list of my basic tips, some of which coincide with the website -- still the best source for getting the lowdown for sleeping in airports!
1. Do your research, do not sleep in an airport you're not familiar with or haven't read up on. The last thing you want is to encounter is safety issues or find the airport is closed overnight.
2. Do not sleep in the airport alone. You can probably do it without any major risks in a number of cities, but it's better if you're with someone, if only so they can watch your stuff while you go to the washroom.
3. If you're serious about actually getting some sleep (as opposed to just having an adventure), arrive early and be sure to pack the essentials: eye mask, ear plugs, music device + headphones, pillow (a rolled up hoodie works), blanket or extra layers to wear, and passport holder that can be hidden under your clothes
4. At the risk of looking like a complete idiot, I feel most reassured when sleeping in a position where I'm in physical contact with my luggage at all times (ie. I'd be able to feel it if someone moved my bag). So often this means sleeping with my arm through one strap of my bag hugging it and a leg slung over my suitcase. Like I said... complete idiot but I sleep better...
5. Bring tissues, wet wipes, and water. Trust me, they'll come in handy.
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