Roadtrip

Roadtrips are one of the most interesting human experiences, because they combine some very peculiar aspects into focus.

The fact that most roadtrips nowadays are done in cars hasn't changed their special quality at all, provided the trip is long enough for that quality to develop. In general it can be said that the longer the trip, the better. Roadtrips are not to be confused with regular travels however, since that usually involves planning all kinds of distracting activities and surroundings like sightseeing or being with a group of people that don't seem to stop chatting.

One of the most important things about the roadtrip is to have a chance to contemplate on the trip and indulge in that peculiar feeling of being nowhere in particular: on the road between to points. This is the key issue that causes it all, as soon as you reach any final destination, this feeling will invariably end, although it may linger on for a while if you are a well-trained practitioner.
In many cases though, these destinations are used as an excuse to start off on a roadtrip, while it is really just the feeling of being on the move, that simple and pure essence of continuous change, that motivates you to leave a usually perfectly decent place to head out into the unknown.

Now what makes this feeling so fascinating?
Most problems are postponed until reaching the destination (provided there are no interrupting problems during the trip), but especially decisions can be postponed. This results in a comfortable easyness, there is not much to decide and nothing to worry about, at least until the arrival. Many people are pretty effective in advance worrying however, so they never really manage to relax. A good roadtrip may force you to relax anyhow, in case there is absolutely nothing you can do about it anyway, so you finally give in. So in essence, being on a roadtrip is a state of mind.

It is important not to plan a roadtrip, since that will cause certain stress. The more spontaneous the decision, the easier it is to avoid any upcoming stress. To enforce such a spontaneity, do not pick any destination in advance. Preferable is an old unreliable vehicle and some psychopathic companions. Be sure not to take much money either, if you stay in expensive motels on the way, you'll never meet new interesting people.

Another quality is the change of environment. A roadtrip will usually take you to a different surrounding. This has the clear advantage of being free from your every-day environment which usually has a lot of expectations towards yourself. On the raodtrip there is noone that knows you or whose expectations you have to please, no duties, no nothing. You are free to behave how you feel like, there is simply noone you need to impress. For this reason roadtrips should be undertaken in solitude or with good friends only, otherwise you risk loosing that freedom.

Arriving:
In addition, there is a certain similarity to beaming if you travel fast and far enough. True, it doesn't take place in seconds, but still a car, train or plane can carry you to a completely different surrounding in a couple of hours. If you sleep (or at least don't stop to get out on the way) this particular side-effect is even stronger, because the subjective time passed between departure and arrival converges to nil. The result is that you feel like being beamed into a different surrounding when you get out. The air smells different, the place looks and sounds different, the weather is most likely different. Thus you feel like being beamed there, mostly because the changes seem so drastic and sudden when you disembark from your transportation vehicle. It's like something whacks you in the face and you feel like "Aehm, hello, where am I?". Wether this feeling is due to the fact that we need to acclimatize or due to the fact that our slower-travelling spirits need to catch up with us first (like two famous indian chiefs claimed after their first voyage to Washington D.C. on a train) remains unclear to the author so far.

If you ever get a chance, go! If you go back for your purse, you'll miss it. This natural selection process is a good thing, it guarantees that only spontaneous people join in.