We have a lot of expectations when it comes to road trips. According to the movies and the books, a road trip with your significant other is a great time to engage in wacky hijinks, to bond and to talk. Unfortunately, they frequently do not point out the fact that road trips can be stressful and that in general, they require a lot of work. Before you head off on a road trip with your significant other, make sure that you consider these five important tips.

Figure Out Where You Are Going to Eat
When you are on a road trip, there is a lot to see and do, and food is going to come up. First, discuss any food restrictions that you have. If one of you is a vegetarian, it is best to skip the burger joints and to wait for a sub place that might have a cheese and veggie sub. People often get cranky when they are hungry, so make sure that you are both willing to communicate when hunger is an issue. While some people can go all day and eat only once, other people end up needing to eat a lot more often.

Decide Who Is Paying
Being on a road trip can get pricey, especially once you start thinking about gas and regular eating out. Who is charge of paying for the trip, and what kind of pay divides do you need to make? For example, is someone in charge of paying for the gas while someone else is in charge of accommodations? Remember that it does not need to be precisely equal as long as you both feel it is fair. Take a moment to think about what kind of division you need to make.

Map Out Responsibilities
What can you do for each other? Do you need to split driving duties? This is something that needs to be discussed before you leave. For example, if one person expects to split the driving while the other one does not want to drive at all, some sort of agreement should be reached. On the other hand, you will find that you should also consider things like making accommodation arrangements; who is in charge of calling the motels?

Share the Music
Lots of people love to have music on when they are on a road trip, but the thing to remember is that even if you love someone, your musical tastes may not necessarily mesh. Be willing to listen to your partner’s music and make sure that they are willing to listen to yours. If necessary, split the amount of music that you listen to right down the middle. Alternately, you can also spend stretches of the road wearing headphones. Remember that a road trip can also be a quiet experience.

Get Out of the Car
If you are not used to being cooped up in a car with your significant other, that can lead to problems as well. When one or both people need their own space, be ready to make stops. If you are not in a hurry, stop and hang out at a park for half an hour or so. If you are on a long trip, be willing to stop and go shopping or to enjoy yourself at a national park. Long periods cooped up can make people snappish and irritable, so get some space when you need it.

About the Author: This article was written by Brock Moore, who is the primary writer for http://www.shop-carinsurance.net/ which specializes in car insurance rates and quotes.

WHICH PASS SHOULD I BUY?

First step would be to plan a rough plan – how many countries will you visit? Are they neighboring countries? How long will I be traveling?

If you are only traveling to one country or going on one long distance journey, it makes more sense to buy individual tickets online or at the railway station. However, a Eurail pass may be a more cost effective solution for large groups or people traveling extensively between countries, especially in a short period of time.  Remember that traveling by train is usually faster than some short flights – there are hardly any security check in lines – you just show up 10 minutes before your train leaves and hop on!

Rail Europe has a great ‘travel planner’ tool that will help you decide if the Eurail pass will save you money and can help decide which ticket to buy.

Also, be prepared to pay reservation fees in some countries – although you have a Eurail pass, there is sometimes a supplementary fee to secure your reservation (marked with ‘R’ on train schedules). Trains in Spain all require reservations, regardless of distance, but other countries, like Italy, only require reservations for international travel.  You can also find this information on the Rail Europe website as well as on Seat61.com.  If you travel overnight, there may be some restrictions, you’ll save on hotel stays -  and once you get to your destination, you can always book with the new online accommodation provider Wimdu to get the best bargains!

SO, HOW MUCH MONEY DID WE REALLY SAVE?

For illustrative purposes, we’ve charted our actual train journeys below and costs.

We show Terry buying individual train tickets in each rail station he visits versus Manali who planned ahead and bought a Eurail Global Adult Flexi Pass, 1^st class, 15 days of travel within 2 months for $1052 in April 2010.

Note: Prices are based in US Dollars (as of August 2010) and Manali’s cost of each journey is determined by taking the entire cost of her Eurail Global pass divided by 15 journeys in 2 months; costing her a fixed $70 per journey.

(click for larger image)

We saved approximately $600 per person on our total travel throughout Europe with our Global Eurail pass!

HINTS AND TIPS

• Buddy up to buy Saver tickets (discount for 2 people or more) rather than two individual tickets
• Traveling international saves more than traveling locally (Manali actually overpaid for her first 3 journeys in Italy)
• Traveling in Eastern Eruope is generally cheaper than Western Eruope
• For your first day of travel, be sure to get your pass validated at a ticket office and only fill in days of travel once you are sure you will be on board! Mistakes will cost you an entire travel day!
• High speed trains are usually more expensive (such as Eurostar Paris to London in 2 hours – wow!); so if you have time, relax and enjoy some slow train travel!
• Be sure to buy your train reservations in advance in the summer and periods of high travel or festivals – seats do sell out for popular journeys!
• We saved over $600 each with our passes; the only other investment is taking the time to figure out if it works for you – if money is no object, get the pass and save some hassle!

Ahhhh, we missed you, Asia!  Long gone were the days where we could progressively dine street style,
bargain until our ears bled, enjoy hours of cheap massages and not feel guilty about taking naps! We were SO happy to be back! And of course, we wanted to see the grandiose Angkor Wat complex and enjoy some Khmer traditions and delicacies.

Words can’t describe the awe we felt of the immensity of these ancient structures, we couldn’t help but marvel at the way they were constructed and the way the jungle overtook some when they were abandoned for over 400 years.   Wow!

Siem Reap itself was a cute little town, densely populated with tourists from all over the world.  Although it was lacking the true local character in it’s tourist bars, restaurants, hotels and tacky shops, the people still exemplified the Khmer charm.  The most adorable kids had ‘jobs’ after school selling bracelets or handmade items. I left Terry for ten minutes and he was quickly conned into buying a group of fast talking, smart little seven year old schoolgirls some lunch! It was hilarious – they told us that their names were “Sasha” and “Maliya” and were spewing out facts about America: “The youngest state is Hawaii”, “Washington DC is the capital”, “Bobo is the president’s dog”!

We even sampled some delicious and spicy Happy Pizza, found the best iced coffee at Blue Pumpkin Bakery (50% off pastries after 8pm) and enjoyed strong foot massages for the remainder of the week. What a life!

Accomodation: Prohm Guesthouse

$15 for a large, air conditioned ensuite room, great location on a quiet side street in town, with free wifi – what a deal!

Angkor Wat Tickets: 1-day ($20), 3-day ($40), or 7-day ($60). The 3-day pass is valid for any 3 days within a week, while the 7-day pass is valid for any 7 days within a month. Your photograph is printed on your pass to ensure non-transferable and regular checks for the pass are performed at almost all sites within the park.

We recommend going for at least one sunrise and sunset and taking a nap in the middle of the day during the immense heat!

We were lucky to have “sampled” travel in various sizes of campervans in Australia for short periods of time before we had to make a decision about where we would “live” for 5 weeks in ‘the land of the long white cloud’.  The hi top campervan was a clear cut winner over the smaller minivan style!  We absolutely loved our Explore More van and wanted to take it with us for the rest of our journey! We are definitely buying a similar one when we are back in the States and can’t wait to do a proper kick ass road trip through our homelands!

The staff at the Christchurch Explore More office were extremely accommodating and we even got a free upgrade!  At one point, we needed to get our bumper flap fixed and it was as simple as calling to get the nearest location to get it fixed for free, waiting ten minutes and signing some paperwork before driving off – how easy!

The rates for long term hire (5 weeks), camping fees and the cost of gasoline together were far cheaper than having two people stay in hostels, so the choice was a no brainer.  We loved having the freedom to stop wherever to admire the views, the flexibility of staying some places or not and especially the fact that we only had to unpack and pack up once in 5 weeks! Woohoo! (Note: these are the small things that absolutely make your day after 6 months of travel). Terry did a fabulous job of navigating and driving the two islands and became a seasoned pro at veering through herds of sheep, only hitting a few (mmm lamb chops…just kidding).

Manali loved the facilities to cook in the van since we were severely missing our regulars black bean quesadillas with guac, yum, and burritos and we were able to eat lunch picnic style amidst the gorgeous scenery and backdrop of vast mountain ranges.

Explore More was the way to go and we highly recommend using them as the best way to truly experience the Kiwi lifestyle and all this gorgeous country has to offer!

Website: http://www.exploremore.co.nz/

NOTE: A permanent page will be located under the “Pages” menu, as a direct link.

1. Beijing | China :: Hiking The Great Wall! [view post]

2. Koh Tao | Thailand :: A Diver’s Delight [view post 1] [view post 2]

3. Great Barrier Reef | Australia :: Diving the GBR [post coming soon]

4. Phuket | Thailand :: Hanging At The Beach…With Elephants! [view post]

5. Great Ocean Road | Australia :: The 12 Apostles [post coming soon]

6. Chiang Mai | Thailand :: Baan Chang Elephant Park [view post]

7. Sydney | Australia :: New Year’s Eve [view post]

8. Ubud | Indonesia :: Monkey Forest [view post]

9. Tokyo | Japan :: Tsukiji Fish Market [view post 1] [view post 2]

10. Borobudur | Indonesia :: The Sweetest Candi [view post]

Even though we’ve seen similar in Alaska, these twin glaciers are still awe inspiring and hold the quintessence of crystal blue tints throughout the massive block of ice.  However, good weather is the exception in this area of the country and due to high winds, we were unable to heli-hike up to the top of the glaciers.

On the other hand, it saved us $450 each and we were still able to do the free hike up to the face of the glacier and appreciate its beauty close up.  These free activities are like rare gems in this tourist trap of a country!

Unlike trains in China, those in Thailand are not altogether very timely in keeping with their schedule. For example, on the sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, was stated as a 13 hour trip, but turned out to be 16 hours. Not a huge matter for us, but if you have any connecting transportation, this could turn into a real headache. Also, make sure you ask questions and have an awareness about which stop you coming to, as no one really tells you, and they like to push you out the minute the train stops, so there is not a lot of time when it comes to discerning whether your desired destination is the current or not.

Your journey begins with upright seats, and as the evening hour approaches the attendant will come by, and perform a pull down service for both the upper and lower birth, putting down sheets, blankets, pillow cases and curtains.

Our train tickets were purchased directly from the State Railway of Thailand website. The pair of our tickets each way was about 1,600 Baht. There is a slight price difference between upper and lower birth, but if you are buying tickets in pairs, they assign one of each automatically. If you are buying solo, DEFINITELY buy the lower birth if possible. Upper is very narrow and the lights, which aren’t turned off at night glare in your face as you try to sleep.

Website: http://www.thairailwayticket.com/Default.aspx?language=1

Manali working on her wax painting

Adding the rainbow colors to the painting

Terry waiting for his colors to set

Filled the remainder of the painting with paraffin wax, then adding black dye

Setting the colors

Awesome finished batik paintings!

Cost: 80,000 IDR per person (~$9); booked at Via Via Café
Duration: 9am to 2pm
Produced: 50cm x 50 cm 100% cotton square
Location: Batik Kelik (near Jalan Prawirotaman area)

To keep up with Terry and these adventure loving Kiwis, Manali decided to throw herself 15,000 feet out of a perfectly good plane over a lake. Where else but in the sky diving capital of the world where 30,000 crazies perform the same feat each year?  She was a little hesitant after seeing her young, afro-clad, uni-browed tandem partner and tried to convince others to switch, but to no avail.  Luckily, he had already surpassed 3,000+ jumps and landed her safely back in one piece!

Details: Freefall Bungy at Lake Taupo Airport

Cost: $339 NZD for 15,000 ft tandem jump with 1 minute free fall

Extras: $179 for a camera person to jump along side you to document with video and photos; 10% off for YHA members

The USA has so much to offer in terms of culture, diverse landscapes and famous landmarks. There is no shortage of places to explore, and going by road means that you won’t miss a thing. Unlike on other forms of transport, you’ll have the freedom to go where you want, and stay as long as you like.

Depending on how long your trip is, you could take an adventure across states, down open highways, and through local towns. Get away from the tourist trail and discover the places you want to, no matter how far off the beaten track they are.

Travel the West Coast, visiting Los Angeles and Las Vegas, before driving down through Death Valley National Park to San Francisco. View breathtaking scenery and spend your evenings exploring the cities.

If you’d prefer to take to the East Coast, start your journey amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City and drive towards the beautiful Niagara Falls. Travel through Pennsylvania and experience their rural way of living. Finally, make your way towards Washington DC, where you’ll find an abundance of things to see and do.

Fly into either London or Scotland, hire a car, and travel the island in order to discover what Great Britain really has to offer.

Land in the capital and visit Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, before traveling west into Cornwall to taste one of their famous Cornish Pasties. Travel up through the Georgian town of Bath and visit the historical landmark of Stonehenge.

If you’re landing in Scotland, start off in Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, and travel towards Stirling. Climb the Wallace monument and look out over the valleys. You could go on the trail of the loch ness monster, exploring The Highlands, Loch Ness and Inverness.

This small but culture-rich and diverse nation is made up of urban, bustling cities, as well as rolling countryside, quaint villages and beautiful coastline. With so much to discover, surely a fly-drive is the perfect way to make sure you see it all.

In Australia, a country so vast and so full of beautiful views, there is nothing more rewarding than discovering it for yourself. There’s no shortage of landmarks to explore or wildlife to see, and embarking on a fly-drive allows you to see it all.

Be sure to drive the Great Ocean Road, heading past the stunning Twelve Apostles and into The Grampians National Park. Make sure you get your kangaroo sighting by visiting Kangaroo Island, where there’s no doubt you’ll find one.

You could embark on a journey from Melbourne to Sydney, leaving the rat race behind in the search for stunning beaches. As you travel down the Sapphire Coast – a route popular with locals – you’ll discover more of what this vast country has to offer. From panoramic views at Twofold Bay, to the working town of Eden, there’s no risk of boredom setting in on your journey. Upon reaching Sydney, soak up the atmosphere of the city, and get back on the tourist trail as you pay a visit to the Opera House.

Organizing your Trip: If you love the idea of being your own guide, but find the thought of organizing it all a little daunting, you’ll be glad to hear you can organize your whole trip through a travel agent. From flights to car hire, and an itinerary of your stay, you can get it all booked for you, giving you all the freedom but none of the stress.

So, if you’re starting to plan your next vacation, and are looking for something a little different, a fly-drive could be exactly what you’re looking for.

This guest post was written for Manali and Terry by keen traveller and blogger, Izzy Guarella, who writes for PassSmart.com.