Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
on the road again.
I just can't wait to get on theroad again.
I love myself a road trip andhopefully all your may events,
such as graduations, weddingsall that is hopefully behind you
and you have some spare time toplan your own road trip Now.
(00:29):
Last week's episode I talkedabout if you didn't have summer
plans, how one of the things youcould do was actually go on a
road trip.
So I want to talk specificallytoday how to plan a road trip
and to get yourself prepared andencouraged for doing just that.
Welcome to Solo TravelAdventures.
I'm Cheryl Esch, your travelcoach, who loves to get on the
(00:53):
road again, and I do plan to dothat in July.
But I want to help you planyour next road trip, or maybe
it's your first road trip.
I encourage you to considerroad trips because they are
actually something very easy todo.
They can also be done veryspontaneously.
(01:15):
So if, say, you didn't plananything, any kind of trip
coming up and you really want toget away, but you know flying
last minute can be ratherexpensive, so hopping into your
car if you have a car, that is,if not, train travel is also
beautiful way to travel.
But I'm specifically talkingabout getting on the road in a
(01:36):
vehicle that you are driving,and I'm encouraging you to do
this solo, especially if it is alast minute decision for you.
So how do you decide where to go?
Well, I want to have you justdecide if you're going.
First of all, clear scheduleand decide when.
(01:56):
So, pick a day, pick a weekend,or even a week, if you have it,
doing one day or weekend isperfect.
It's not too stressful as faras the planning is concerned.
So, determining where to go,how far do you want to drive?
Ask yourself that how long doyou want to be in the car?
Is there some place you havealways wanted to go to that is
(02:21):
within driving distance?
I would even make a list ofplaces and then map it out and
see how far each destination is,and that might help determine
where you're going to go.
For example, maybe you don'twant to be driving in the car
more than two or three hours aday.
That may determine where youend up.
(02:42):
It also determines, for example, getting out of Texas takes
several hours.
So if I were to tell myself, oh, I don't want to be in a car
more than three hours, I'm notgetting out of Texas.
To be honest.
Well, unless I'm going north toOklahoma, then I would get out
of Texas.
So it really does determine.
(03:04):
It depends on where you live,first of all, and how far do you
want to travel.
Maybe you don't like being in acar, but I love being in a car
because there's so much time toreflect and think, catch up on
podcasts and audiobooks and, youknow, listen to some great
music and just sing at the topof my lungs when nobody else is
(03:27):
around or listening.
So those are just some reasonsI love a road trip.
I think there's a freedominvolved in taking a road trip
as well, and so maybe you'venever done a solo road trip and
this could be your opportunityright here, to decide to go and
take a one day, a weekend oreven a week long road trip.
(03:49):
So, yes, determine where you'regoing.
Sometimes, determining whereyou're going might actually be
based on an activity that youwere interested in.
For example, I know many peoplewill travel, will take a road
trip because they have a.
There's a festival that theywant to attend, and so they
(04:09):
drive there.
It could be a music festival,it could be an arts festival, it
could be a Renaissance festival, something of that nature,
something that entices you, thatyou have interest in.
There's other festivals hot air, balloon festivals, interest in
there's other festivals, hotair balloon festivals there's so
(04:30):
many opportunities to, as Isaid in last week's episode, you
know doing local adventures.
Well, you could take it one stepfurther and still consider
those local type of ventures.
But is it what?
Is it two hour drive from you?
Possibly?
Yeah, for example, there is agreat Renaissance festival here
in Texas.
There's a few.
Actually, I could go to twodifferent cities, but one is
(04:53):
about a two hour drive and oneis about a three and a half hour
drive.
So you know those kind ofthings.
See if there's something thatinterests you.
Is there an antique shop youwant to go explore?
In the next town?
Over Hiking, is there a hikingtrail that you're interested in?
But it's, you know it's a fewhours away from where you live.
Possibly, take the time to youknow, see if this could turn
(05:17):
into a road trip.
Maybe you just want to explorea new city, and these are all
great reasons and reasons totake a road trip.
You know, having that in mind,having that end point in mind,
that purpose of why you're goingon a road trip is always nice,
but sometimes I just take a roadtrip just to take a road trip.
(05:41):
But typically there is anendpoint and you know a
destination that I'm strivingfor and there's a reason I might
be going to that destination.
So the next thing you want todo, once you've determined where
you're going, how long, how faris it going to be, when is it
Clear your schedule.
(06:03):
You'll need to makeaccommodations, of course, and
even though it might be lastminute, there are still many
opportunities, different ways ofaccommodation, different types
of accommodations.
There are, of course, hotels.
You might check Airbnbs.
Those are typically I don't.
(06:24):
There's some that require atleast a weekend.
They won't do just maybe onenight.
So just be aware of that.
You can go camping, whetheryou'd like to camp, whether it's
in a tent, there might be somecabin camping available where
you're going or car camping Ifyou feel comfortable doing that.
(06:46):
That saves a lot of money.
There's also host a sister.
It's actually on Facebook.
You can reach out to people onthat Facebook page and see if a
sister will host you in theirhome.
Now there's a couple.
There's host a sister US only.
There's host a sister 50 plusand then I believe there's one
(07:09):
in probably some other countriesas well, but there's also a
brand new app that I just cameacross.
I just finished reading a book,um, called sherbert skies, and
it's about a young girl who doesa solo adventure, but she has
now developed an app called HerHouse and it is where females
(07:36):
will host other females, and itis a membership.
It's an app.
It's $25 a year US dollars.
However, the nice thing aboutthe app is that she does require
, if the person is hosting you,that they are background checked
so you feel more secure and youfeel safe staying in that
(07:57):
person's home.
Throughout her travels, sheactually stayed.
Her name is Tess.
She stayed with many people intheir homes, but I found that,
as a female, we often want tofeel safe in our surroundings,
so she developed this app so youcan check it out.
Um, it does require you to uhhave a membership to search out
(08:19):
places, but also those Facebookplaces.
Just be aware those are notvetted, so you will have to do
your own vetting.
Um, maybe you have a friend or afamily member in the place
where you'reting.
Maybe you have a friend orfamily member in the place where
you're going, or a friend of afriend, right.
Often that's a nice way to findaccommodation.
So there's always ways aroundit.
So do not make that your excusefor why you won't take a road
(08:41):
trip.
We all need to do one of thesein our lives, at least solo.
Now we get to.
Next is packing packingessentials.
When you are packing for a roadtrip, obviously you have your
regular stuff, but there aresome essentials that you want to
keep in mind.
(09:02):
I do have a road trip packinglist that I will try to link in
the show notes for you.
But just to go over some ofthat, obviously, making sure
your car is ready for a roadtrip, you know, are your tires
good, is your oil changed andthat kind of stuff.
Is there anything that mightneed to be fixed?
That would be something thatyou want to make sure you don't
(09:24):
want to break down while you'reon a road trip.
I've had that happen, so youdon't want to be there.
So some other essentials,obviously and I'll make sure I
include this in those show notes.
You know, first aid kit.
You want to pack a blanket,bungee cords, garbage bags, mace
(09:45):
or bear spray, bug repellent,sunscreen, maps.
I recommend also multi-toolpocket knife, a portable jump
starter.
So this is, you know, if yourbattery dies, you can actually
jump your own vehicle withouthaving another vehicle, which I
(10:07):
found much safer because if ithappened then I wasn't relying
on somebody else or waiting, butI also didn't have to worry
about who was going to stop andhelp me possibly right and jump
my car and there are lots ofkind people out there, trust me,
but this just made it easier.
A portable air pump for yourtires.
(10:30):
It also has a tire gauge withit, obviously, lots of water, as
I mentioned.
Phone chargers, power bank, allthose chargers that you might
need right Now.
I also pack food with me.
When I do a road trip, I try topack a cooler.
This saves money.
You're welcome to eat out, butI always pack snacks.
(10:52):
But I also pack a few mealsthat are things that I can, you
know, eat on the road, whetherit's sandwiches or some sort of
bean dip, something that is kindof quick and easy, and I keep
it in a cooler and I try tobring food that might last me
(11:13):
about two days on the roadwithout cooking, and then I'll
sometimes bring stuff to make ifI find that I might end up
somewhere where I could use astove, but always pack food,
always pack water, protein bars.
All that kind of stuff isimportant when you're on a road
(11:35):
trip Because there might bemiles before you see places to
eat, depending on where you'regoing.
But once you're on the road, Iwant you to have fun.
So some suggestions is to takeyour time.
This is your trip, this is yourtime.
I would say allow plenty oftime for exploration.
(11:58):
Don't worry about getting toyour destination.
Make sure you kind of you know,make sure you allow time.
As far as buffers Say you'retaking a three hour drive, but
you know, give yourself four orfive to get there, giving your
time to stop.
You see something excitingalong the road.
(12:18):
Please take your time.
Don't be so rushed to get toyour destination.
This is when I have found themost exciting things in.
When I've done road trips isthe unexpected things I hadn't
planned.
Those have always been the mostmemorable.
I also like to allow for reststops, stopping and stretching,
(12:42):
walking.
I personally I tend to not havea very strong bladder and so
really every hour and a half Ipersonally need to go to the
bathroom or get up and stretch.
So if you tend to like.
Be okay sitting for a long time.
Just make sure you're givingyourself enough rest stops and
(13:03):
you know breaks for yourself.
You start to feel tired.
Please pull over.
Be flexible Overall.
Just flexible in your timing,flexible in your plans.
They may not work out as youhad hoped and be open.
Be open to new opportunitiesthat you might see along the way
(13:24):
.
Now.
I would also recommend, beforeyou hit the road, downloading
any podcasts, audiobooks, musicor maps beforehand, because,
again, you may not, you may getinto dead zones with your you
know cell phone usage and youwant to have that available to
you, especially any kind of mapsand GPS.
(13:47):
So where are you going on yourroad trip this summer?
I would love to hear.
I am actually headed to Austin,texas, over July 4th weekend
here in the US and I have somefun things planned.
I have my sister and a friendlive in the area, so I will be
(14:09):
visiting them and I'm so excited.
I haven't been to Austin in along time and I will share some
of that stuff later.
But it's a road trip.
It's about almost a four hourdrive and but I love that time
in a car by myself where I cando some reflection, I can be
praying, I could be listening tothings podcasts, like I
(14:32):
mentioned.
I like to catch up on thosewhen I drive or when I'm flying,
but it's a wonderful time andthere's such a freedom.
I feel so free when I do a roadtrip and I want you to feel
that same freedom and have thatopportunity.
So don't make up excuses.
(14:53):
I really would encourage you totake a road trip sometime soon
and if you haven't plannedanything for summer, this is a
great way to just kind of getout of town for a little bit and
explore and have your own soloadventure this summer.
Well, sisters, I'm going to beon a virtual travel summit and
(15:18):
it begins this weekend, june 7thand 8th, and then June 14th and
15th.
So I will be speaking on June15th in a panel for women,
talking about solo travel forwomen.
So I hope you will listen in.
You can register and I againwill leave the link in the show
(15:41):
notes.
It is by.
It's called Freedom Fest andit's by Infinity Land is hosting
it.
Wonderful lady, it is pay whatyou can type of virtual travel
summit.
So, as you register, just keepthat in mind, just helping to
incur the cost of what InfinityLand has done.
(16:03):
I hope you can listen in, notjust to my time, my panel, but
there's going to be 35 plusspeakers talking on travel, lots
of things, nomadic lifeeverything that you dream of
about travel will be on there.
So go ahead and click the linkand get yourself registered
(16:24):
right now, because that iscoming up.
All right, sisters, we'll gohave that road trip adventure
and I want to hear where youwent.