Travel Movie: The Terminal

I've been writing a lot about airports lately, so much so that I'm dreaming about them. Is it possible to get jet lag or travel fatigue without going anywhere?

This is a movie I can definitely relate to. Most frequent travellers have had that nightmare hours-long layover, or found themselves stranded in an airport overnight due to bad weather or a missed connection. Can you imagine being stuck there for months on end though?

It happened to one Viktor Navorski, played with gusto by Tom Hanks in the 2004 movie The Terminal. Navorski's fictional home country of Krakozhia was embroiled in a civil war while he was in the air, and by the time he arrived in New York his visa and passport were useless. The film was loosely inspired by the experience of Mehran Karimi Nasser, who lived in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport from 1988 until 2006.

The airport depicted in the film sadly does not exist, but nonetheless it's fun to get a peek into the inner workings of these massive buildings. The film is full of just enough warm-fuzzies and gentle laughs to leave you with a benevolent attitude toward airport staff.

Verdict: Rent it

Strange People You Meet at Airports

It's a well-documented phenomenon that we're not at our best at airports. We're tired, hungry, irritated and disoriented. When I'm on marathon flights I have trouble remembering what country I'm in!

With all this in mind, it's no wonder most of us don't look our best. It's easy to spot someone on a long-haul trip like the poor woman above, but it still looks strange. I once sat for an hour in Paris CDG with my head nodding like a crazy person because I was travelling alone and desperate trying to stay awake.

And really, who takes the time to dress their best? Yes I'm out in public, but I'm not ashamed to wear my yoga pants and a hooded sweatshirt if it means I'm warm and comfortable.

Nothing but sympathy.

5 Reasons I Hate to Fly

I travel often, and when I do it tends to be long-distance. We're talking 54-hour odysseys from Cape Town to San Francisco, or Minneapolis to Oslo. I used to get a thrill out of it like any newbie, but the sheen has long since faded, and while I still love to travel, I look at the journey less as part of the fun and more as some sort of penance to pay before I can enjoy myself. Here's a few of the reasons I hate to fly:

1. Lack of sleep - There are two kinds of people: those who can sleep on planes and those who can't. I can't. Ever. There was one blissful haul from Senegal to Atlanta where an industrial-strength muscle relaxer put me into a drooly coma, But generally my brain refuses to cooperate. There are always factors that contribute to this. On a recent flight from Joburg to Paris, I had the pleasure of sitting next to a three-year-old who cried non-stop for seven hours, even when he was asleep.

2. Long layovers - On long trips, sometimes you can't avoid a layover of more than three hours. Maybe it was cheaper, or maybe the only other flight was too quick of a turn-around and you didn't want to chance missing your connection. While some airports have entertainment to keep you busy on long layovers, usually you're too tired to do anything but eat and try to find somewhere to sleep. I once sat at Charles de Gaulle airport for two hours, a twitchy zombie.

3. Airport security - You stand in queue after queue. You're tired and disoriented. You have to fill out paperwork with the threat of deportation should you forget something. People make you take off your shoes and put humiliating paper booties on. They rummage through your intimates and confiscate your snacks, then give you suspicious stares and quiz you about your travel plans. Oh, and now we all get naked pictures taken, or a good old-fashioned feel-up. Yay.

4. Airplane climate - The conditions on planes are terrible. They cool them to nearly the point of freezing, and now charge you for flimsy blankets. The recirculated air is bone-dry, leaving your skin crying for the moisteriser you weren't allowed to carry on. You're parched, but the sugar in the orange juice is just dehydrating you further and the flight attendant is giving you the evil eye for asking for a fifth glass of water.

5. Class wars - One of the worst parts of flying is knowing that you could be so much more comfortable if you had more money. If you'd paid for an upgrade you could be snoozing in a flat bed, or drinking champagne and having your steak done how you like it; instead of craning your neck to see the (either blue or red-tinted) tv screen twenty feet away and trying to choke down the breakfast sausage. It's the same in airports, when you didn't quite shell out enough to pay for the fancy lounge with the comfortable seats and showers.

Top 5 Best Airports for Long Layovers

Sometimes it happens to the best of itineraries: you're on a marathon haul from one continent to another and the cheapest flight involves a 5-hour layover in a random city. Maybe you don't have a visa, maybe you don't have time, maybe you're on an organised tour and you're just not allowed... but you're stuck in the airport.

It's happened to me several times: I've been stranded in airports for up to 11 hours at a stretch. I can tell you that Paris, Chicago, and Durban are terrible airports to be stuck in, but what are the best? Here's our list of the 5 best airports for layovers:

Hong Kong - If you're stuck in an airport with kids, Hong Kong is where you want to be. Aside from the numerous bars, restaurants and shops, the airport has a movie theatre, arcades, and free Playstation set-ups sprinkled around. It also offers free wi-fi throughout.

Las Vegas - In the gambling capital of the US, you will not be surprised to see a number of slot machines dotting the concourse in the Las Vegas airport. There are other things to do though, including kid's play areas, an art gallery, free wi-fi, plenty of restaurants, bars and duty-free shops, and a huge fitness centre with sauna, jacuzzi, working equipment and showers.

Amsterdam - This airport really knows how to entertain. I've been stuck here for hours without getting bored, because there's a casino, an art museum, dozens of shops and restaurants, and a brand-new library to browse through with both physical and electronic books! There are also a lot of out-of-the-way corners if you really need to catch a nap.

Nashville - You have to pay in Nashville for wi-fi, but if you don't feel like shelling out to check Facebook you can always browse the duty-free shops, have a big helping of barbecue in one of the restaurants, play video games, get a massage, browse the art exhibitions, and catch a live concert at Tootsie's orchid Lounge, an extension of the Grand Ole Opry!

Singapore - Singapore Changi sets the standard that all other airport entertainment tries to live up to. The basics are all there: free wi-fi, bars, restaurants, duty-free shopping, and luggage lockers. There's plenty more though, with lovely gardens, koi ponds, butterfly rooms, play areas, a movie theatre, LAN gaming facilities, spa, and multiple shower facilities. Attached airport hotels up the game as well, offering a swimming pool and jacuzzi (for a fee).