I just got back to Belleville for the fourth and final
semester of the Photojournalism program here at Loyalist.
The trip marked the seventh time I’ve made the
journey between B.C. and Southern Ontario in the last year and a half and the ninth
time since I turned 15.
Back then my family drove to Ontario for our family reunion.
My dad moved west so most of his side of the family resides in Ontario. Because
my sister was in Ontario already there wasn’t going to be enough room for all
of us in the Van on the way back so my Parents bought Bus tickets for my
13-year-old brother and I.
That makes twice, once by Vehicle and once by bus.
Despite our family reunions being planned every five years I
was unable to make it to the most recent one 2.5 years ago. However, I made my
return to Ontario a year later to work for the summer prior to starting the
photojournalism program. The trip was made by plane, probably my favorite
method to do the trip because how fast it is despite the damage to the wallet.
That’s three.
Last Christmas I was running a little low on funds but
decided to make the trip home for Christmas anyways and chose to do it by Bus
because it only cost me $260 after tax.
That’s five
Then there was driving home to work for the summer and
eventually driving back for school again. The first was with a fellow student
who took me to Calgary and the second was driving the van also known as my home
from BC.
That’s seven
Then there was my most recent trip home. I decided before the
year started that this would be my first Christmas away from home, but a week
or two before winter break I looked at some ride-shares on Craigslist and
managed to catch a ride with someone making a move to the west coast. I told
him I couldn’t afford much but I guess it was enough because on December 17th
I found myself on my way to BC to surprise my family.
Now, Less than 24 hours ago I returned to Belleville after
the bus ride home.
That’s nine… one plane ride, four times in a van and four
times by bus.
Is it a bad thing when you know what shops/convenience
stores are at the majority of the stops along the way?
Anyways I’m going to take some time to give some tips to
anyone who’s thinking about making the journey without taking to the air.
There are a few essentials that apply to both driving and
bus.
1a. It’s hard to define the most important thing when it
comes to planning your trip, I have a tie for the most important things. The
first being comfy clothes. You don’t want to be sitting in a seat for 48-72
hours wearing tight jeans and underwear that rides high. Comfort is the most
important thing to keep in mind.
1b. Toothbrush and toothpaste, it’s not always easy to find
good food on long trips, so it’s essential to keep your mouth clean, it’s also
probably one of the best feelings when you’re on the trip.
3. Spare clothes, SPECIFICALLY SOCKS. Clean replacements for
your clothing are important, though not essential, except maybe socks and
underwear. A clean pair of socks on your feet and a clean pair of undergarments
are a close second as far as the best feeling on long trips go.
4. Alkaline forming foods. Again the food available on long
trips especially on buses won’t be the greatest, most of it is acidic which
leads to an uncomfortable feeling, and possibly heartburn making for an
uncomfortable trip. Not sure what Alkalizing foods are? Just Google “alkaline
forming food” and there should be a good explanation. Basically, alkaline
forming foods even out your pH level, which includes acidic foods. Some Acidic
foods include chocolate, soft drinks, coffee, and pretty much anything sugary.
Alkaline forming foods include most fruits,
green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds
and nuts. One of the most surprising Alkaline forming foods are oranges because
they are pretty acidic, but when consumed is indeed alkaline forming. It’s also
a good idea to keep your pH level in mind at all times.
5. Lip Chap, and Fisherman's Friends. Alright this one might seem a bit odd, but I’m serious. The air in
buses and vehicles gets so dry from air-conditioning and heating. The air
causes your lips to chap and causes an irritating throat, hence the chap and
throat lozenges. I prefer Fishermans Friends, they're super effective! Chap and lozenges
will make your life so much better on trips, but they’re often overlooked!
And here are some other non-essential
but strongly recommended suggestions:
Blanket and Pillow,
Books, and laptops (if you have them, their good for movies)
Turn your phones off between major cities, it wastes battery
searching for service, oh and don’t forget, CHARGERS!
I usually bring two bags as carry on, one carries stuff like
toothbrush/paste, lip chap/lozenges, laptops, headphones iPod’s and cell phones
while the other one carries all your food and other essentials
Snacks of course (keep in mind alkaline forming foods) Nuts
are key, seeds are good, and anything you can put peanut butter on (crackers
work best). Also Hummus is also practically a meal.
Don’t over eat! Your sitting down your not moving much you
don’t need to eat much!
Anyways that’s it, now if you go on a long trip you can add
a few more things to your checklist.
Enjoy!
Andre
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