Road Trippin' - Let's Go Get Lost.

"You know more of a road by having traveled it than by all conjectures and descriptions in the world." William Hazlitt.

Recently, we traveled to and fro from Muscat to Dubai by road, covering a distance of about 450 km each way - my husband, who was behind the wheels for six hours at a stretch, drove without any complains. Most of our journey here in the Gulf has been more out of necessity than for leisure. Retrospecting on these road trips, it feels like I have been on the road most of the times than anywhere else in the world. Probably like the nomads we have traveled for hours at a stretch on cross country trips or crossing borders, during odd hours of the night and wee hours of morning; sometimes for 6 hours and sometimes as long as 12 hours, at times with breaks and at times without one. We traveled all the way from Salalah in Oman to Dubai in UAE, covering a distance of about 1,300 km driving at 130 - 140 km/hr in 12 hours, braving sandstorm for two hours on the desert road at night, with only dark and gloomy mountains as our company all along the way. We have traveled through winding roads of the mountain and through deserted roads bordered with only desert sand. We've braved our way through fogs, rains, sandstorms, and mirages. All along we've been equally supported by our little daughter who has been traveling with us since she was 6 months old. She has survived through it all - motion sickness, vomiting, nappy rashes, diaper changes, hunger pangs; while we and our travel buddy (our 4Wheeler) have survived through all her crankiness and tantrums.

Not all our journeys were smooth or without hurdles; sometimes we faced problems due to our own mistakes and sometimes due to forces beyond our control. Musing over mistakes, it boils down to two main things: haste and forgetfulness. Even some of our weekend trips to nearby locations have turned into disasters due to our mistakes attributed mainly to haste and our forgetful nature.

Whether we are traveling alone, with our friends or with kids, small details are often overlooked because of many reasons and we end up spending more than our budget, lose our valuable time, and often fall sick. Here are some mistakes we made over the years:

• Despite being on the road for several years now, we forgot to research the road map and ended up taking the longer route and consequently wasted travel time.
• Didn't book hotels in advance in the peak season and ended up paying higher prices.
• Left our original car insurance papers at home and wasted time taking out prints of the same from the public server. 
• Forgot to charge the batteries of our camera, so couldn't take photographs of important events and beautiful locations.
• Overlooked packing swimsuits and ended up being just onlookers at the beach. 
• Forgot to carry sunscreens and ended up getting tanned from top to toe.
• On a road trip, we realized too late that the petrol was nearing the end and were stressed till we found a gas station.
• Since we did not carry food parcels from home, we bought and gobbled up plenty of junk food items from the food stalls and ended up sick after the trip.

Moral of the story - When traveling eat healthy, stay hydrated and carry sunscreens! 

I remember many more mistakes we made while traveling and I am sure many of you would've done so. However, you can't let these mistakes tie you down and strangle you with remorse. You have to move on. I know we will keep making many more such mistakes even in the future, but we have survived it all and learned our lesson. So next time when you make such mistakes, don't think you are alone...many of us are there who do this and keep doing it again and again. And this is the essence of traveling. As Benjamin Disraeli has truly said "Traveling teaches toleration."

Road trip from Salalah (Oman) to Dubai (UAE) in 2011

It is not that I have traveled all around the world, and it is not that I have seen all of the world. But I do wish to travel and explore the world. And who does not likes traveling. To get away from one's work environment, away from one's bickering bosses, away from the routine life, away from our nagging neighbours, away from our own selves, isn't that the essence of travel?

Traveling can become a disaster due to many factors; sometimes shaped by fate and sometimes by folly. I cannot advise you or guide you on how to avoid making these mistakes or how to get rid of 'forgetfulness'. Instead, learning from our experiences, I am sharing those guidelines that can or may make your traveling (by road especially) smooth. Nobody can make your trip foolproof, not even the best travel experts, and surely not me. But I hope that these small tips and/or tricks can make your trip stress free; make you more receptive to surroundings, help you to carry a distinctive memory of each trip, and make every moment of your trip enjoyable. 

"If you don't know where you are going any road will get you there." Lewis Carroll.

A long road trip maybe a test for your car and you don't want your travel buddy to fail. So be prepared and prepare your travel buddy too. Clean, refuel and air-pump the tires, carry spare tires, emergency kit, check your GPS navigation system and so on. From our experiences, it is better to refuel your car before the trip, for the charges of fuel on the highway are usually higher than the gas stations in the city (especially in Oman and UAE). Also, there's a price difference, between the two countries - fuel from Oman will cost you less. Refueling in advance will also keep your journey stress free and you don't have to bother refueling the fuel tank until necessary. In this age of 'Google', you can check your entire route, plan your stops accordingly for refueling, resting and refreshments. Carry all the necessary documents, and load your car with food and water, especially if there are kids along. If you are going to travel long distances be prepared to keep the kids occupied with food and/or games. And yes please stash your pockets with extra cash and currencies required for emergencies.

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." Confucius

Research about the place before you plan your trip. You don't want to be taken up by surprise. For example, once we ended up in a park which should be closed for the season but still had visitors flocking in. The park was infested with mosquitoes at that time of the year and had we researched about it on the net, we could've planned a trip there in a more suitable season. Often public reviews, about a location, on the internet, would help you learn more about the place in terms of food, hotel & restaurants, people, culture, suitable season, and timings. 

"He who would travel happily must travel light." Antoine de St. Exupery

Although packing is a tedious task it is an essential part of traveling, and needs your time and attention. Plan and pack your bags in advance. Last minute packing will only add up to your stress levels and you will lose your precious sleep. Be fresh before you start for the trip. Pack only the minimum clothing and accessories required depending upon the destination. I always ask myself - Do I really need it? This question, on 'need and want', helps me to identify only those items that I would actually require for the trip, and filter out unwanted items. And yes count your bags before you leave. There have been numerous occasions when we've left one baggage or package or some important item at home, or in the hotel, or at a friend's place. Also, so far as important documents are concerned, scan and mail them to yourself; that way you can always access them from anywhere. This is how we were saved once, when we forgot to carry our insurance papers.

"Bizarre travel plans are dancing lessons from God." Kurt Vonnegut 

Sometimes I have seen people sticking to the tourist itinerary and they don't want to explore or take any step further without a tourist guide. But why? When you have the time, you have researched the place, be your own boss. Create your own itinerary and go to that path less traveled by and that will make a difference surely. Often the best experiences and adventures are hidden in that path. I remember taking a detour on our way for one of the road trips in Oman and we thoroughly enjoyed for we found lots of greenery and farmlands on our way which we didn't expect. That's when we thanked God for showing us that path.

     "Travel becomes a strategy for photography." Susan Sontag

If you are a lover of photography prepare your photography equipment in advance, for example: charge the batteries, take the backup of previous images, format memory cards, pack the camera chargers, and other accessories. Also, remember that you are not there only to take photographs but to enjoy the trip as well. Nowadays, people waste a lot of their time for posing for the cameras (after all it is the Facebook era) and forget the actual reason for being there. So get away from behind the lenses and let your mind capture the moments and the beauty surrounding you. You are there to relax, so breathe...Live the moment.

"Take time for all things; great haste makes great waste." Benjamin Franklin

Do not ever be in a hurry to finish your trip at the earliest. By the time you pack your bags, load your car, drive, park and reach your destination, you are already tired. So take some time to stroll and wander around, let your mind absorb the beauty around you, let your body relax. Every place has something unique to offer. Also, remember that with the time in your hand, you may not be able to cover all the locations or spots. So don't be disappointed. There's always the next time.

"When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable." Clifton Fadiman

When you are traveling you have to be culturally sensitive. Traveling with an open mind will help you to blend with the surroundings, understand the culture better, and you will not humiliate or hurt the feelings of the locals. For example, in Oman, people are dressed more conservatively as compared to UAE. Be sure you know the country and its culture, and be dressed appropriately for many places do call for a dress code. And there is no harm in respecting it. The last thing you want is to invite unwanted stares! 

"We're all entitled to our likes and dislikes. Imagine the world if we all liked the same things." Malia Ann Haberman.

Don't be ashamed if you want to get down at every stop you encounter to refresh yourself and take a break. Sometimes that makes your journey longer but short stops in between keeps you fresh and alert on the road especially if you are the one driving. We often stop on the road whenever we find some beautiful spots for photography. Also, instead of having refreshments at tea stalls on the highway, do not hesitate to have them in those beautiful spots. In fact, these diversions and stops, make your journey more memorable. However, if you are traveling with a baby then plan your travel by road when your baby is asleep, and, in this case, don't break your journey with frequent stops unless necessary. Moreover, you don't need to rely on other people's experiences all the time. People have varied interests. If you don't like visiting forts and museums then don't plan on visiting them. It is, after all, your trip, your money, your time, and your experiences that count.

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay at home." James Michener

Food tells a lot about a country's people, climate, customs, and culture. Some food items may be culturally unacceptable to you, or even allergic to you, but by savoring the local food items that you can, it would only add to your knowledge about the country's culture, religion and beliefs. For example, the Kahwa (Omani coffee with cardamom powder), served by the Omanis, represents their hospitality, and it has a distinct flavor that I will always remember. The Shawarma (a popular sandwich wrap with meat), is the one to always go for in UAE. Often, by eating street food, you can get a sneak peek into what the locals eat, but do so only if street food is healthy for your stomach; after all you don't want to end up sick in the bed. For years, I resisted tasting the Omani Halwa, and then one day I gave up to temptation, and to my delight found that it tasted very similar to Bombay Karachi Halwa (made from cornflour, ghee and lots of nuts). And for me that was a discovery indeed!

"Never go on trips with anyone you do not love." Ernest Hemmingway

And lastly, travel with like-minded people who share the same enthusiasm and eagerness for traveling. Or else you will end up listening to a mother complaining about kids, a wife nagging about how her husband ill-treats her, an unhappy husband complaining about his wife's shortcomings, etc. that will ruin your trip. As a traveler, you are excited to learn, explore, and have an adventure, and you cannot sit passively listening to complaints and tolerating toddler tantrums. Yes, to make your trip pleasant you may certainly listen to music. Save a collection of your favorite songs in advance for that would make your traveling stress free and a lot easier. For my friends who suffer from motion sickness, I read somewhere that music is one thing that can divert you and keep you relaxed.


Signing off with the lyrics from Red Hot Chili Peppers:
Road trippin' with my two favorite allies
Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies
It's time to leave this town
It's time to steal away
Let's go get lost.....