Travel Advice for Those Stuck in the Car

I was praying to God that I wouldn't drive us off the road each time there was another curve in the mountain pass. One of my best friends, Taylor, and I were on a short trip headed to a wedding in Yosemite Park. I was driving - it was my first rental car ever.

I was nervous driving a rental car, but also because it was nighttime by the time we had arrived to Yosemite park because of traffic. We needed to get to a hotel in the park, so I was driving on a curvy, up-in-the-mountains road. It was pitch-black. At one point there was 5 miles of non-stop turns; it was like the shape of a snake. I could only go about 10mph an hour to make each turn.

All dressed up for a wedding!

Neither of use were speaking or really even breathing. We made it obviously, but that night was terrifying. When it comes to transportation, domestic or international, there are always going to be odd, weird or nerve-wracking experiences that make for good stories - as long as everyone is safe in the end. Along with these stories though there are always some travel tips that prove useful in the future.

Taylor and I learned how important it is to stay calm no matter what, even when you're stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. In fact, we made the best of it by retelling stories, listening to good music, and Taylor even read some of my homework to me for a class - we both learned a lot about war strategy. :) We made the best of the situation even though it wasn't ideal.

Also, take your time. So many times we all want to get to our destination as quick as possible, but sometimes the journey itself is just as memorable and important as the end point. Don't get so excited and focused on what's going to happen that you aren't aware of where you are now. This will help you keep your cool when you're in traffic or on a mountain pass. All I wanted was to get to the wedding, but I had to be calm and take my time so we didn't go off the mountain. It took a long time to get to our hotel, but we stayed safe and we had a fun time. In the end, that's all that matters.