Spring Break, 5 girls, Boston to Daytona.....HELP!!!!!!

[imported_Kristen]

Hi, my name is Kristen, i'm 22 and from boston, mass. A few years ago some of my girlfriends and i drove to panama city, FL. It was disasterous!!!! Picture 5 girls in a tiny corolla, filled to the brim with luggage, destined to reach florida. Add to the fact that I had lied to my parents and told them i was going to Cape Cod. Well, it was great, for about the first 10 hours we were pumped!!! And damn proud of ourselves to have the balls to drive from boston to florida! Then, it hit like a bag of bricks, this really sucked. None of us could fall asleep in preparation for the next driving shift (it was only 9pm), so someone (me)had the dumb idea that we should all just stay up the whole way to FL. That was the first dumb thing we did. Then, the owner of the car, my friend jen, announced that we could only drive 60 miles per hour, for she had also lied to her parents, and said that her spring break was cancelled and that she had class. Then, the crying started. At about the 20th hour into the trip my friends, the passengers in this car'o'hell, randomly began bursting into tears from being so tired. I even found my own normally even tempered personality beginning to alter from the lack of sleep. I began to snap at my friend Raquel relentlessly. She was annoying the hell out of me, something that rarely occurs, and i definitley did a little more than "call her on it". At any rate, to make a long story short, which is pretty damn near impossible at this point, the trip was a disaster and two of my friends called there parents to bail them out, and flew home. The question is kids, how do i avoid the same problem this year???? Any suggestions would be appreciated!!!! =)

[Ted]

First off, I think you learn more about people traveling than any other time. First off I would travel with people that have similar interests. I have found that some of my good friends I can not travel with. Some become bossy, some are boring and some are cheap or want to spend to much money. I would find people with the same travel goals as yours and your time will be so much better. I have found that if something interests me I will go there alone or with one friend and I always meet people doing the same thing or that have the same interest. Baggage is hard to go places with. Good luck in your adventure this year and make sure you get the most out of the experience.

[Syv]

If that many people are considering travelling together again, definitely take a large passenger van (even if this means spending extra money for a rental). It will be easier to spread out & have room for someone to lay out on a seat & take turns sleeping.

Like others say, be sure you all are compatible / can get along in close quarters, or it will be miserable (again). Perhaps only two or three of you go, instead of a whole car-full.

Tell your folks (honestly) of your plans. If something happened at their end or yours (heaven forbid), they wouldn't know where/how to find you.

[GEORGE FRANKEL]

IF YOU LOOK INTO PLANNING A LONG TERM BACKPACKING OR CANOE TRIP YOU WILL COME ACCROSS A THING CALLED EXPEDITION BEHAVIOR. ONE OF THE ITEMS DISCUSSED WILL BE DETERMINING AN AGREED GOAL FOR THE TRIP IE: THE SUMMIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OR EXPLORING WANDERING AROUND IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. THEN THE DECESIONS ARE BASED ON WHAT EVERY ONE AGREED TO. I KNOW THIS ALL SOUNDS TOO STRUCTURED FOR THE FREEDOM OF THE ROAD KIND OF THING BUT IT SURE BEATS HAVING A MISERABLE TIME. IF YOU LIKE TRAVEL YOU WILL WANT TO DO IT FOREVER START WORKING ON WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. GOOD LUCK KEEP ON TRUCKING GEO.F.

[Brett Dwyer]

Kristen,

First things first.. Don't lie to your parents. At 22, you should have no problems saying: "Moms, pops, I'm headed to Daytona beach for a week." ...

Second, make sure that everybody going on the trip knows what to expect. If everybody knows it is going to be a very long drive, then they won't be surprised.

Third, don't sleep the night before you leave (except for whoever is driving the first leg). That way you will be able to sleep in the car until it is your turn to drive. you will be refreshed and you won't loose that cool head of yours.

Fourth, meet up with me and my friends when you get there! We are leaving February 26th for Mardi Gras in New Orleans then headed to Panama City for a week or two then to Daytona for a week or two.