I hate flying. I know, for a dedicated traveler this is borderline blasphemous. But before you leave and blast the twitter sphere calling me out, let me explain; first, I’ve yet to meet anyone that enjoys the whole ordeal of arriving 2 hours early, stripping down for security, being irradiated by a vertical MRI machine, and sardined into economy only to finally be stuck in a canister for hours on end; second, flying is boring!! The best part about flying is landing. If it weren’t absolutely necessary, you’ll probably never catch me on a plane.
Traveling overland is my method of choice! I take every chance I can to travel by bus, boats, trains, and automobiles. For anyone who has seen the Motorcycle Diaries, you’ve probably dreamed of your own epic road trip. Granted Che had his La Poderosa, but the idea’s still the same; the exploration of idyllic towns, pristine landscapes and unsullied coastlines all while uncovering adventure at every mile.
If getting off the beaten path is your goal, then road tripping is your only option. But lets be honest, road trips can sometimes be overly romanticized. Five hours into your twenty hour train ride, and that silent montage repeating itself outside your window can drive you a bit mad and you’ll be wishing for some fun things to do on your road trip.
So here are some fun things to do on a road trip to keep your mind sharp, your enthusiasm overflowing and make your adventure an awesome one. Remember, it’s the journey not the destination:
Fun Things To Do On a Road Trip
- Talk to neighbors:
Those around you are a great source of info and stories. Don’t wake them up to engage in a long drawn out conversation, but chances are, they won’t mind a break from the doldrums. - Games:
If you’ve ever been in a car, you’re probably familiar with at least one road trip game. Some suggestions: The Alphabet game (choose a topic and run down the alphabet starting with A. Take turns listing anything starting with that letter until you hit Z. Add a time limit to really turn up the heat), and the license plate game (look for states, numbers, or even letters in the license plates of other vehicles). - Read a book:
You might be thinking, “Duh, this ones a no brainer,” but seriously, you would be surprised how many travelers tote a book with them but forget to crack into it. Don’t carry the weight for nothing, get past the first chapter, and you’ll be surprised how many hours a good read will eat up. - Read up on your destination:
Besides your guidebook, hopefully you took the time to print out some tidbits from Wikipedia or something like that. Brushing up on your local knowledge during a long overland trip is a great way to hit the ground running. - Catch phrase:
This should probably be in the games section, but being that it’s one of my favorite games I gave it an honorary section all its own. You’ll need to customize it for the road, but the idea is thusly: think of a word/phrase and shoot out some clues without saying your chosen word/phrase, and have your road mates guess it. - Cats cradle:
A blast from the past! You’ve read my list of paracord uses right? One of the often overlooked uses for paracord is the ability to play cats cradle. If you’re not familiar with the game, check it out here: http://www.momsminivan.com/how-to-do-cats-cradle.html - Choose your route wisely:
Some roads are purely utilitarian. The sole objective is to get you from point A to point B. Try choosing a path that, although might be a bit longer, has better scenery where you can plan stops along the way. Break up the monotony with some side adventures. - Write in your journal:
This is a good habit to get into regardless. Take advantage of the down time and catch up on documenting your trip. You’ll be glad you did. - Learn the language:
Sometimes guidebooks will include a rudimentary dictionary or common phrases, but even better, purchase a book or download a language-learning app. - Watch a movie, or listen to music:
If you have a great data plan, then you’re set; you can watch movies, email, chat or search for cat vids. If you’re traveling internationally, load up your devices with movies, music, and books-on-tape for hours and hours of entertainment.
Carey
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