Summers are made for road trips! But driving for hours can get boring. One way to liven them up is to use a driving tour. Have you tried one? Driving tours offer a fun and easy way to get to know your surroundings while traveling. Simply download an app for your location, connect your phone to your car speakers, and enjoy commentary as you pass by points of interest. Apps often share history, stories, and other information to bring the location to life. Once you start the tour, there’s nothing to do. The audio automatically plays at the right time using GPS positioning. Some tours also offer driving directions, so there’s no need to use two apps at once.
But what if your hearing loss makes it difficult for you to follow audio commentary? It can be especially tricky if the narrator has an accent or uses unfamiliar terms or place names. The good news is that most driving tours offer transcripts that can be viewed in real time along with the commentary. This was a lifesaver for me.
Transcripts available on many driving tours
I hadn’t thought to check if the driving tour also offered written commentary, but when the narrator started talking about Loki and the betrayal of the Jotunn (giants) on our recent driving tour of Iceland, I quickly started looking for a transcript. Luckily, the tour had a “More Info” button at the bottom of the map. When I clicked on it, I saw a lot of options, including “Read Script.”
The transcription worked really well and allowed me to read along with the spoken commentary. It was also helpful for my family as I was able to fill in some of the gaps they were struggling with due to unfamiliar terminology.
Two examples
Below are two recent car rides I’ve taken with transcripts. The one on the left is from Action tourist guide Iceland. The one on the right is from Guide alongHana Maui Road Tour.
It’s easy to find car tour guides for a wide and varied range of destinations, both domestic and international. Guides come from a variety of companies, so be sure to check out your options before your next road trip. I definitely plan to!
For more tips for traveling with hearing loss, read the Hearing Tips section of Hear & Beyond: Living skillfully with hearing loss.
Readers, do you enjoy car rides?
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