Our event-free day reminded us of a couple of things. First, after sitting in one place for three months we're really rusty at this "get up and go" thing. After we landed today, I was scratching my head trying to remember my set-up routine. When I find myself wondering how to push the button to start the satellite search, I know I'm rusty!
The other reminder du jour is how we've come to depend on our travel day rituals. What some may call a "rut" has become our very comfortable travel day routine.
Travel days actually start the night before. Neither of us tends to sleep very well on travel day eve. So, with precious little sleep (Three hours for me last night and a couple more for Paul.) we're up early. We always allow a nearly decent amount of time for leisurely coffee. Then, it's time for our traditional travel day breakfast: Jimmy Dean Sausage Biscuits. These things are loaded with calories and fat. But, they're quick, easy and don't dirty any dishes. They're very satisfying and keep us going well into the afternoon. Our travel day lunch is usually late but very simple. We'll stop at a rest stop or Walmart parking lot and split a sandwich. Today, we noticed that our lunch stops are considerably faster than our fuel stops. They're lots cheaper, too!
No matter how far we go on a travel day, we set a simple rule for ourselves: We cover at least half of the day's distance before noon. That pretty much keeps us to under 300 miles a day (Today was just a few miles more.) and gets us to our destination by 3:00 p.m. Once we're settled, we take a much needed stroll around the park and/or neighborhood. And, by 5:00 we're ready for happy hour. Just like our travel day breakfast, dinner is equally predictable. We have a favorite brand of frozen pasta in a bag. It takes just one skillet and 15 minutes to make a tasty hot meal. We pour a glass of wine, toss a salad if we feel like it and toast a successful day on the road.
After dinner we're usually running on fumes. (Lack of sleep and a couple hundred miles will do that.) So, it's generally early to bed for us. The last, and perhaps most precious, travel day ritual takes place the day after. As much as we can, we make the day after a "down" day. We don't schedule a thing, and just let our first day in our new locale unfold on its own.
Generally, we're pretty spontaneous people. But, with all the things that can go sideways on a travel day, it's so nice to have some familiar rituals to count on, no matter where we land.
Now, if we could just find that damn book!
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7 comments:
So different than the hetic pace of the ones who are on "vacation."
Cheers to you, our travel friends!..glad you made it to your destination safely!..now, I hope you find the 'dang book'..I say, start looking tomorrow!
My travel days are slightly different, although I don't sleep well the night before either. I just have cereal for breakfast and have packed a sandwich for lunch the night before. Lately, when I arrive at a campground I pop a Micheline's frozen dinner in the microwave, and that's it. Emma and I do take a sashay around the campground several times, and I do try to take some pics. It helps to get the kinks out! :)
I still keep the check lists I made up when we first started traveling. Whenever, I feel forgetful or sit in one spot to long, I break them out and go down the list. It may be old fashioned, but it still works.
Know what you mean...we are leaving Monday after sitting for 6 weeks and I'm starting to stress about what all to remember! The even bigger stress is knowing that we are going to have to back in when we arrive!!!
Not meaning to be rude but I always smile when I read about Travel Days US style.
When we are off in our RV, an old converted bus, it's very simple. Check that all the doors and drawers are locked. Pack the kettle and any other loose items in the kitchen sink with a tea towel to stop them rattling, shift the stuff 'stored on the driver and passenger seats to the bed, there's not much because I use the passenger seat a lot and the driver's seat is tipped over the steering wheel most of the time. Make sure all footwear and other incidentals are properly stashed. Remove loose items including laptop from the only space I have for them, on top of a set of drawers, and onto the bed.
It takes 5 or 10 minutes or if we've been parked for a while maybe 30 minutes total. We climb in our seats and get the diesel starter warmed up and we're away.
No slides, no, jacks, no satellite dish. Very simple and this was supposed to be our life for 6 or 7 years but because of family commitments the most we've managed at any one time is 6 months. Never mind we still get to sleep in the old girl every now and then and tonight's one of those times.
Look forward to hearing about your new spot.
Blessings
I knows its a little late to be a commentarying on yer regroanized blog roll list, but it sometimes takes a might to get mineownselfs mind in gear, what with me missin' a few teeth and all.
With that out of mind, maybe ya oughta leaf space fer a third cattygorey, Bloggers we read, that we've met, but wish we wouldn't have. I'm not suggestioning who ya might put in their someday, but it mite make a good, just in case cattygoery.
I.M.
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