As promised, how Greg and I survive and actually enjoy long road trips. And as typical of an organizational nut, I'll put things in list form. 1) First and foremost, lots of snacks and drinks. Greg and I make sure always to have a drink for each of us in the car. We usually take some simple snacks with us as well, ranging from cookies to string cheese, depending on what coolers we have available. 2) Have directions ready before leaving. We find that we have a lot fewer arguments as to where we going if we have directions telling us exactly where we're going. Now, we're not afraid to stop for random attractions as time allows; however, it's much easier to get back on track with directions available as to where we need to be. 3) Music/Radio. Gives us a way to fill in gaps in conversation. We have satellite radio which is nice because we don't have to worry about running out of FM signal ranges and we have options such as various types of music as well as comedy channels. Borrowing my parents vehicle for our trip to FL, we took an envelope full of CD's so that we had plenty of music we liked no matter where we were. 4) Books. One thing that Greg and I tend to like for long trips is reading. To clarify, Greg is not reading while driving; rather, I'm reading out loud while he drives. That way we have something to do together while stuck in a small area for hours without having to created artificial conversation when we see each other every day. We've read primarily comedy, jokes, and you be the detective shorts. I highly recommend the last as it helps to keep us both alert when we're using our brains while traveling interstates for hours. 5) Something for passengers to do. Greg usually drives, which means that he's occupied; however, if my voice gets tired from reading, I don't want to be bothering the driver with an 'entertain me I'm bored from staring at the highway' attitude so I take crochet to work on in the car. Other folks I know, knit, read on their own, play hand-held video game consoles, and play travel games (especially with kids) just to name a few examples. 6) This next one should be unspoken, but I find that all too often it is not done: be aware of what you and your body might need when you stop or if you need to stop. In other words, if you need a bathroom or food break say something as an extra 10 minutes is nothing compared to the alternatives of some being sick, grouchy, etc. That said, if you stop for another person in your vehicle, don't try to be the he-man who doesn't use the potty just to have to stop 15 minutes later. It's better to combine things like bathroom breaks and stretching or lunch and getting gas when at all possible. Now obviously this is for adults, and younger children will depend on caregivers to watch for such needed stops. 7) Finally, be a boy scout, in other words, be prepared for anything. We usually pack some BandAids and Neosporin, Advil, sunblock, and insect repellent. I also pack a light jacket because Greg prefers a cooler temperature than I do in the car. Now we also pack a speaker phone and charger to use with our cell phones. These things are in addition to the general road travel items we keep in our trunk which include a small tool box for minor tweaks if needed, spare tire and jack, paper towels which come in handy more than we care to admit, and a road atlas. That last one people often comment to me that it's not needed if you have a GPS, but Greg and I tend to agree that with worst case scenario variables like dead batteries and poor satellite connectivity it's best to have a back-up. Besides, sometimes it's nice to have a map to consult for alternative routes rather than simply relying on the way the GPS wants to take you. After all, the GPS is yet another tool and not a trip planner in and of itself. So that's how we do the road trip thing and tend to enjoy it. Anyone else have tips for road travel? We'd love to hear them, so feel free to share via comments. |
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