My daughter and I travel together from time to time. So far we haven't killed each other, which is a Herculean feat when one considers how different we are.We do have some commonalities, like packing a cooler. Doesn't matter if we're going up the street; let's pack a cooler in case we get thirsty/hungry/hangry. So, for an overnight trek that will require about eight hours of total travel time to and from, we pack waters, juices, sandwiches, and lots and lots of snacks.
Halfway to our destination, we stop to take a break. We both want something, but we don't know what. We do know, however, that nothing in the cooler will suffice. There isn't a Dunkins nor a Starbucks at this rest area, but there is a McDonalds. Here's where we are totally different. My daughter orders a blueberry iced coffee; I order a hot fudge sundae with extra fudge sauce. We are both deliriously happy with our choices.Once we reach our destination, we check into the hotel and start jockeying for beds. Turns out it's not even a battle: she chooses the bed near the window; I want the bed near the wall. She spreads her stuff out on the window ledge; I take over the tiny closet area. Thank goodness we are different in this respect because there will be no fighting or Rock-Paper-Scissors for space.
Finally settled in, we hit the cooler: turkey sandwiches with cheese and tomatoes, some crackers, and some grapes. My daughter surprises me with red wine in a small boxed container. It's a red wine - cabernet sauvignon. I surprise her with two small bottles (as in a four-pack) of red wine: one cabernet sauvignon and one red blend. Ah, yes, perfect, because "grape" minds think alike. We open her wine and put mine away for another road trip.Thank goodness we are different enough and similar enough to survive the overnight trek. Apparently we really are compatible travel companions after all. Now, if I could just get her to ease up on the snoring ...
