Best travel tips books according to redditors

Weird roadside attractions! Find all the silly little things (second biggest chair in 1981, largest firehydrant, corn palace, second largest pencil, etc) you can possibly see, just for the experience. And check out the national parks along the way.

If you're planning on going out to bars/restaurants where you stop, one thing my friend and I did was get cheap-o rings that could pass as engagement rings so we could wear them out. I can't actually say whether we would've been bothered if we didn't have them, but it was a little protection from being chatted up and also led us to spend hours giggling and developing back stories of our hypothetical fiances.

Also, I received The Bad Girl's Guide To The Open Road as a gag gift when I turned 16 and I've just always kept it in my car. It's a bit of practical advice but mostly fun anecdotes and games along the road which are at the least entertaining to read to each other as you drive if you're not solo! Or just look up fun road trip games (marshmallow toss, etc) and jot some down.

Edit: just remembered, as for snacks be wary of the salt. A lot of the foods that are convenient to munch on while driving are also very salty. Dried fruit (mango! just don't eat too much or you'll have some... Emergency bathroom breaks), fresh fruit, etc are super important. I also really liked having sucking candies like werther's or jolly ranchers, they're a good way to prevent bored eating.

Audiobooks that are visually descriptive worked the best for me. I loved Ready Player One as a roadtrip audiobook if you're into 80's culture and fantasy, and a bit of a guilty pleasure The Outlander series worked well lots of romance and suspense and descriptive scenery (not something I'd ever opt to read, but it worked on the road). If you're into mythology then the Iron Druid Chronicles were good road trip listening too.

An editor of the Buffalo Spree just came out with a book called 100 Things to Do in Buffalo Before you Die that you may find useful.

Edit: WBFO is running a promo right now, where if you donate $6/month, you can get the book for free. Support local public radio!

This suggestion isn't geeky in any way, shape, or form...but I had a blast reading it a few years ago.

The Bad Girl's Guide to the Open Road

Drive. There are so many things to see along the way. Get a few of those travel books (not the stuffy ones, the fun, interesting ones), and you'll have so much to do and see you may never make it back!

Michigan Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff

100 Things to Do in the Upper Peninsula Before You Die

https://www.amazon.com/100-Things-Newark-Before-You/dp/1681060949

White people and their instant gratification crazy ideas.

OK, first - all and I do mean all volunteer programs will require a 4-6 week commitment at the absolute minimum. 4-6 months is more the norm. Consider how long it took you to feel like you knew what was going on at your job. You will be more of a drain on the organization than a help if you are only there for 2 weeks.

The best you can really do in 2 weeks is contact the organization and see if you can import them some needed medical supplies in your suitcase, plus perhaps organize a charity drive stateside, and stay out of their way.

Lastly, regarding security - the aforementioned security guy with an AK will have virtually zero training and is there as a showpiece. Nearly no PMC, security firm, or police force below the regional level in Africa can afford to train their people at all, as the requisite ammunition is hideously expensive by local standards. A typical security firm of 10 people will often share a single firearm.

Therefore, go read a book and educate your father.

Or just follow the Four Rules (originated in the gun community, also known as the Four Stupids):
Don't do stupid things with stupid people in stupid places at stupid times of the night.