Travel

Going on a Roadtrip

I've always wondered before why some people like to go on a roadtrip until I got to experience it last year and loved it. The fact that you have to travel and sit in the car for hours with friends that you've known since childhood made it really memorable for me. I won't say that the entire trip was wonderful since there were also moments of boredom, nausea, irritation and stress. However, the sense of adventure and knowing that I've learned something new made it worthwhile.

We practically planned the trip for only a week and by the end of the week, we just decided the heck with it. Let's just see and wait what will happen. Obviously, arguments arised during the trip on which place to go next and I admit that we ran short of time because we decided to stay in one place longer. The outcome: we weren't able to go to other places.

Some things I've learned before going on a roadtrip:

1. The most important is to plan everything before you go on a roadtrip. Isn't this obvious? I guess we are what you call the carefree people where we rely on chance and hope it would turn out well. Unfortunately, we all know that this is not the case as there are things that are out of your control and you should be ready for these. Research the internet for the best route to your destionation/s, bring a map, ask for advice from other people and you take note of everything.

2. Travel light. Even if you're in a car, you should still consider this as you'll never know when your group would have a flat tire or a dead battery in the middle of nowhere. You'll never know when you have to walk to find a gas station or a hotel.

3. In relation to number 3, you should prepare for these kind of events. Prepare spare tires or whatever it is you guys do to keep your vehicle in excellent shape and suitable for travel. This would help you during emergency cases. Don't forget to bring a first aide kit as well. I don't need to remind you to bring your cellphones for emergency calls as I'm sure that you never leave without it.

4. Always respect your companions even if his suggestions and ideas contradicts yours. This is the same if you can't seem to agree on what hotel to stay in or where to eat. This would avoid tension on the group. At the end of the day, you would be able to agree on one place. Also, do stop if your companion needs to go.

5. Bring books, MP3, Ipod, or the latest CD's you could find at home to avoid boredom. You could also bring chips and snacks. If you don't know your companion that well yet, just make sure to ask permission before you eat all their snacks.

6. Lastly, I would advice that you keep a jopurnal for every trip you've made. This would help you in the future when you plan to go back and also help you in providing advices to other people who are planning to go there.

So what else are you waiting for? Pack those bags and enjoy the roadtrip!

posted by Traveler's guide @ 4:36 PM