Rules for travellers

Mostly we get along well. Finn, fifteen and stuck with his parents is holding up well. Mostly. Amanda, fifty and stuck in the back seat a lot, puts up with two men well. Mostly. Dave, fifty and stuck with people who have no sense of awe at his driving skill, is coping. But here's five things that we worked out to make travelling easier:

1. Prepare ahead. Reservations for the next night help prevent stupidly wandering around cities looking for places to stay - when you could be looking at the city.
2. In a place like the US, rehearse your freeway entrances and exits out loud before you execute. At least until you have 1000 miles under your belt and zoom off and on with ease.
3. Make sure everyone has something of their own to do. A navigator; a scenery spotter, a road sign reader etc. etc. Then everyone is engaged with the driving.
4. When the argument erupts (oh, there will be arguments) go for it. Scream, shout and point the finger. After another hundred miles sheepishly change the subject, or pull off for an activity. It's good to clear the air.
5. Do things. The journey can become an end in itself - so stop and look at the missile sites at White Sands, or examine some roadkill for a while. Then get back to the road.