Enjoy getting there

I arrived yesterday back in Addis Ababa for a slightly extended stay. I used to fly from Tokyo Narita and have to transfer at Osaka Kansai to Dubai and then Addis Ababa, but Emirates recently started direct flights from Narita to Dubai, so one less transfer was nice. The 10-hour Narita-Dubai flight wasn't full and the seat next to mine was open, so I had a little extra space, free use of both arm rests... that sort of thing. In the Skywards Magazine in the seat-back pocket, they had some tips on how to improve your travel experience. That reminded me of some tips I'd recently introduced at my Toastmasters club last month.
For instance, when waiting in the security line at the airport, put all your personal belongings in one of the side pockets of your carry-on luggage. That makes it a lot easier going through the line since you don't have to gather all your valuables afterward and try to put yourself back together as other travelers are passing through as well. Other common sense points are to wear pants that don't require a belt and shoes that are easy to slip on and off, etc.
Also, I always look online what meals and drinks will be available on my flight, and a general idea of what movies I might watch so that I can sit back and enjoy the time. When the flight attendant asked me this time if I wanted the "Western or the Japanese meal", I knew that meant chicken or fish, and I'd already decided (on the grilled chicken breast with steamed vegetables and gratin potatoes). Lastly, I also found another reason to check-in online prior to your flight. I'd done so, and even though I hadn't printed out my ticket (I had luggage to check anyway), I was ushered through an express line for people who'd finished the process online and confirmed their seats already. What would have been about 45 minutes in line turned out to be 5, and I spent the rest of the time browsing the duty free shops.
The only problem was that I probably should have slept a little more during my layover in Dubai (didn't want to sleep through last call for boarding), or not watched two movies on the following flight (both were good though: The Joneses with David Dochoveny and Demi Moore, and Itao Itsuji's the King of Jailbreakers--Datsugoku-Ō). Emirate's Skywards Magazine said it takes about 1 day for each time zone you pass through to adjust to jet-lag, and I passed through seven!