One of the things, for us, about living in Indiana, was the close proximity to the east coast. When we first learned that we would be moving to IN, we researched how close many attractions, states, and vacation options that were nearby. We were excited to learn that the children (step), who lived near Jacksonville NC , would only be a 12-hour drive! Road trip (or 3)!
We embarked on several road trips to see the kiddos, with the first one 2 days after arriving in IN, which meant we drove through 14 states in 8 days! We were on fire!! Our second trip was for that Xmas (’14) and the third in Feb ’15 to meet our brand-new granddaughter!
Road trips are unique experiences. Some people love them, and others chose to do without. I, myself, love road trips; however, I feel to really appreciate and enjoy them, one must embark on these journeys in the right frame of mind, correct number of junkie snacks, and with appropriate amounts of breaks between trips.
Watching the scenery go by, searching for an open Starbucks, and entertaining ourselves for that many hours wasn’t a terrible experience at all. In the moment, 750 miles felt like a long way but on the flip side, the convenience of hoping in the vehicle and being there in a day was a much easier travel day than what we currently have from the west coast. The hardest part of the trip was/is the commute home; however, it’s travelled.
Arriving in NC, going to the beach, and seeing the kiddos, made the trips worth it. The beaches of NC are amazing and despite 2 of our trips during winter, we loved spending time at the beach with the dog and kids. The trips to NC from IN were tons of fun and I wish that back then my photography and video skills were stronger. I feel I have missed some great opportunities to capture memories; however, I was able to find some content for a small video which highlights these three trips, check out my YouTube channel to view it (link below). And of course, the highlight of meeting our granddaughter!
Enjoy!
Trudi
The Nomad Nightingale 