I loved this post by Meeta Jhunjhunwala from India. It just totally sums up the attractions of traveling by road in your own car.
She says “The fresh air, villages, towns and cities passing by, people, different culture, dialect and languages changing, taste of food, changing fragrances, smell of freedom – all these things resonate with me when I think of a Road Trip. And there are a thousand more reasons which I can think of. So listing a few that will inspire you to hit the road.”
Meeta you hit the nail on the head. That’s exactly how I feel.
Other modes of transport have their advantages. On a train you can just sit back and admire the view. Except that sometimes that view is graffiti covered sheds and shacks.It is an excellent, low stress way of getting between cities of interest.
Similarly on a bus you don’t have to worry about navigation or road rules but they are slow, don’t always go where you want and you can’t just stop because you’ve made a discovery that demands you explore it further.
The beauty of a road trip is the freedom and the sense that just around the next bend is something so astounding that you will just have to pull over and take a closer look.
Sometimes you just have to stop and take a photograph
Think global but maybe travel local
And you don’t have to go to foreign climes to get that kind of buzz. Explore your own backyard. Take a couple of days meandering along back roads you’ve not traveled before. Stay over night somewhere different. Perhaps a luxury lodge or hotel. A farmhouse cottage. Anything that, for you, is out of the ordinary. That is, literally, extraordinary.
Mind you, foreign places do have an allure all of their own. The sense that you will immerse yourself in a different culture, see (and photograph) different landforms, meet different people. All the things that Meeta talks about.
If, for instance, you are in Britain or going there, my website https://greatbritishroadtrips.co.uk will give you loads of ideas on great road trip options. Anything from a day trip to weeks on the road.
In her blog post Meeta lists seven good reasons for hitting the highway.
- Break the monotony
- Refresh your relationships
- Educate Yourself
- Empower Yourself
- Budget is not a constraint
- Create Memories/Stories
- Self-Reflect
Go have a read of it at he blog yourearviewmirror.com
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