Country Homestead

Traveling by car can be fun or a chore. Which one your trip turns out to be can depend on certain factors; hopefully the following tips may help you enjoy your trip more. 1. Begin to write a checklist as you plan your travels. Have you stopped the mail, paper, milk delivery? Do you have a neighbor watching your home? Do they have a key, an emergency number and your itinerary? Have you refilled your medicines? 2. Make sure the car is in the mood for travel. It needs to get it’s fluids checked, it’s tires balanced and the proper amount of air in them. Remember to check the spare tire as well – nothing is more annoying than a flat spare when you need it. 3. Decide if you are traveling to relax or to impress the fashion police. This will help you determine what clothing you must take. It isn’t necessary to take your whole wardrobe for a weekend away to relax. If you’re going to a 5-star resort then you will probably need to pack differently. 4. Less is more when packing. The less you have to carry into and out of motel/hotel rooms the happier you will be. A good rule is one suitcase for clothing and a shared suitcase for toiletries. 5. Always have a jacket or warm wrap in the car. You never know when the weather will play a nasty trick and decide to change seasons without out any consideration for your plans. 6. Remember to take a pair of good walking shoes. Who can enjoy sightseeing when their feet hurt? A pair of comfortable shoes and one pair of dress shoes should be enough. 7. For those who like to sleep when riding or can’t live without their own pillow, remember to take it with you.8. Double check the electronics you are taking with you and make sure you have their chargers. Do you have camera batteries and is the memory card full or empty? 9. Unless you’ve made this trip so often that you can almost drive the route in your sleep, maps or a GPS unit can save you a lot of time and wrong turns. 10. Bring something you enjoy doing as a quiet activity such as a book, knitting, puzzle book, magazine, etc. Allow yourself a few minutes each day to unwind so that you come back home relaxed instead of totally worn out.
11. Pack your sense of humor and adventure. No one likes a grumpy traveler. If you take a wrong turn, enjoy the adventure and laugh at yourself instead of becoming angery.12. The most important tip of all is, just before you leave home, make sure the stove is turned off, you have your money and all the doors are locked.