When I was
young, our family was big on road trips. By the time I was fourteen we had
driven from
Illinois to
Philadelphia
and
New York
a couple of times. We had taken multiple trips down along the
Mississippi and into the Ozarks. With my father
driving and my mother navigating we had been to
Colorado,
Michigan,
Wisconsin,
New England and
Canada.
As a family
we had ridden through a good third of the
United
States by
Plymouth,
Chevrolet, Studebaker and Ford.
My dad
liked to drive and we had a good many adventures. I was just about the only one
in my grade that had been all over the East Coast and Mid-west.
I like to
drive, as well, but you cannot drive to
Austria
or
Scotland,
so I embraced the fly-drive vacation. Many of the trips for my wife and I have
been long flights followed by rental car explorations. Certainly, we do a good
many day trips as well as thrice yearly taking month or more vacations along the West Coast.
There are only a few states we have not
visited, and we have driven in twelve different countries. Right hand drive or
left hand drive it doesn't matter.
My favorite
drives have been the islands of
Washington and
British Columbia (aided by ferry), the Alps,
and the western coasts of both
Ireland
and
Scotland.
Also
enjoyable have been some leisurely back road travels through the Amish
county of
Pennsylvania
and the bayou of
Louisiana. I was wowed by driving along the coast of Lake Como to Bellagio.
Why do I
think these are better than a cruise or a stay at an all-inclusive resort? I
don't judge people who prefer these, but I like not knowing what happens next.
Honestly, a road trip is risky. It is you, your car, your map, and a general
direction.
As I have
said before, we do not mind getting lost, or being surprised. Both are received
as gifts.
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