My student exchange visa expired May 15th, but with a 30-day allowance of travel in the US afterwards.
Having spent most my year abroad in D.C., I figured this was the perfect opportunity to explore the States a little further. The election had shown me that D.C. resided in a bit of a political bubble, and I was keen to get a sense of the rest of America, and widen my perspective.
A Typical American Road Trip...
I couldn't possibly leave America without embarking on that stereotypical road trip. We've all watched the films, read the books... Driving across America just has to be done. After all, this vast country offers very little other means to explore its vast geography. Trains are expensive and city-based, Greyhound buses are unreliable, and again are limited to major cities. No- I was going to go on a road trip just like I'd seen in the movies. Just one (very slight) issue... I didn't have a car. I also can't drive, and even if I could insurance for a non-American citizen under the age of 21 isn't even worth thinking about.
After a couple of months pondering this dilemma, circumstances fell in my favour. Another student from abroad who had been studying in D.C. was embarking on his own roadtrip, from Houston to Nashville, before meeting up with his girlfriend and driving to the West Coast. He was prepared to take the hit for insurance, and planned on buying a cheap car in Houston, that he could then sell on at the end. He was happy for myself and another friend of ours to join, and so as soon as my classes finished, I flew to Houston...
The Route
We rented a car as buying one (our original plan) proved to be far more hassle than it was worth. We began in Houston, passed through New Orleans, along the Northern coast of Florida to Savannah, Georgia, up through South Carolina, along to the Smoky Mountains and finished up in Nashville, Tennessee. In total we passed through 8 states, and were on the road for approximately 3 weeks.
Where Did We Stay?
We were very much on a budget, and so had agreed early on that where possible, we would camp. In the end, we actually camped pretty much every night, usually in a state park, and occasionally in a more expensive campsite (KOA so still not really glamping). We usually had access to showers and toilets, although this was by no means the case in all the campsites- especially when we camped in the backcountry in the Smoky Mountains. Our kit was all brought from Walmart when we arrived in Houston. I had a one-man tent, costing me about $30, an extremely thin mat, a bulky sleeping bag and little else.
The Highs
New Orleans
Favourite city by far. Such an amazing place. The jazz, the people and the general vibe left me in awe.
Smoky Mountains
Camping in the Smoky's was quite the adventure. We did a three day, two night hike where we slept in the backcountry. To my relief we didn't have any bear encounters, although we did see a couple of snakes which definitely kept me on my toes.
Realising what I was capable of
Camping for three weeks. Being the only girl in the group and surviving. Learning how to cook proper camping meals on the stove. Becoming a ninja with my tarp when a thunderstorm loomed. I came to the end of the trip completely exhausted, cut and bruised, but feeling rather proud of myself.
The Lows
The storms
We encountered more thunderstorms than we had expected on our trip through the States. The worst, ironically, occurred when we were in Florida 'The Sunshine State'. It soon became clear that although my little tent from Walmart was water resistant, it wasn't waterproof. I don't think I'll ever forget lying in my tent as water slowly pooled around me, seeping through my bag and onto my clothes as I had be stupid enough to put all my stuff in the tent that night instead of in the safety of the car. It also didn't help that I am not a fan of lightning (when I was younger my neighbours chimney got struck my lightning) and so spent the entire night wide-eyed and trembling, my palms pressed to the ground in anticipation of being struck...
The long drives
As one would expect on a road trip, there is a fair bit of driving. Although we tried to keep the days in the car as few as possible, we still had some long drives on busy highways. When we were tired from a rough night's camping the day before, these proved particularly testing, Luckily, Spotify and Podcasts kept us rolling along and napping in the back certainly helped the time go by faster.
The food
America doesn't have a whole lot of variation in terms of sustenance for road trippers. I soon became sick of the same old drive throughs, and it didn't take long before super-size burgers and fries lost their appeal. Luckily, as the trip went on I became more clued up to the reality of options on the road and started visiting supermarkets before a long trip and making myself a little picnic- also saved me money which was a bonus.
Things I Would Do Differently
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If I was to do the trip again, here are a few things I'd do differently...
Equipment
The nature of the trip was cheap and cheerful so for our trip better equipment wouldn't have made sense- especially as we had to dump our kit before we flew home.But, if I was to commit to three weeks camping again, I'd get a better tent. Especially with the weather being so unpredictable, a waterproof tent would had definitely made a difference. For part of the time, it also felt like we were very much in the wilderness and there were lots of animals roaming about at night (possums, deer, mice - and apparently bears but we never saw any). I feel I would have felt a little less afraid has I had a slightly more sturdy sleeping situation.
Accommodation
I think staying in the occasional hostel would have made a huge difference. Not only would it have let us sort out our stuff, dry our kit and regroup a little, but we also would have had more opportunity to meet other travelers and have some time apart from one another.
Drivers
Although two out of the three in our car could drive, we decided the cost to insure two people for the car was too much so opted for one driver for the entire trip. This put stress on the driver and was probably quite dangerous considering the amount of time we spent on the road.
My American road trip was a valuable experience for me. I learned a lot about traveling and the challenges that one can encounter along the way. I was pleased to have been able to see more of the US before my time there was up, and felt that getting out of the D.C. bubble did me good as I was able to get more of a sense of the nation and its diversity and scale.
When I got on the plane to leave the US, it was bizarre to be leaving for good, but part of me felt ready to be heading home. My year had been incredible in some ways, but challenging in others. I imagine that's always the way with traveling. A part of you is hesitant to leave behind the adventure, uncertainty and unpredictability of being away, but another part is drawn to the familiarity and comfort of home.
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