How we used a road trip to Alaska to change our relationship

Embarking on a father-son road trip is a fantastic way to bond, create lasting memories, and strengthen your relationship. It’s an adventure filled with excitement and opportunities for growth. In 2022, my dad and I headed to Alaska from California on a road trip. While I am not sure what either of us both thought at the start, by the end, we were just two friends connected by blood. I wanted share some tips, I learned from that father-son road trip, that will help ensure a successful and memorable road trip with your son, or dad.

1) Challenge Yourselves Daily:

Road trips are the perfect opportunity to step out of your comfort zones and try new things. Whether it’s tackling a challenging hiking trail, attempting a daring water sport, or exploring an unfamiliar city, doing something out of the ordinary together can create shared experiences that strengthen your connection.

2) Reflect on Past Memories:

Take time during the trip to reminisce about your favorite memories together. Sharing stories from the past can be a heartwarming way to connect with your son and remind him of your special bond. Reflecting on these moments can bring you closer and make the road trip even more meaningful.

3) Explore Each Other’s Interests:

Show genuine interest in your son’s hobbies and aspirations. Ask him about his current interests and what he envisions for his future. Being curious about his passions and goals will not only help you understand him better but also show your support for his dreams.

4) Yoga with the Mosquitoes (Half Kidding!):

Road trips often mean spending time outdoors, and sometimes, that includes encounters with pesky mosquitoes. While it might not be yoga, consider turning these moments into opportunities for laughter and bonding. Sharing a funny mosquito-avoidance dance can create a unique memory.

5) Document the Journey with Photos:

Capture the beauty and essence of your road trip by taking lots of photos. Whether it’s the stunning landscapes, quirky roadside attractions, or candid shots of each other, these photos will become cherished mementos of your adventure. Plus, it’s a fun way to relive the trip when you’re back home.

6) Embrace the Power of Silence:

Road trips often involve long stretches of driving where conversation naturally ebbs and flows. Embrace these moments of silence and use them as an opportunity to reflect, relax, and simply enjoy each other’s presence. It’s during these quiet times that profound conversations may arise.

7) Listen to Podcasts and Discuss Them:

Make your road trip educational and engaging by listening to podcasts together. Choose a variety of topics that interest both of you, from history and science to pop culture and personal development. Afterward, have discussions about the podcasts, sharing your thoughts and insights. It’s a great way to stimulate conversation and exchange ideas.

A father-son road trip can be an incredible bonding experience that strengthens your relationship and creates lasting memories. By challenging yourselves, cherishing past memories, showing curiosity about each other’s interests, and embracing the moments of silence, you’ll build a deeper connection with your son. And don’t forget to document your journey with photos and engage in thought-provoking discussions through podcasts. Enjoy the adventure together and cherish the time spent on the open road.

Traveling as a student in North America doesn’t have to break the bank. Creativity and planning allow you to explore vibrant cities, scenic landscapes, and unique cultures without overspending. Here are the top 7 tips for budget-friendly student travel in North America.

Ensuring all your college assignments are completed before embarking on your budget-friendly adventure across North America is crucial. This guarantees peace of mind during your travels and maintains your academic standing.

By diligently completing your assignments beforehand, you can fully immerse yourself in the travel experience without the looming stress of deadlines or pending work. It’s about striking the perfect balance between academic responsibilities and the enriching experience of travel, allowing you to enjoy your journey to the fullest.

1. Embrace Budget Accommodations

Gone are the days when cheap stays meant questionable motels. Budget accommodations, including hostels, Airbnb, and couch surfing, come in many forms today. Hostels are particularly student-friendly, offering a bed and a chance to meet fellow travelers. Many hostels provide free Wi-Fi, communal kitchens, and sometimes even free breakfasts. Airbnb can be a great option, too, especially if you’re traveling in a group. Splitting the cost of a larger space can work out cheaper than individual hostel beds. For the truly adventurous, couch surfing provides free stays and a local’s perspective of the city. Remember, always prioritize safety and read reviews before booking.

2. Use Public Transportation

North America’s major cities boast extensive public transportation systems. From subways in New York City to trams in San Francisco, opting for public transport over taxis or car rentals can save you significant money. Most cities offer special travel passes for tourists, which can be a great deal if you’re planning to explore extensively. Additionally, walking or renting a bike can be both economical and a wonderful way to see the city from a different perspective. Remember to download local transit apps for up-to-date information and route planning.

3. Plan and Book in Advance

Last-minute travel plans can be exciting but rarely kind to your wallet. Planning your trip lets you snag early-bird deals on flights and accommodations to inspirational destinations. Many airlines and hotels offer significant discounts for bookings made months ahead. Additionally, keep an eye out for off-season travel deals. Traveling during the shoulder seasons (just before or after peak tourist seasons) can mean fewer crowds and lower prices without sacrificing the experience.

4. Explore Free Attractions

North America is full of incredible free attractions. From the vast expanse of Central Park in New York to the historic Freedom Trail in Boston, there’s no shortage of cost-free experiences. Many museums offer ‘free admission days’ or ‘pay-what-you-wish’ hours. Research the cities you’re visiting to find out about these opportunities. Also, consider the joy of simply wandering around a new city, taking in its unique architecture, street art, and local vibe.

5. Eat Like a Local

Dining out can quickly eat into your travel budget. Instead of frequenting tourist-trap restaurants, try eating like a local. Food trucks, local diners, and street food markets are more affordable and offer a taste of the region’s culinary delights. Don’t forget to visit grocery stores or local markets – cooking a few meals, especially if you’re staying in accommodation with a kitchen, can save you a lot of money. Plus, it’s a fun way to immerse yourself in local flavors.

6. Take Advantage of Student Discounts

Always carry your student ID. Many places in North America, including museums, attractions, and even some restaurants, offer student discounts. These discounts can be substantial, so never hesitate to ask. Additionally, many websites offer exclusive travel deals for students, including discounted flights and tours.

7. Connect with Other Students and Travelers

Networking with fellow students and travelers can be invaluable. Not only does it make for a richer travel experience, but it can also lead to shared tips on the best budget-friendly spots and activities. Consider joining travel forums or social media groups to exchange ideas and plan meet-ups. Group travel often leads to shared accommodation costs, meals, and transport.

Final Thoughts

Traveling on a budget in North America as a student is possible and an adventure. These seven tips will help you make the most of your journey without stretching your finances. Planning and the willingness to embrace new experiences are key to budget travel. Each destination has unique offerings that can enrich your journey, often without costing a dime, so keep an open mind and enjoy the adventure that awaits!

Here are some useful tips to stay safe while travelling during winter. These essential tips will ensure a safe and enjoyable winter vacation. From road safety and weather forecast to right winter wear and reliable transportation, everything needs to be kept in mind while prepping yourself for winter travel.

This is the time of the year when most of us would be planning our winter vacations. Some of us have comfortable and cosy holidays in mind, and some are looking up adventurous ones. No matter which tribe of travellers you belong to, it’s true for all that we need to be mindful of certain things for a safe travel experience. Here are some useful tips to stay safe while travelling during winter. These essential tips will ensure a safe and enjoyable winter vacation.

Check the weather forecast: First and foremost – Always check the weather forecast. With winters, we never know when the weather will turn for the worst. Before you embark on your journey, stay updated on the weather conditions for your destination. If you are going to higher altitude destinations where snowfall is a possibility, it’s always wise to check for possible snowstorms. Those are not fun. Yes, we know snow is great. So is safety.

1. Check local road conditions: Most of the time, in case of heavy snowfall, some roads get cut off temporarily. You do not want to get stuck in those situations. Also, be mindful of icy roads. You may want to call the hotel ahead to enquire about the current road condition.

2. Prepare your vehicle: If you’re driving to your destination, make sure your vehicle is winter-ready. In case of snowy destinations, equip your vehicle with snow tires, and carry essentials like an ice scraper, snow shovel, and jumper cables.

3. Pack emergency supplies: An emergency kit in your car is a must, be it during winter or any other time of the year. It’s always smart to include items such as blankets, extra (warm) clothing, non-perishable snacks, a flashlight, a first aid kit, and necessary medications.

4. Keep someone informed: It could be family or friends. It’s always good to keep someone informed about your travel plans. Share your itinerary, accommodation details, travel details in case you are taking flight/bus/train/cab.

5. Dress appropriately and comfortably: Dress to stay warm. Always remember, while travelling, comfort comes before style. Hypothermia and frostbite are no joke, and you don’t want to experience these when out and about.

6. Use reliable transportation: If you are taking public transportation like bus/train/flight, make sure they are reliable and follow safety regulations. Delays are expected, so make sure your choice for transportation has proper weather-related policies in place for passengers.

7. Stay hydrated and eat well: Did you know that cold weather can also dehydrate you? Since it is cold, we may not want or remember to drink enough water. That can’t happen. Make sure you drink plenty of water. Carry healthy snacks around to keep your energy levels up.

A cellphone allows travelers to have a camera always at the ready. The latest phones offer multiple lenses with better resolution and enhanced macro and telephoto capabilities, enabling virtually every moment to be captured for posterity. This can be both a blessing and a curse. When should we be taking a photograph and when should we simply be taking the time to look and wonder at the world around us? Here are a few tips on when and what to shoot, and how to better frame what we see when we travel.

Imagine your photos as an album

Try to capture a wide variety of images. While it is important to concentrate on classic landscape shots and portraits, also search for photographs with arresting colors and shapes, as well as the details of objects, works of art and food — the things that flavor a place and weave its visual tapestry. Imagine each picture as a jigsaw piece needed to complete an album’s puzzle. It’s useful to arrange these images in a separate folder on your phone, making one album for your favorites and another for the rest. That way you’ll be in better shape when it comes to the important task of editing.

Find your horizon

Steven Spielberg ends his autobiographical film, “The Fabelmans,” with a meeting with the legendary director John Ford. Ford’s main piece of advice? Place the horizon toward the top or bottom of the picture because the middle is “boring.” This idea — also known as the rule of thirds — divides the frame into thirds, horizontally and vertically. The concept is to find a more dynamic angle by visualizing the scene or subject not centered, but rather a third of the way up or down (or across) the frame. On most cellphones, you can set up a three-by-three grid for the screen in the camera settings.

Layer your picture with details

Successful landscape shots draw the eye across the whole frame, and for that you need to search for points of interest in the foreground, middle ground and distance. Find a vantage point that lets you see the different layers of a scene. Test different compositions by turning your cellphone both vertically and horizontally, and, if you have a choice of lenses, decide if the scene is best framed tightly or wide. Another way to enrich the landscape is to spot a person or an object and place them carefully in the frame as a focal point. It could be someone walking alone along a beach, or a tree on a hillside, or a horse in a field or a bicycle leaning against a wall. But look for something that catches the eye, giving scale and contrast to the scene.

For portraits, find the right backdrop

Look for a clean background — a natural canvas with relatively solid coloring or shape, like a wall, open sky or foliage. If that’s not possible, move around the subject to find a backdrop that is less cluttered. Also, check that there are no upright objects, such as streetlamps or thin trees directly behind people’s heads, or other unwanted items in the background that will distract from the subject.

Work the frame

It’s often helpful to have a portrait shopping list: headshot, half-body and full body frames (make sure not to cut off people’s feet), as well as horizontal and vertical ones. Having these frames in mind will help you choose the best shot. Many of the latest Apple and Android phones offer a choice of inbuilt lenses with different focal lengths, which help you do this quickly. You can also use the portrait mode on your cellphone’s camera, which shortens the depth of field, blurring the background and giving a portrait style that is similar to what you would get when using wide-open apertures on longer camera lenses.

Edit your photographs more than once

Choosing the best pictures is just as important as taking them. If you have been making a separate album of your favorites, you already have a base from which to start. Nonetheless, take your time and go through all the photographs you have taken, scrolling through the images at least twice. If possible, leave a day between doing so. The eye can get overwhelmed when looking at a large number of images, and it’s easy to overlook a good picture.

Go easy on post-production

Phone cameras, just like regular cameras, are not always able to read the light correctly. Often one needs to adjust a photograph’s exposure, shadows or color temperature. A lot of this can be easily done with a phone’s inbuilt software — though there are also plenty of specialist applications like Snapseed or Adobe Photoshop Express. What you can or should do is a personal decision. But, in general, spend as little time as possible working on a picture, and concentrate on balancing tone and lighting across your selection of images so they feel cohesive in style.

Have a hungry eye

Eve Arnold, the wonderful Magnum photographer, used to recount a story about walking with Henri Cartier-Bresson from the Magnum office in Paris to have lunch at his apartment on the Rue de Rivoli. During the 15-minute stroll home, as he kept telling her that he was no longer interested in photography, only drawing, he took three rolls of film on his Leica. The great photographers have an insatiable eye for images, and a cellphone allows one to be ready for everything. But it’s also necessary to understand the moment clearly. Everyone wants their memories of a journey to be captured so they can reminisce later. But it’s also important to see the world without feeling the obligation to take a photograph. Sometimes the eye just needs the pleasure of looking.