We love road trips. Whether vacationing in the US or abroad – we usually incorporate a road trip into our itinerary. But have you ever been on a road trip and missed your turn? Whether you rerouted a new path or had to backtrack, a wrong turn usually means a longer trip. But don’t be afraid to make a wrong turn. It could lead to unexpected surprises.
Years ago, the travel-inspiring Amazing Race reality show hit the airways. As a family we’d gather around the TV to cheer on our favorite team as they raced around the world for $1,000,000. A group of 10 two-person teams raced from destination to destination. They traveled without the aid of a smartphone for navigation. Just old-fashioned paper maps. We’d pretend to choose our own team and determine who would be the driver and the navigator. Because I don’t drive a stick shift, I was always “designated” the navigator. I think I should have learned to drive a stick though because I’m not a great navigator.
Amazing Race fueled our passion for international travel. But navigating in a foreign country can be challenging – especially when you’re driving on the opposite side of the road. On our 2nd day in Ireland, we were driving to the spectacular Cliffs of Moher from just outside Dublin. My husband was driving, and I was supposed to be navigating. We were talking and before I knew it, we’d missed our turn off. We were now heading in the very wrong direction.
Often a team on the Amazing Race would miss a turnoff and head down a wrong path. We’d watch week after week as one team was eliminated for being the last to the mat. It’s a good thing we weren’t on the Amazing Race – our wrong turn would have landed us in last place. But it did give us an unplanned opportunity.
In a previous blog post I talked about using Google Maps pins to mark destinations you want to visit. I always pin way more destinations that we can incorporate into our trip. So, when we made a wrong turn, I quickly looked for nearby pins that weren’t originally on our itinerary. In fact, it was that unplanned stop that inspired our Ireland souvenir – Waterford’s Rock of Cashel vase!
I simply “added a stop” in Google Maps to guide us to the spectacular Rock of Cashel – a spectacular medieval castle! After a few photos to document our visit, we were finally on our way to the Cliffs of Moher!
So, keep pinning destinations you’d like to visit. Need help with inspiration? Read this post on getting started. Then group your Google Maps pins and plan your next road trip – and be prepared to take advantage of a wrong turn! Sometimes the road less traveled (or less planned) can become the highlight of your trip!