Oh The Places We'll Go: Day 2 Of My Fantastic Voyage

Day 2 of my voyage went as smooth as silk. I've gotten many comments from people thinking I'm really brave for undertaking drives such as this one, and wonder how do I do it? For me traveling as much as I do, I have it pretty much down to a science now.

Here are my 5 basic rules that I go by when I'm on the road that help me get through each day safely and stress free:

Rule #1: Don't drive any more than about 8 hours in one day. Too many hours and you're bound to get sleepy on the road.

Rule #2: Make hotel reservations ahead of time for each of your stops so you have a destination in mind and aren't stuck in the middle of the desert at night sleepy and not knowing where the next hotel/motel is. Because I have pets, I always have to plan my lodging ahead of time too because while the number of hotels that allow pets is growing, they're still not allowed everywhere.

Rule #3: Don't eat much on the road. An energy bar high in protein or a similar snack helps to keep your stomach satisfied but not so full that you get sleepy. Also, even though you don't want to have to run to the bathroom too often, drink lots of fluids to keep yourself hydrated.

Rule #4: Make your rest stops few and fast. You're on a mission and you don't want to lose your momentum! My car gives me just over 330 miles on a full tank which usually equals out to about 4 hours of driving or about half the trip for that day.

Rule #5: Enjoy the view! This is a magnificently beautiful country that we live in with every type of climate and natural landmark that we need to enjoy a nice ride. A GPS is also a great resource to have for navigation.

I'm not a morning person so I usually allow myself to sleep until I wake up on my own so that I know that my body has gotten the rest that it needs. With driving 8 hours, I also get to my daily destination at a reasonable time in the evening so that I can relax, have a nice dinner, and get to bed at a reasonable hour. Now that makes things sound much easier right?

Here's a look at the ground that Sammy, Sydney, and I covered for today. We started in Blythe, CA and traveled through Arizona and New Mexico and are now in El Paso, TX. A quick shout out to all my Texan Sisterlockers out there!!

Here's a look at tomorrow's voyage. We will leave El Paso and cross through the Texas wilderness to stop in San Antonio tomorrow evening.

While refueling in Wilcocks, AZ this afternoon the wind was gusting and I loved the feeling of it blowing through my hair. I caught myself with a little bit of white girlatoma as I tossed my head back and felt my hair go from blowing onto my face to going backward. I looked at my reflection and laughed!

Being this close to the Mexican border and especially Ciudad Juarez. I'm reminded of one of the most poignant movies that I've ever seen. The movie is Bordertown starring Jennifer Lopez, Antonio Banderas, and Martin Sheen. The plot is that of an investigative reporter (Lopez) who works to uncover the scandal of the murders of over 400 women working at U.S. owned factories in the border towns of Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua. It exposes the roles of the U.S. and Mexican governments' roles in illegal immigration as well as how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) plays its part.

Of course the movie was never seen in U.S. theatres. It went straight to DVD but I HIGHLY recommend renting the DVD and be sure to watch all of the special features!! It blew my mind into a thousand pieces. Of course the movie itself is the "glamourized" version but it is based on a true story. The special features show the stories of other real people working in these factories. It's very thought provoking and definitely altered my views on illegal immigration. I also gained a better understanding of what NAFTA really does. I give the movie two thumbs up and 5 stars!!

Ok, my eyelids are starting to droop which means that it's time for me to say ta ta for now but I'll check in tomorrow night for a recap of my day wandering across Texas. Until tomorrow my friends....In the meantime I wish for 2 things...first that you'll think of what adventure you'd like to undertake and leave your comments to let me know...and second that you will rent and watch Bordertown. The link below will give you an excerpt from one of the special features.

Bordertown Special Features