As I sit in my motel room in Elkhart, Indiana, I am overwhelmed with a sense of adventure and wonder. Some of the greatest stories begin with a car, a couple of well-rounded friends, a little spontaneity and finally, a destination. In my case, it is a roomy, red van, packed with my boyfriend, his lovely mother, and a curious dog. All together, this little family and I have decided to take a two-week trip to Utah to create some wonderful memories that we hope to never forget. The funny thing is, as I expressed my excitement for the trip a few days before, the most frequent response I got from friends was, "You guys are driving there?"

Uh, yeah? Did I not just say that?

I reside in Maryland, which is located on the east coast. Utah is on western land, cradled by other states like Colorado and Nevada. I know, I know. You are probably asking why am I stating the obvious? We all know our west states from our east states, Natalyia. This is something we have learned in middle school geography, is it not? Well, now you know how I felt when others decided to present this amazing "news" to me. I understand the journey between the two is a long one (approximately 2,107 miles), but I never thought I would have to explain myself to peers on my decision to drive. No, I do not want to take a plane. No, I did not know that transporting by train was "cool" again; Regardless, I would much rather have a good ol' fashion road trip.

If your childhood was anything like mine, then the features of family road trips will sound all too familiar. The dad often drove and acted as the tour guide that no one paid particular attention to. Mom was navigator, snack-distributer, and lunch-preparer; a real-time multi-tasker in case no one already knew. The older sibling bossed the younger sibling around and the middle child played on their game console and tuned the entire group out. There were occasional arguments, normally because Dad (accidentally) took a longer distance at Mom's dismay, or because the younger sibling got fed up with the older sibling's commands. However, there existed moments that were truly golden. Pit stops were always fun as we got to meet new, interesting personalities and taste different cuisine. Landscapes were vast and beautiful; I loved staring out the car at passing greenery, hills, and mountains. If I was not paying attention, that too was alright, as my mother or father's voice would occasionally chime, "Would you take a look at that?" Then voila! Six little brown eyes began peering out the windows excitedly. If we were not playing road games, then discussions were made and stories told. My brothers and I learned many lessons on geography, history, and sociology before we even knew that those words really meant.

On an open road, I learned more about myself and the world around us all. And back then, boy, the world sure did seem as if it had a lot to offer.

Then, all of a sudden, that particular positivity ceased to be.

There was a time in which road trips poised as the ultimate American tradition; a symbol of pioneer spirit and youth. Then, with the rise of fuel prices, all together equipped with strict time constraints, a constant growing population, and recent technology, it became something akin to a burden. Why spend 44 hours (non-stop) driving from New York to San Francisco when a flight would take about six hours? Cut down the journey and concern yourself more with the destination, only to wrestle with a tight schedule filled with pre-arranged activities and sights-seeing. Does that not sound like fun?

Of course not!

Now, do not get me wrong. I will not deny that catching a flight is way less time-consuming than the rest (and in some cases, a lot more affordable), but what are we really missing when we worry more about the time to get to a place than the time spent?

"It’s not hard to compile a list of must-visit sights and attractions before you travel." Douwe Osinga, founder of the travel app Triposo, argues. "The problem is, if you only focus your trip only on these types of places, you’ll miss some of the most important travel experiences out there: the ones that are born of spontaneity and happenstance."

So in a sense, a car trip is like a metaphor for life; rarely about the destination, but always about the adventure it takes to get there. We all have that inescapable desire to get out, move, and discover all that is out there. When my family eventually concluded our road trips, I began undergoing many heavy spells of wanderlust (I still do). And guess what? I did not need to see the Statue of Liberty in New York, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, or Walt Disney World in Florida to break the bewitchment. I just packed up a bag, hopped into a car, and left. The decision to do so has me a lot more optimistic, appreciative, and in some ways, a little wiser.

Life is unpredictable, random, and full of beauty. Why not our adventures, too? So let's hit the road, and discover the universe.