Pack your carry-on like a German

Stay comfy and entertained without breaking your back

Eleven Hours.

This is how long it takes to fly from Berlin to Los Angeles, the closest airport to my dad and brother. And this is after a connecting flight — no direct flights from Berlin to LA. It’s a whopper.

The temptation when we have a chunk of time on our hands with a long flight or train (Berlin to Paris direct is about nine hours on the high-speed rail) is to see it as potentially useful time. Time you can do something hugely productive or impressive. Knit an entire sweater, say, or write a prize-winning novel, or learn a new craft.

Please stop the madness.

It’s time to pack your carry-on like a German.