No best way to break the routine than traveling. Visiting non-familiar places can be one of the most enriching and transformative experiences you’ll have in your life. However, sometimes all this newness can also trigger many uncomfortable situations. And just as an avalanche begins with a small snowball, one slip and soon your trip is buried by unpleasant odds.
This, of course, has happened or will happen to everyone. Who never had a travel fail? In A Goofy Movie, a poorly planned fishing trip made you laugh as a kid. But I bet that if you go back and watch it again, you’ll realize that as an adult you’ll totally relate to Goofy’s agony. But you don’t want to repeat his mistakes, so let’s dive in and learn 12 lessons learned from this 90s gem:
1- Experiences are personal
Goofy had the brilliant idea of taking his son on a fishing trip.
As a kid, Goofy had the most fantastic experience when his dad took him to Lake Destiny, so it only made sense to make it a tradition, right? However, work on your expectations, as it is likely that you will never be able to 100% replicate that feeling to others. Each trip is unique and brings its opportunities. Don’t be stuck in the past, open yourself to new experiences, even if it’s a repeat visit to a destination you’ve been many times before.
2 – Communicate!
Max learns he’ll miss his first date
A loved one surprises you with: “get on the car and let’s travel”! To many, that’d be a dream. However, it can become a nightmare if you, like Max, has other plans for the weekend. So, either plan your surprise really well or do your best to keep your travel companions in the loop on all the details when planning dates and destinations.
3 – Less is more
Goofy’s car can’t take his overweight baggage.
We already respect the weight restrictions when flying. But road trips are another story. We see all that space, and we tend to pack the whole house. But, in the long haul, the lack of extra space will cause discomfort, and lead you to spend more fuel. Not to mention that you won’t have much space for souvenirs. So, check the weather, pack accordingly, and remember that you can always wash your clothes on the road.
4 – Co-pilots are key
After a series of near misses, Max decides to co-pilot.
Driving itself requires a lot of attention. Add to it things like checking the GPS, finding nearby attractions, and restaurants, dealing with the passengers’ hunger, bathroom breaks, and so on. Even if you have a smartphone, signals can be bad sometimes, and Siri sometimes just doesn’t get it. So you don’t get yourself in an accident, elect a co-pilot and make sure he or she can deal with paper maps.
5 – Prepare activities to kill the time
After an awkward silence, father and son fight over music.
Watching the surrounding landscape in silence can be invigorating for some people or incredibly tedious for others. In the movie, Max and his father, have difficulty finding something to talk about and fight over choosing a song to listen to the point of breaking the car player. To avoid all that, make in advance a good playlist, as music often sets the mood of the trip. In addition, research games you can play as a group, and take new toys (and favorite ones too) for the kids. A good car DVD can be a lifesaver as well!
6- Choose your attractions well
Goofy and Max can’t seem to agree on what to do.
Much of Max’s struggles in the movie are because Goofy tried to recreate the same trip he and his father took in the past, without adjusting to his son’s personal preferences. Travel planning is tough (that’s precisely why we founded City Catt), but do your best to include something for everybody in the group in your itinerary. And then organize things with some of this criteria in mind: distance from the hotel, duration of attraction, restrictions on other people in the group, etc.
7 – Register your memories on different devices
The encounter with the Bigfoot remained only in their own memory.
In these modern times, you won’t have problems with Bigfoot destroying your camcorder, but other accidents can happen. Low batteries, cameras that fall and break, low memory…it’s all very annoying. To make sure your memories are recorded elsewhere, take photos and videos on different devices, and if you can, store them on the Cloud. Also, Travel Journals are old-school but remain so relevant! What better way to travel down memory lane than reading your own perspective of the trip back then?
8 – Take a survival kit for the ride
Road Meals don’t sit well with everybody.
Hunger can come in the oddest moments when you’re traveling. It happened to Max and, thankfully Goofy was prepared. Don’t forget to bring familiar snacks and drinks. It’s smart to avoid foods with excess salt, sugars, and fats, as these can wake not so pleasant sensations when combined with the car’s motion. Wipes, tissues, and a simple first-aid kit are also a must.
9- Make sure you have good dreams
Goofy and Max have a hard time crashing.
Unless you’re very young and resilient, resting well during your trip will prove key to ensure you have fun. So, if you have trouble sleeping, anticipate your needs and bring whatever you need to ensure you have good dreams. Here are some things that can help: your own pillow, ear plugs, eye masks, white noise machines, a good travel pillow (have you heard of the Trtl?), etc.
10 – Tune up your car
Goofy’s car ends up as a total loss.
In cartoons, characters go through all sorts of accidents and leave unharmed. Not the case in real life. To avoid unpleasant surprises, tune up your car a few days before the trip. You should also look into a road car assistance service, if not included with your insurance.
11- Follow the rules
Things get ugly when Goofy and Max decide to go around the rules.
Rules are there for a reason. So follow them, even if you don’t fully understand or agree with them. Nothing worse than having the tour interrupted by a scolding. If you’re traveling with kids, it’s important to continually remind them of each attraction’s rules, especially if you’re visiting a place with a different cultural setting.
12 – Be patient
Surprises are sure to happen in trips.
No matter how well thought out, no trip will go exactly as planned. Reality doesn’t always meet expectations, an attraction might close due to bad weather, your travel companion might snore louder than usual. Hang in there! A cool mind and a flexible heart can always find solutions. Goofy and Max needed a whole trip to learn that. But it’s even better when we leave the house with that idea in mind.
Don’t lose the momentum!
How about you sit down and start planning for your next trip now? Last but not least, here comes the best tip of this article: If planning your trip becomes too complicated, come back here and find a Catt to help you the best things to do at your destination. Only a local can open the doors to the best side of your destination, and you don’t want to miss that!
