Time-out Above the Clouds: 4 Travel Hacks from Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki has seen a lot of the world in the course of his basketball career. Even today, he is often on the road – both professionally and privately. Lufthansa Insights asked the former top athlete for his personal travel hacks. Here are the four best tips from a true travel pro.

1. Don't Give Jet Lag a Chance

Jet lag is a major challenge when traveling across several time zones. As the Americans like to say: "Hit the ground running." So do exactly that and don't take a nap first. If you follow the local time as soon as you arrive, it helps you to adjust your rhythm more quickly. This strategy has proven to be particularly effective on long trips, for example to Australia or Asia, so that you don't completely lose your rhythm in the first few days. In my experience, once you lie down and sleep, it takes forever to shake off the jet lag.

2. Use the Flight as a Time-out and Arrive Relaxed

Getting up early, long flight times, perhaps a change of planes in between: traveling can be exhausting. That's why I use the time on the plane to relax. I enjoy offline time. I listen to music, watch a movie, and write in my diary. The good thing is that Lufthansa Allegris offers many options to customize the travel experience to individual needs. When I'm tired, I turn my seat into the 2.20-meter-long bed and stretch out. If I do need to do some work, I have enough space for that too. If I'm traveling with my wife, I can book the double seat, for example, where the center console can be lowered. So everyone can create their own personal comfort zone.

3. Travel More Relaxed Thanks to Light Luggage

When I travel alone, I make sure that my hand luggage is rather small. However, I always have a few things with me: headphones to listen to music, my diary, and something to read. Even though I like to be offline on board, I don't travel without my laptop. Sometimes I have to catch up on a few emails or do other work-related things. So I keep it simple: I only pack what I really need to make the trip relaxed and uncomplicated. Thanks to Lufthansa Allegris, I will be able to travel even lighter in future. Because there are options on board for charging mobile devices, and there are noise-canceling headphones at my seat.

4. Opt for Light Meals

I make sure I don't eat too heavily on long flights. I prefer healthy snacks that satisfy my hunger without weighing me down. There is a good selection on board Lufthansa: balanced meals that are light and taste good. And when we're traveling with the kids, it's of course great if we don't have to take a lot with us, but if everything is taken care of during the flight.

About

The German athlete Dirk Nowitzki is one of the most successful basketball players of all time, having made history with his impressive career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He won an NBA championship title, was named MVP (Most Valuable Player) and Finals MVP, earned 14 All-Star nominations, and became a worldwide icon. He is considered a legend of the sport. Nowitzki is married and has three children; the family lives in Dallas, Texas.