Reading — Test 9

Reading passage

READER FORUM: Are Summer Road Trips Still Worth It? Every July, our local paper runs a feature on summer travel, and this year's question sparked more letters than usual: with gas prices, aging vehicles, and unpredictable weather, is the classic Canadian road trip still worth planning? Denise Okafor, Sudbury: I say yes, without hesitation. Flying has become so stressful that a road trip feels like the last relaxed way to travel. Last August, my husband and I drove from Sudbury to Prince Edward Island over five days, stopping in small towns we'd never have seen otherwise. We spent less on the whole trip than one of us would have spent on a single last-minute plane ticket. The freedom to change plans on a whim, something you simply cannot do with a flight booking, is worth more than the extra hours on the highway. Marcus Lindqvist, Kelowna: I used to agree, but not anymore. My family's trip to the Rockies this June cost far more than expected once we added fuel, tire repairs after a pothole incident, and three nights in motels that had quietly raised their rates. My spreadsheet showed we'd have broken even flying and renting a car for a shorter stay. Road trips only save money if nothing goes wrong, and something always does. Priya Chandrasekaran, Regina: Both of you are missing the real benefit. It was never about the cost for my family; it's about the conversations. Stuck in a car for six hours with my teenagers, away from their phones and school stress, I learned more about their lives last summer than I had in the previous six months combined. That's not something a price comparison can capture. Tom Beaulieu, Moncton: Fair points all around, but nobody has mentioned the toll on the vehicle itself. My pickup truck needed a new alternator two weeks after we returned from Gaspé. I still think the trip was worthwhile, but readers planning long drives should budget for repairs, not just gas and hotels. What's your take? Send us your letter for next week's edition.

Question 1 of 9