Road Trip Expectation Versus Reality

1. You’ll get there on time

Let me give you a bit of advice: you won’t. No matter what, you will arrive at least an hour later than you thought. Maybe you really do have an excuse, like a shut down freeway or a flat tire, but this doesn’t necessarily have to be true. You probably just had to use the bathroom an extra time or the line at Starbucks was really long.

2. The traffic won’t be too bad

Just when you think you’ve left at the lightest traffic time, every other driver in the world has the same thought. Or a sudden accident stops three lanes of traffic. Whatever it may be, there will be traffic and it won’t be fun.

3. You won’t get bored of your music/podcasts/audiobooks

No matter what you bring, the fifth hour boredom will not be stopped. At some point, sitting and driving while listening to anything for too long, and one is guaranteed to become antsy. Although, I will admit, S-Town was the closest I’ve ever come to not having a moment of boredom during my last car ride.

4. It will be fun to spend hours in a car with the same people

No matter who they are, there’s only so long you can spend with a person at one time in the same metal box.

5. You brought enough snacks

It always happens that you think you brought way too many snacks, but less than an hour in and you’re already hungry and by the time you’re at the halfway point, you’re looking for the nearest McDonald’s.

6. You brought everything

You haven’t. Maybe it’s something you remember just as you pull out of your garage, making you have to run in for a last-minute trip (or multiple trips if you’re as bad as I am). Sometimes you remember only five minutes from your house, so you turn back. Or sometimes you remember it just as you enter the Point of No Return.