Road Trip Rules
A couple of years ago, I went road tripping with my boyfriend through the south of England... in March. We encountered snow, rain, blasting winds, and spend a lot of our time in the cold. But England is never without its charms, not even (or maybe especially) when you have to put on 10 layers of clothing just to go say 'hi' to the Dartmoor ponies.
In fact, I still consider the trip to be one of my most favorite vacations. We shared a glass of wine with the old lady who owned one the B&Bs we stayed at, met Bath's former mayor who made us porridge, almost got blown into the sea in Paignton, and stayed in hotels with names right out of Midsomer Murders - Royal George, the Rose & Crown, Findon Manor.
Looking back, this road trip became the recipe for all subsequent travels. Not because it made me feel like I had stepped into the world of my favorite literary classics, but because it gave us the opportunity to strike the perfect balance between comfort and adventure. Now, whenever I travel, I try to follow our Road Trip Rules.
It's a dangerous business, going out your door...
1. Wander. Use analog maps.
Despite the weather conditions, we had no set plans. We had a vague idea what places we wanted to visit, and spend most or our time trying to get there via small country lanes. No Google Maps for us - before we left, we bought an old-fashioned road map and used that almost religiously. Even if it meant following a road that suddenly seemed to disappear into a small river... Going analog instantly turned the whole trip into an adventure.
Is there anything more decadent than a four-poster bed and a vaulted ceiling?
2. Listen to locals/read reviews
In March, England can hardly be considered to be a hot spot. We barely encountered other tourists, and locals were often genuinely surprised to hear we were traveling for fun. As a result, they appreciated our enthusiasm about their neighborhood and loved to give us tips on where to go and what to see.
And if all else failed, we relied on online reviews. Because of reviews, we knew to ask for a room in the 'old section' of the Rose & Crown Hotel when we stayed there. The four-poster bed, historic details and ginormous bathroom felt like a treasure we had uncovered. We didn't want to leave!
The glorious feeling of fresh snow creaking underneath your feet.
3. Take your time
At no point during our trip were we in a rush. If reading the old-school map became a bit too complicated - or driving on the right side of the road too confusing - and we missed a turn, we simply took a detour. When we quite abruptly stumbled into a winter wonderland for a couple of hours, we got out of the car to stand in the snow and warm up in the local pub. And when we got tired from driving around every day, we stayed at the hotel and made ourselves comfortable with a good book in front of the drawing room's fireplace. Whatever we chose, we fully committed to it and took our time.
But indeed I would rather have nothing but tea.
4. Revel in what the location has to offer
At the beginning of our trip, my boyfriend let it slip that he had never had a scone before. Inconceivable! So the first thing we did when we arrived in Bath was to have afternoon tea at the Pump Room. Because... well, duh.
The beautiful (and free) view of the Seven Sisters.
5. Balance your expenses
Afternoon tea at the Pump Room was not incredibly cheap. Neither was our snooze in the four-poster bed. But our ramblings through Dartmoor National Park were free, as were our view of Stonehenge and the Seven Sisters. The prices of our stays differed from approximately £40 to £125 per night. We had one or two fancy dinners, but also really enjoyed our £7 fish & chips in Bristol. We (approximately) knew how much money we wanted to spend and made sure it was not too difficult to stay within budget.
Let's go on an adventure together!
6. Spend your time doing the things you always love to do
Traveling and going on a road trip are often special occasions. However, we are still us, even when we are away from home. Our tastes and interests did not change as we drove off. At home, we love to hang out with friends, spend time together, eat (and talk about) good food, read books or watch Netflix. What did we do during our road trip? We met locals, spend hours in the car together, ate scones, Sunday roast, and fish & chips, and snuggled up to the fire with a good book... The main difference being that now, it was a bit colder and, well, English around us.
If you want to know about the different hotels and other places I mentioned in this post, click on the links below. These come highly recommended (by yours truly, of course)!