happy travels

Full Tank  |  Bare Feet on the Dashboard

Back Roads  |  Sunglasses

Windows Down

Singing at the top of our Voices

Travelling often becomes a huge part of our lives at this time of year.  Whether it's planes trains or automobiles.  Visiting family and friends in the same town, next State, across the country or overseas.  Almost every one I know is either on the move or has family travelling to spend time with them for Thanksgiving or for the coming Christmas holidays.  AAA estimates that 44 million of us will travel 50 miles or more over the Thanksgiving break!  Wow!

We do love a road trip and an adventure, and we've already started talking about which part of the US to explore next summer when family from the UK comes visiting.  This year we spent two weeks exploring fabulous central and southern coastal Oregon, visiting places we'd never seen or heard of before (post here and here). Camping at beaches and lakes, a cabin and few nights hotel stays.  We loved every minute and only wished we'd had more time to spend longer in places we discovered along the way.  The year before we made a wonderful trip to Glacier National Park, taking our canoe and tent and enjoying the amazing scenery and fresh air and the joy of the open road and space space and more space (post here)!

And when we aren't road tripping in our own car, then car hire is one of the priorities when booking a trip as we love to explore our destination and not stay put in one place.  Usually we use one of the big name international car hire companies, but I was interested to hear about RelayRides - a company that provides peer-to-peer car rental, connecting car owners with renters.  Basically putting your car to work for you by sharing its idle hours with others.  Interesting idea don't you think?  So if you're planning a trip to, say Portland, then you should take a look at RelayRides airport rentals and see who might be offering their car for rental at PDX, or search for a particular car you'd love to try out for a change.  Less cars sitting around, and hopefully some great deals out there too.  Definitely worth a look for the next trip.

RelayRides asked if I'd share some of our essentials for taking a road trip, so in no particular order, well maybe some kind of order, here we go….

Snacks!  Always much discussed in our family!

A mix of treats and candy that we'll eat far too much of.

Atomic Fire Balls  |  Twizzlers

Maltesers (malt balls here in the US)

Banana chips  |  Apples

Pretzels  |  Apples
Carrot Sticks.
 Never bananas as they always get squished!
Lot of drinks.

Music Movies and Electronics

A great play list of music you love.  There is always plenty of singing out loud of course.

A few movies loaded onto an iPad or DVDs.

A couple of old favorites, and one or two new ones.  They usually end up on repeat.

And NOT forgetting those all those important chargers, extra cables, headphones
(who wants to hear two different movie sound tracks going at the same time?!)

Activities

The kids love to play the Road Trip Bingo App.
I also pack things like pipe cleaners, mini-white boards,
pencils and pens, coloring books, word search, books,
beads and string,
and lots of stickers.

Comfort

Our road trips always include some camping, so we are fully loaded with bedding.

In addition, the kiddos like to bring along a favorite fleece blanket

to snuggle with in their seats, or to hang up over a window to stop the sunlight coming through and spoiling movie watching.

+

An extra pillow to stop all heads dangling and falling forward.

For me, always a big soft scarf/wrap, sunglasses and my handbag nearby with all by 'bits and pieces'!


Map v Sat Nav!

As much as we all rely on the satellite navigation built into cars or using our phones these days,
I do like to bring along a good old real map.
I love following our route,
finding interesting names of towns along the way.
Taking detours to explore somewhere new always adds to the adventure.

(and boring but essential things like trash bags, first aid kit, wipes, emergency tool kit etc etc!)


So, here's wishing you happy and safe travels whether it be across town or across country or across continents!

E N J O Y!