Do’s and Don’ts for a Road Trip

So, for all the people who’ve read my blogs here (yes, both of you) it’s quite apparent that road trips feature pretty often as a subject. I love road trips. If I could, my whole life would be one big road trip. I’d marry on a road trip. Fill tax forms on a road trip. Christen my kid on same road trip.

But they do tend to go wrong. Every now and then, road trips turn into hell in an enclosed space for a duration of more than four hours – depending on traffic.

So, today we shall discuss the commandments of road tripping like a boss.

Planning

Do make a realistic basic plan of how you want the road trip to be, who you want to go with, places to stop if any, stuff to bring.

Do not make rigid plans where you end up clashing over whether to stop or not stop at the designated Sulabh toilet after the papaya tree right beside the sunflower field on NH1.

Do try to get a decent number of buddies along for the trip. The general rule of more the merrier applies here…occasionally.

Do not mess up the guest list here. If Sheela’s ex is now Rita’s current, probably not the best idea to have Sheela, Ex and Rita on your backseat.

Appropriate Road Trip Behaviour

Do ensure you have enough room to sit and sleep comfortably.

Do not man spread. It’s not cool to have your thighs occupying the collective square area of three toddlers sitting side by side.

Do bring diverse music options with you.

Do not proceed to be stubborn about the music that plays in the car. There are other people here. Just because you want to listen to Coldplay doesn’t mean that Jaspreet cannot sing along to Brown Rang.

Do take adequate rest. You’ll need the energy for when you reach your destination.

Do not sleep for the entire road trip, waking up only for toilet breaks and parantha stalls. That’s not cool.

Do engage with others, even if you don’t know them.

Do not engage with others when they do not wish to be engaged, i.e, sleeping, cooing to their girlfriends, telling their dad that clinking of bottles he just heard was coins, not beer.

Do crack jokes.

Do not crack insensitive jokes. Well, not all the time.

Do respect the driver’s rules. If he’s tired and wants to take rest, that is what should happen. If you’re sharing driving duties, do be responsible and volunteer for your part.

Do not let Manu drive after three drinks right after he’s done watching 2 Fast 2 Furious on his mobile phone.

Money

Do make a budget.

Do not make an unrealistic budget.

Do bring the money prescribed in the budget.

Do not give sheepish smiles when they ask you for your share of fuel costs and do not start an explanation with, “Well, last night at the bar…”

Do be considerate if someone is short for a genuine reason. Help them out, even if you don’t know them. Goes a long way, kindness you know.

Do not then proceed to judge and back-talk about said guy with your mates when he’s not around. That’s called being a spiteful idiot Don’t be one.

Most importantly, do have fun. Do not try so hard. Do make plans for the next road trip on the way back. Do not get upset when someone says they can’t. Do go on road trips. Do spontaneous things like stopping at lakes for a morning bath. Do not take anything too seriously, including this blog of do’s and don’ts.

Over and out.