So Sophie,

I love long road trips but I hate the fatigue that comes with driving for hours on end. Also, I'm bored stiff by a lot of the country's major highway corridors. What can I do to make my trips more enjoyable?

-Highway Man

Hey Highway,

here are lots of ways that you could make a long road trip more enjoyable. If you're the social sort, try bringing a friend. You will get the benefit of company and also have someone to take a turn at driving. I am assuming that you already know to see that your music library is well stocked with more music than you could possibly listen to for the duration of the drive -- you never know what you may be in the mood to listen to.

By far the best way to liven up a long road trip is to give yourself a mission while you're in transit. Try keeping an eye out for interesting road signs. Stop and take a picture of each one. (This part is better if you have someone along, since you will have people in your pictures.) For example: on the trip from Green Bay, WI, to Detroit, MI, up through Michigan's Upper Peninsula and back down to Green Bay, you could stop and take pictures of signs announcing:

• The Mars Cheese Castle
• Bong Recreation Area
• Climax
• Exit 69 - Big Beaver Road
• Christmas
• Hell
• Beaver
• Spread Eagle (located conveniently close to Beaver, by the way)

and who knows how many other interesting signs. When you get home, develop the pictures and make a lovely photo collage. You'll be entertained for hours and the mental stimulation during the drive will relieve the long hours of tedium.

So Sophie,

I plan to sail with a friend on his yacht. I've never been the guest on a yacht before and I'm wondering exactly what kind of conduct will be expected of me. When I meet him there, can I go aboard immediately? Should I wait for him to greet me and take me aboard? Is it appropriate to offer to supply food or liquor? Are there dos and don'ts of yachting?

-Cruising in Style

Hey Cruising,

ot a lot of guys get a chance to just sail around on other men's yachts. Congratulations. I would like to know just how you move in those kinds of social circles without ever having been on a yacht before, though. Did you just win the lottery? Old money seldom likes to hang out with the nouveau-riche, so I'm guessing you hooked up with some rich guy's daughter and her friends are patronizing you. That said, and taking into account established etiquette for these sorts of things, here's my advice.

Be mindful of the fact that running a yacht can be exorbitantly expensive. When accepting an invitation for a cruise, take into account the other man's financial situation. If he's richer than Croesus, a heartfelt thanks is really all that's necessary. However, if there's any doubt about this, disguise your consideration by expressing your enthusiasm for the upcoming trip. Offer to help with the planning. Mention to your host that you're so excited by the prospect that you feel you simply must help. But, since you are a novice yachter, perhaps your host would do you the honor of allowing you to plan the meals. This eases some of the burden he bears and allows you to contribute without insulting another man's pride.

When you arrive at the dock, you may call out to your host for permission to board if he is already on board. (If the boat is flying a small blue flag, he isn't present.) If he has not yet arrived, you have no choice but to sit and wait for him to arrive. Since it is his yacht, he is, of course, the captain and will board the craft first and, after the journey is complete, disembark last.

While aboard, conduct yourself like you would if you were a houseguest. Never leave your personal items or gear lying about. They must always be stored neatly in the area provided for you by your host. This also goes for the ship's equipment. If you so much as use a paring knife, it must be cleaned and put away neatly immediately. Never throw anything overboard. Polluting the waters in which you sail is not the conduct of a civilized man. Older rules of etiquette demanded that one simply avoid throwing anything unsinkable overboard, but our current culture has amended that in the interest of natural resource conservation. Also remember that, as captain, your host is master of his boat. He is also responsible for the safety of everyone on board. If he makes suggestions, keep in mind that they are actually orders and are not open for discussion. You need to follow them to the letter. If you happen to dive overboard to swim, always swim out against the current. This way you will not be carried away from the boat and your friend the captain will not needlessly have to divert the boat to come to your rescue.

When you return to port, offer to help your host with any post-cruise duties that need to be performed. Only after he tells you that your help is not needed may you leave. Be sure to send a thank-you gift afterward; it is especially appreciated if the gift is something that the boat needs.