How do you pass the time on road trips? (moving, Canada, conversation)
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For any trip about 8 hours or less, we prefer to just drive, rather than deal with possible flight delays, lost luggage, needing a rental car etc.
We do the obvious things like audiobooks, listen to music, use books of conversation starter questions, even read interesting articles or jokes to each other. Are there other pleasant ways you pass the time on road trips?
For any trip about 8 hours or less, we prefer to just drive, rather than deal with possible flight delays, lost luggage, needing a rental car etc.
We do the obvious things like audiobooks, listen to music, use books of conversation starter questions, even read interesting articles or jokes to each other. Are there other pleasant ways you pass the time on road trips?
Books on tape! They are just about free and can be very entertaining for nerds like me. On an 8 hour drive we went through the entire volume I of a biography of Kissinger. For lighter stuff I listen to Dorsey, Hiaasen or Elmore Leonard.
Try not to go through drive-thrus for meals, however. Get out of the car and stretch. For years I have preferred driving to dealing with the airlines and the baggage search and long walks to the gates. Plus, I caught Covid after being on a plane from the west coast to the east with a lot of sniffling kids.
To entertain, try to stop at some of the tourist traps -- I visited the giant tomato in Leamington, the tomato capital of Canada. Other local oddities -- on one drive I learned that Wilbur Wright was born in Indiana, built his plane in Ohio and flew it in NC. Now all three states lay claim to having invented aviation. Go figure.
Try not to go through drive-thrus for meals, however. Get out of the car and stretch. For years I have preferred driving to dealing with the airlines and the baggage search and long walks to the gates. Plus, I caught Covid after being on a plane from the west coast to the east with a lot of sniffling kids.
When I would be traveling by myself. I'd rather have the drive through. I'd stretch my legs when I had to make a bathroom stop or get gas. When my wife rode with me I couldn't do that. She wanted to sit somewhere that wasn't moving 70 MPH. But she kept her tablet with her hooked up to the hot spot on her phone to play her games and check Facebook. When I was MUCH younger and was the passenger with my parents driving, they would wonder why I was always so quiet. I just enjoyed looking out the window at everything.
With gas prices over $4 a gallon long road trips are a thing of the past for me. When I did do trips, I would stop at things like the world's largest ball of twine, the deepest hand dug well, scenic overlooks, things like that. When I was hungry, I would stop at a local diner, talk to locals, stay away from the fast-food junk. Since it's just me I never had to worry about when are we going to get there, and I have to go to the bathroom a gazillion times.
With gas prices over $4 a gallon long road trips are a thing of the past for me. When I did do trips, I would stop at things like the world's largest ball of twine, the deepest hand dug well, scenic overlooks, things like that. When I was hungry, I would stop at a local diner, talk to locals, stay away from the fast-food junk. Since it's just me I never had to worry about when are we going to get there, and I have to go to the bathroom a gazillion times.
When it was just me, my car had a six disc carousel so I could load half of some books at one time. Then I could go 300 miles without stopping for gas or to put in the next disc! That carousel was not in the trunk, by the way. I never knew how folks could deal with that.
1) Talk to each other (rarely have I EVER run out of things to say, much to my DH's chagrin)
2) Listen to music or talk shows on Sirius
3) Listen to books, or podcasts
4) as a passenger, I can read in the car if it's a fairly straight highway, or play scrabble or other game on my phone or tablet. I don't get carsick reading while in motion, never have, but sometimes it gives me a headache.
5) Take turns trying to nap
6) If I'm traveling alone, and the highway is long and straight, I'll talk on the phone to family or friends using hands-free and the built-in microphone/speakers. It's a great time to catch-up and it's not too distracting on a straight boring highway, and it keeps me awake.
When it was just me, my car had a six disc carousel so I could load half of some books at one time. Then I could go 300 miles without stopping for gas or to put in the next disc! That carousel was not in the trunk, by the way. I never knew how folks could deal with that.
I remember the disc days. Now you just listen to whatever you want off your phone. Audiobooks, podcasts, your favorite radio station or band, anything on youtube. Give someone a call and talk through a couple of states. Plus the map is showing so I can safely take back road shortcuts for a little adventure and find my way back to the route.
Not a we here either. Music (my car has a cd player) and watching the scenery. Sometimes I turn the music off and focus on a quilt I'm trying to design.
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