First of all, let me say that something that works for some travelers may not work for others. Each individual's body chemistry is unique.

Having said that, I can tell you that the best advice that I can offer is as follows:

* Avoid all coffee and alcohol on your flight.

* If your plane arrives in the early morning in Australia, try to check in to your hotel as quickly as possible and go to sleep for about 3 or 4 hours, but no more. Then, upon awakening, stay up until your normal bedtime before going to sleep.

* If your plane arrives in the afternoon in Australia, try to stay up during the rest of the day and evening and, then, go to sleep at your normal bedtime.

* Get a good physical workout (jogging or working out in the hotel's gym) the day after you arrive.

Whenever I have a trip over 9-10 hours, I have my MD write a script for 10 mg of Valium. That is enough to ensure I get some solid sleep on the plane, but it wears off so I am alert and ready when I get to my final destination. Works perfectly.

I have never really experienced "jet lag" as most people describe it but I do think it is important that you sleep on the flight, avoid heavy drinking or lots of coffee and make sure you are able to transition to your current time zone without staying awake for an absurd period. It also depends on if you're are flying direct or have a layover. I am unaware of any non-stop flights between Europe and Sydney so my assumption is that you do have at least one layover. If you do have a layover I recommend sleeping on the second half of your flight so when you arrive you'll be more rested and ready to go. Hope you enjoy your trip!

C.phipps, you are correct. We are flying on Singapore Airlines, Istanbul-Dubai-Singapore, where we stay for 3 days to 'adjust' before the fun starts in Oz.

No leg is longer than 7.30 hours, and we get into Singapore at 7am, but this will feel like 12am to us, so going to bed when we get there will be a good idea. Hopefully after 3 days it will be an easier transition into Sydney time.

Avoiding alcohol is a problem, if one is travelling 'first' with Singapore and not par-taking of their fine wines, there is something amiss!

Murphy, since you're flying Singapore Airlines and in first class you should not have any problem getting rest on your way to Singapore. I have not flown Istanbul to Singapore via Dubai but I have flown Zurich to Singapore via Dubai before they offered non-stop service and it was very easy. I assume you're leaving Dubai at 8:00PM which means you can get some rest onboard after the wonderful dinner service. I'm sure you'll be rested and ready to go once you get to Singapore and have a nap.

When in Singapore you must try a restaurant called 'Jiang Nan Chun' at the Four Seasons Hotel. I know it is cliche to recommend a hotel restaurant but you will not be disappointed. It is a beautiful restaurant and the cuisine is amazing. Also, they have a wonderful Shark Fin menu if you're not apposed to enjoying the delicacy.

Hope you have a wonderful trip! Ciao

I would avoid any sedatives at all. I would advise you to do the "tough it out until the first evening" route. In other words, stay awake and enjoy your destination city, until it's nighttime there. However, if you must take a sedative, then use Ambien or Ambien CR (known also generically as zolpidem). Valium tends to leave many with lasting drowsiness after waking.

Lucky that your first leg is Singapore. Singapore is a vibrant city with world-class food, especially its street food - kaleidoscopic in selection, clean, inexpensive, and delicious. I'd advise you to hit a "hawker center". Yes, the high-end dining can be phenomenal as well, but I would strongly advise anyone to go to a Singaporean hawker center at least once.

Bon voyage!

I agree with J.L about Ambien. I have a lot of trouble sleeping on long-haul flights — even in a first or business class sleeper. My doctor prescribed just enough Ambien for a few days of travel and recovery and it was well worth it. Ambien didn't feel like a knockout punch, as much stronger sedatives can. It was more like a light drowsiness for just a few hours — just enough to help you sleep when you might otherwise have too much trouble. And J.L. is right. I felt very refreshed when I woke up. Definitely helped reduce jet lag.

Like others have said, I try not to sleep on the plane and always avoid alcohol and caffeine. On long trips to foreign destinations where I arrive in the late afternoon or early evening, I don't go to sleep immediately. Instead, I have a light dinner, unpack, take a long shower and only then retire for the night. However, before doing so, I take something that will help me go to sleep and hopefully not wake up repeatedly in the middle of the night. But, unlike what Creed and J.L. suggest, I just take a few anti-allergy tablets, such as Chlortrimeton (Chlorpheniramine Maleate) which have always made me sleepy. If I've crossed up to 6 time zones, I'll usually take two 4 mg. tablets and if I've crossed over 10 time zones, I'll usually take three. This approach works well for me, and I almost always wake up the next morning feeling fine.

I take Melatonin when I want to go to sleep in my new location. I find that it helps "reset" my body's clock. I also preferably take it on the plane at my appropriate new bed time provided that the flight is at least 8 hours.

Exercising as soon as I can upon landing and taking a swim also really help to get rid of that foggy head feeling.