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.
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‘Course, you could always use the “digitize and store” method to manage unruly children during a long trip. (Not to mention certain, er, adults, too.) You know, like V’ger did in ST2. Just read ‘em out again when you get there!
Robert Hruzek’s last blog post..Got Any Gwapes?
Mark,
The portable DVD works wonders as does Nintendo DS.
Of course, one of ours gets a dose of motion sickness medicine that tends to knock the poor guy clean out. Darn. Just have to make sure his sister has her art set put up or he winds up with a moustache and tatoos when he wakes up.
-Sam
Sam’s last blog post..Update to the last post on Romanian children
And the children’s Tylenol. Can’t forget that. Puts’em right out. My girls always had a headache on long trips…whether they knew it or not (I’m such a bad parent).
Blake’s last blog post..The Church Needs to Change Its Metaphor
I am saddened that you took the 1/2 hour “shortcut” and didn’t stop by and see ME in Abilene. Highly your loss…. especially as I look particularly funny with my expanded waist line.
Glad you had a good time though!
funny
nancy’s last blog post..comfort and Love
Good sense of humor there, and I like among the other things here, the laughter part. How much more laughter we need! We take too many things seriously in a bad way.
But it sounds like you folks did survive!
Ted Gossard’s last blog post..Palisade Cliffs – doubt from L.L. Barkat
The monotony could be helped by not going to or coming from Lubbock via Midland-San Angelo if ya are coming from or going to the Hill Country.
LOL. Guess y’all had a reason to visit Midland.
West Texas is some of my favorite driving country.
Um, where were you with these fab-o ideas when I was a mommy of five boomeranging from Houston to New Orleans? Probably in diapers. . . and, of course, I don’t mean Depends.
I’m home from the Daytona AP Reading. . . The book was in my stack of mail. Thanks so much!
christa allan’s last blog post..HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MICHAEL!
Ooh, the portable DVD player is most definitely your friend. It’s my very best friend . . .
spaghettipie’s last blog post..From the Outside Looking In
Funny! Guess where I am…WIN…yes it is true, I am here writing my little heart out. I feel like 7 hours in the car might be better than a full day of WIN…I do have to admit that I am learning a lot!
Hopefully we will take a road trip up to you guys soon! July maybe!
Jessi
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