I was 20 years old when I learned how to drive for the very first time. I got my license at 20, with no driving experience, and I managed to get it in five days. I was lucky enough to get my permit fast, attend private driving lessons, and feel automatically comfortable behind the wheel. It came easy to me, which I’m grateful for. I absolutely love driving. But I didn’t think I needed to learn how to drive in Boston… until COVID-19 hit.
After being cooped up in my Boston apartment for a few months, I went back home to Houston just to spend time with my family for a bit. I drove around a lot and eventually got a new car! My mom and I decided we were going to drive it up to Boston so I could have a car there, which is going to make my life a million times more convenient.
Come late September and we’re off on the road. Here’s how my road trip from Houston to Boston went.
We split the road trip into three days, each day was about a 12-hour drive.
The first 12 hours were from Houston to Nashville. It was a pretty boring drive, honestly. We passed through Arkansas which was basically just a hill-billy middle of nowhere. We almost ran out of gas and ended up at a sketchy gas station…but we survived.
When we arrived in Nashville, our first stop was the Parthenon. Although we arrived too late to go inside, it was still a beautiful sight. There’s a huge lawn people can hang out on in front of the Parthenon and it’s a perfect place for pictures. As a huge Percy Jackson fan, I’m so glad I got to see it. We stayed in Nashville for the night, ate some hotel food, and crashed. In downtown Nashville, there were so many people out and about partying without masks…honestly, they were wildin’ out there. But it looks like a fun city, just not in a pandemic.
The next day, we woke up early and drove all the way to Pennsylvania. For this drive, we had to pass through Kentucky and West Virginia. Most of the drive was really scenic and full of fall foliage. Kentucky especially was beautiful. And yes, of course, I played Take Me Home, Country Roads while we drove through West Virginia.
After taking a break for one day, we finally did the drive from Pennsylvania to Boston. It was rough because it was raining all day and night. We also ended up needing to try a million different places to go to the restroom in Hartford late at night. But, we made it. Finally! I was back home.
I’ve been in Boston for a bit now, practicing driving around and getting caught up in school.
I’m glad that I got to go on this road trip, especially with my mom and a new car. I’m so grateful and now I’m excited to finally drive around Boston! It’s going to be a little scary, but a new adventure.
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