Adventure Is Out There!

Whether it's from one side of a country to the other, or taking a leap over the pond to an entirely new country, traveling can be loads of fun or a complete drag. Lets face it, driving from one end of Kansas to the other is boring. It leaves you with the conviction that it truly is flatter than a pancake (okay, so Florida is really the flattest state, but at least there's trees and other things to look at). On the other hand, grabbing some family or friends and heading out on a car trip together can make a memory to last a life time. Some make it a life style (i.e. my family), while others prefer it in small doses.

Now, cars are a great way to get around. But when you live on the North American continent, it can only take you to a few different countries.

Enter, airplanes.

(a view of the Himalayas as I flew into the Kathmandu airport)

Due to these wonderful gravity defying contraptions (a truly heartfelt thank you to the Wright brothers) we can get from one side of an ocean to the other in a matter of hours. Granted those hours can feel like an eternity at times, but whether you're traveling by car or plane, there's ways to keep the boredom at bay.

1. Word Puzzles and Sudoku

Seriously. These have saved me hours of utter boredom. It's a way to keep your brain active, and while away the time. I like to keep a Sudoku book and pencil handy at all times. You don't have to solve whatever puzzle you're doing by yourself either, you can bring other people in on your fun. It can also be a conversation starter if you're flying by yourself ("What's that?" someone asks pointing to the jumble of numbers you seem to know exactly what to do with).

2. Music

I'm a huge fan of this. Anytime, anywhere. There's music for every mood, location, and friend. If you're ever driving through Nevada, Utah, or the Northern Arizona area, listen to the soundtrack for "The Legend of Zorro." You'll expect to see him up on one of the hills, his horse rearing, silhouetted by the setting sun. Or how about cruising along to "Life is a Highway." Or just the entire Cars soundtrack for that matter. Better get on the country music (Home Free, please!) for the brown, boring plains of west Texas, break out the banjo and fiddle tunes on windy mountain roads, or just belt out your favorite songs anywhere you like. Well...maybe not on that 10 hour flight you're about to take. Maybe go for something for soothing for the long flights and cramped conditions.

3. Hide the Thimble

This is a very simple game that only requires two people. One person thinks of a spot, be it reality or otherwise, to hide the thimble, and the other person asks "yes" or "no" questions to find where it's hidden.

Here's some example hiding spots: the top of the Empire State building; in *insert name of mutual friend*'s pocket; in Balin's tomb in the mines of Moria (The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring); on Remy's nose (from Ratatouille); or on the Mona Lisa in the Louvre.

4. Take in the Sights

There are gorgeous things to see where ever you are. Yes, even in Kansas. Like clouds. I could watch them all day and still marvel in them.

Mountains are my personal favorite. Nothing beats gazing up in awe at thousands of feet of rock towering above you. To all you who live on the East Coast, I'm sorry, the Blue Ridge Mountains don't count. Those are bumps in the road compared to the Rockies and the Cascades of the West Coast.

5. Movies

While this is more easily done on a plane, you can still grab your laptop and a good movie to watch in the back seat of the car. Be sure to have an car inverter handy in case your battery gets low. There's nothing quite as frustrating as black computer screen when it's supposed to be the climax of the film playing on it.

Now that you've got things to keep the boredom at bay, get out there and take that trip you've been planing for years. Grab a friend, or go it solo, and go see those sights. Adventure is out there!