You can plan for a year before taking road trip and still find unexpected detours
that crop up along the way. If you think of your vacation as a challenge, then
don't get nervous making changes that make your trip safer or more pleasurable.
This is a lot more easy from a personal vehicle than from a tour bus or by airplane.
At one Virginia welcome center, an information specialist showed us how to
take another route, not mapped out by triple A, that would save us
nearly 200 miles and aggravation. We stopped 12 miles from this detour
and followed her instructions when we got back on the road. The way
was more scenic, although there were less rest stops, we saw more
little towns and better scenery.
On our way up to New York State, we took about three days.
The last leg of our journey took us into Central New York after
11:00pm. We followed all the directions our friend had given us
but the road was winding and after 1/2 hour, the small college
town was still not in sight. My husband was dead tired, and
fast cars and bright head lights were blazing in our rear
mirror. I saw a small rest area ahead, and had him pull off.
I was tired too. But it was deserted and dark with no services
and we got slowly back on the road. As luck would have it,
a cable TV technician in a company truck was pulling into
a service terminal right ahead. My husband flagged him down
and since our cell phones were dead by this point,
he let us use a station phone to call our hosts.
My host told me, we had six more miles until town.
I realized, after stopping how tired we were. Six miles
was a long way. I told him, we would try and make it
it to him, but it was very late, the directions to their place
were sounding complex to us. If I wasn't able to
think clearly, at this late hour, I didn't expect a second wind.
I realized that I had over estimated our capacity to make it
to our friends at a decent hour, and said we would pull over
and rest, and call them in the morning. Back on the road,
I took the wheel, and my husband half closed his eyes and
half watched me. I remember pulling into the center of the town
and not knowing which way to go, went right and right
into an apartment parking lot. The lot was bright,
and there was a quiet dark corner and we parked.
Our practice at making the van sleep friendly paid off
handsomely that night. We prepared fast for sleep and crashed.
STAY ADVENTUROUS
We awoke at 4:00am, restless and little hungry.
Since we were unsure where our friends place was and
it was too early to call them, we set out on foot
to find a place to eat and wash a little.
Luckily this was a college town and we found
a friendly local who told us there was a big open
grocery-cafe about nine blocks away. We were a little
tired but highly motivated. The store was big, clean and
bright. It offered us bathrooms, and something fresh
to eat. We were able to charge our dead cell phones as
well. By the time we returned to the downtown area,
we had the chance to locate our friend's apartment and
re-park the van in a municipal lot nearby.
We were rough around the edges, but very happy to see
our friends at 7:15am. We caught up rather briefly with them
but they acknowledged our need for rest, and had prepared
two comfortable couches for us.
BE EASY TO HANDLE
One big advantage to staying with friends is the
opportunity to save on lodging and food and learn
the secrets of the place they live. You can boost this
opportunity if you follow some simple rules that
make your visit easy for your hosts to handle.
Bring any special foods or drinks you may want to have. Depending on the hosts available frig space , put enough of your own goods
within sight and reach. This keeps the hosts
from thinking they are obligated to keep you
fed for every meal.
Bring some kind of gift. They're gift to you
is their home. Even something thoughtful you give back and
small will enhance your reception; flowers, some wine, a book,
even sharing your photos, depending on their tastes.
Clean up after yourself: From you bedding situation to
your bathroom activities, always leave the space as clean
as you find it. Bring the minimum of clothes needed
for the time you will be staying. A whole clothing bag
is not necessary for an over night or two. You can bring in
just small neat bag.
Making meals or helping cook.
Nothing is more beneficial that your willingness
to assist in food making, serving or cleaning up.
You have to sense from the host what is needed
and always ask first.
Be a Great Listener, Laugher and joke tellers.
Conversation is a vastly underestimated
in a day and age of cell phones, DVDs and
a host of Cable TV distractions and on-line books.
But some of the best conversation with friends involves
your enthusiastic listening capacity, your ability
to laugh at a joke or to tell a good one. This goes
a long way over dinner, to endear you to them.
Go With The flow.
Remember, although you are on your vacation, they
may not be on theirs. Prepare to ask about nearby
attractions you can get to on your own, and let them
know you don't need any special attention, they are
free to live their life and maintain their schedules the
way it was before you arrived. Be open to their
idea of time together, and make the most of it.
