My friend and I used to play a fun game as teenagers:

Without looking at a map, drive down a road and see where we end up.

Sometimes, we would end up at a dead end somewhere in the city. Other times, we would find ourselves in another city all together. You just never knew where the road would actually take you.

I once surprised my sister who lived two hours away at the time. She thought it was hilarious. My mom did not.

There were a few factors in making this game fun:
No responsibilities, being young and energetic, cheap gas, the thrill of exploration and taking full advantage of being able to borrow our parents cars.

As I got older, the purpose of road trips changed from fun and exploration to purely functional. They’ve become burdensome and lost their thrill.

However, at one point, road trips were joyful. I find they can still be that way if I’m willing to look at them with young eyes again.

What about you?