Either you’re a beginner or a Pro on road trips, either you go with the flow and not planning anything, or being a maniac like me and plan every step ahead (because I can’t deal with uncertainty… OCD me remember?), everyone needs some things checked and done before going on a road trip.
Unless you’re Thelma and Louise… in that case you just need Brad.
Check your Car
The car is the most important part of your road trip. Checking for Gas/Petrol is refilled, the oil, the air conditioning, the Tyres and Brakes are ok and the servicing is made. If you don’t know much about Tyres – to ensure smoother driving – and Brakes -for safety, check it out with a specialist like Calmac Tyres Autocentre (a Reliable car brakes in Northampton) and they can gladly help you. A good and reliable Breaking system will make the car safe and that means the passengers will be safe as well. As well as for the tyres: if the tyres are worn out, you will probably have a puncture and end up changing a tyre. Losing precious time on your fun trip… Plus not everyone knows how to change a tyre (they should!). So check your tyres and brakes before you leave.
Your car will be your “partner in crime” and the transport for some lovely days. Don’t forget to clean it as well and check the water levels. Having a bottle of water, a bottle of oil and a bottle of coolant will do you no harm. Checking all the details are definitely worth it. Remeber Safety is part of the Fun.
Money
Everyone used Cards right. True, but physical money is needed. You might be in a place where they don’t have an ATm reader or won’t accept cards, or even the card reader is not working. Make sure you have a little stash or get to a cash point when you see one.
Maps
Long gone are those days where we had the maps to travel. I love a good map, not to be arrogant, but I am good with maps and organizing routes (OCD chick!). Now we use Google Maps or Waze, or any other App on our phones or GPS, such as TomTom or Garmin. If you think it is best, here is a special tip: Select on the App a part of the map you’re going and download it. That way, if you don’t have reception or internet, it’s downloaded. I do this when I have a little battery on my mobile (because those apps use a lot of energy) or when I am in another country. I download the map (on google maps and Waze you can do that) and use it like a normal map.
Music
Nothing like selecting your road trip music to gather some fun memories and some fun videos! Music makes the mood keep going. Either with Cds or with Sd cards, make sure you have physical music as sometimes there are places where you cannot get signal and Spotify or Apple music can become useless.
Eat Local
The purpose of a road trip is visiting different sites and different cultures. If you’re visiting a little town, make sure to eat local and see how the locals live.
Have a Help Bag
And this is important. Grab a Help Bag where you can store things like:
- A cooling bag (you never know when you need it)
- A disposable Charger and a car charger (for the lighter)
- Several power banks and cables
- A tyre inflator
- A First Aid Kit with a torch
- Collapsible cups or bottles (just in case)
An easy setup tent
Either you plan to stay in hotels or have to stop a night in the middle of nowhere, why not having an emergency tent with you. Besides of saving you some money, you get more independent on where to sleep. It’s either a tent or sleeping in a car. Pick the best for you and your budget.
Go to Tourist Point
Either you planned what to see, or go with the flow, every town has a tourism point. It can be a little gazebo normally in the centre of the town or check local supermarkets. they normally have pamphlets with some of the sightseeing or what to do that month/week available for free. Tip: Some of those pamphlets have voucher inside for those places or to restaurants/bars. get them and check them out.
Gas/Petrol
Don’t let your car reach the red light. If you don’t know (or even if you do) the place or town, sometimes they are far away from where you are. If you are reaching a point when you see you have a lot to travel and see a gas station, then stop and refill. Better to be safe than sorry. Having a jerrican is not a bad idea also.
And remember:
Stay Safe and Be safe. If you drink don’t drive. Follow the tips above and have fun. Don’t forget to tag me on your pictures! – @AleLifeOfficial
