Family Vacation (minus Chevy Chase)

Everyone loves his or her family. Everyone is proud of his or her family.

What am I most proud of my family for? Vacations.

People are often amazed with my family’s vacations. Not because we go the coolest places, or because we spend oodles of money on expensive trips, but because we drive. We have always driven everywhere.  And we will always continue to drive.  Our furthest trips include Colorado and Canada (remember I’m from Louisiana so Canada is quite the hike). I honestly can’t say why we drive. With gas prices these days, it’s probably more economically and environmentally efficient to fly. But our vacations would not be half of what they are if it weren’t for the times we share in the good ole’ minivan (our vessels of choice: Nissan Quest and Kia Sedona).

A lot of people think we are crazy for driving so far. Or they will say things like “If I was in the car with my family for that long, I’d shoot myself.” And honestly, those feelings definitely arise during a 20+ hour car ride (sorry Mom and Dad, but I have to be honest).

Most people can understand long van rides in the early days of parenthood when the kids are small enough to lay across the seat, or even remove the middle seat and lay sleeping bags across the floor (from personal experience this is the most glorious way to sleep in a car), but they run from the idea of driving across the country when your kids are 18 and 21 years old. The Jumonvilles embrace it.

I am ever thankful for my parents insisting on driving. I’m actually not quite sure why though. I guess it adds to the memories, bonding, and overall experience of a vacation? Maybe the journey is often overlooked because we are so focused on our destination? But to this day I still have not come to a logical reason why driving is so much better. Maybe it’s because it’s all I know? But I do know that I like what I know.

PS: As I write this blog my parents are en route from Louisiana to pick me up