Travel Time: Rules of the Road

The importance of travel was instilled in me from a young age. Taking a trip together can strengthen bonds by creating wonderful shared experiences, and providing new challenges. I've traveled with my family from the moment I was born, and have learned the in's and out's of surviving enjoying the experience.

A few years ago, I started traveling with Anthony, which proved to be an entirely new experience. Over the years, we've come up with a few guidelines for successful "short trips" which we take once or twice a month. These have in state destinations, are day or weekend trips, and are usually under five hour drives. Tomorrow we have a 3 hour drive to my great grandmother's party... she's awesome, you'll meet her.

So what have we learned?

1. Take your time, get set, go

Nothing gets a trip off on the wrong road like a rushed start. Take your time getting ready. We make a rule of packing our bags and the car the night before to try and reduce the stress of forgetting things, or screaming at each other that "I can't find [insert just about anything]". 

2. Sneak away in the dark 

Now, this isn't for everyone, but it's something you really need to try. Anthony and I love leaving before the sun rises, when possible. We hit the road, and often pull over to watch the sunrise. There's an extra excitement to sneaking away before the world wakes. 

3. Snack Smart

There's nothing like a stomach ache on the road. Remember to pack healthy, travel friendly snacks. Instead of driving through the gas station, we love to stop at the local food co-op the night before and make an adventure of picking up new supplies. My favorites are sugar snap peas and sea snacks (chipotle flavored!) while Anthony's are jerky, chocolate, and peanut butter packs. 

4. Stop somewhere new

This is one rule Anthony and I disagree on. I love to allow extra time for pulling over and seeing the sights, while he loves to get there and get going. One thing we do agree on? When we stop, it is only at local spots. Looking for coffee? I bet you can find a local shop that is just awesome. You can get Starbucks at home. The best part of travel is trying something new. 

5. Save the speech

This is a cardinal rule in our car. Travel time is not the time to discuss anything that has been bothering you lately about your relationship, each other, or anything else. Nothing starts fights faster than cornering your partner, and the car is a corner. Make travel fun. Whatever it is can wait, but It might not even need to, traveling together has a way of solving problems if you give it a chance. 

 We've learned so much more through our years of travel about what to wear or bring, when to go, what to do, and other tidbits, but these are a few genearl guidelines that work great for almost any trip. 

What is your best travel tip?