Just got back from a little mini-vacation to visit my wife’s grandparents in notoriously flat Lubbock, Texas. It was an odd trip, but not a horrible way to spend two vacation days with my family. Also, I learned some good travelling tips for enjoying the monotony of the Texas panhandle–or any other less than scenic drive that lasts more than seven hours.
- Portable DVD players are your friend. If you don’t own one (we don’t), you can probably borrow one from a friend or relative (we did).
- Stop often. A fifteen minute delay to stretch your legs and help the boy pee (again) will do much to ease the driving tension. And what would you do if you arrived at a hotel an hour earlier anyway?
- Play games like the Alphabet Game, or if that’s too hard (it was), you can’t go wrong with I Spy. It lasted us from near Midland to near San Angelo.
- Rest stops are really fun places to stop. And, um, rest.
- The price of gas is easier to swallow if you treat yourself with a chocolate milk shake after every fillup. (And you’ll notice, “Awesome! Milkshakes are cheaper than gas!”)
- Texas wind power is an amazing thing.
- Teach the kids to love scifi by playing at YA story from Escape Pod.
- While the kids watch Enchanted (again), listen to another podcast with your spouse on the earbuds and hear the sound of rat laughter.
- Take the smallest car you can. When the children kill each other, the trip becomes instantly more peaceful.
- Remember at many various moments how glad you’ll be when you get home.
