Road trips are a fun way to adventure with friends while saving money that would be spent on airplane or train tickets. You get to explore roads and towns you've never seen before and spend hours among hours with your fellow adventure-seeking friends. But while hours in a confined space with your closest friends may seem like a good time, it can get pretty rough. When the excitement wears off and the hunger and eagerness kicks in, the trip gets real. Here are the 10 phases that everyone goes through when going on a road trip.
1. Packing your entire closet so you'll be prepared for anything
When you're packing for a trip, it's important to be prepared for any situation you might find yourself in, so you'll probably want to pack everything you own just in case. Who knows, you might need that pair of cargo pants that you haven't worn in five years.
2. Excitement
Once the suitcases have been stuffed in the car, the adventure can begin. On hour one of the road trip, every sign on the freeway and every tree you pass looks mysterious and thrilling.
3. Realizing that you forgot something (probably your charger)
It happens every time. Something important is always left behind, causing you to panic and plead for the driver to turn around. If I had a nickel for every time I forgot to pack my phone charger for a trip, I'd have enough money to buy a replacement charger.
4. When the hunger takes over
It's been at least an hour since you've eaten and you already feel yourself wasting away. A piece of advice to fellow roadtrippers: if anyone in the car is hungry, pull over as soon as possible. You don't want to be on the receiving end when the hanger kicks in.
5. When you're put on DJ duty
On long car trips, everyone is given the role of car DJ at least once. This is your time to show everyone how great your taste in music is. Pressure's on.
6. Getting lost
It's bound to happen sometime. When all service is lost and the map is making no sense, you're left on your own to figure it out. This is where the old "left hand makes an L shape" trick comes in handy.
7. The "get me out of this car right now" phase
Your joints are aching, your muscles are cramping and you swear you've seen the same sign at least three times. By now, you've most likely forgotten what it felt like to walk or even to stand up.
8. Bonding
On just about every road trip, there is one road that you drive on for hours on end. This is usually where your phones lose service, making the music turn off and forcing everyone to look up from their phones and have actual conversations with each other. This is where all the deep, emotional stuff comes out. Prime bonding time.
9. The "we're only an hour away" excitement
You're so close to getting out of the car and the excitement is overwhelming. The rest of the ride will be spent aggressively tapping your feet against the floor in an attempt to regain feeling and imagining what it will feel like to finally stretch your legs.
10. Arrival
Finally, the moment you've been waiting hours for is finally here. There are so many things you have planned for the second you arrive at your destination. But instead of doing any of them, you find some food and just fall on the floor and sleep.
