“The open road is there, it will always be there. You just have to decide when to take it.”
– Chris Humphrey, Canadian Actor, Playwright, Novelist
It’s common to feel perplexed when you don’t know the necessary things to pack for a comfortable road trip.
In fact, frequent travelers understand that driving trips are challenging as well as offer a sense of freedom.
Yes, it is possible to enjoy your excursion with proper mental, physical, and financial preparation.
Following a checklist makes things easier by keeping additional things for safety even when you are offline or out of basic supplies.
From repairing your car/bike/van to quick snacks and weatherproof jackets, we here provide information for a successful long-distance road trip.
Vehicle Preparation
Travel gurus say that the journey is more important than the destination, which seems like a quote made just for a road trip.
However, you can only enjoy the experiences or the views on the path if your vehicle is in top condition.
Here’s what you need to check before driving long-distance:
- Take your vehicle for a thorough maintenance check.
- The basics of a car care should include an oil change, tire pressure, brakes, lights, fluid levels.
- Invest in comfortable seat cushions with a head rest, phone mounts for easily following navigation, snacks, water, and first-aid kits.
- Always keep a spare tire, oil, and other repairing tools just in case of a sudden breakdown.
USEFUL TIP
Don’t forget to keep your driving license and other identification paperwork either offline or online when cruising through interstate road trip.
Nutritional and Physical Health
Snacking during a long-distance road trip is obvious because you spend most of your time sitting in your vehicle.
While it’s fun to have junk food, try to maintain a balanced nutrition and hydration throughout the journey.
Take a look at some bite-sized ideas to stay healthy on the road:
- Before embarking on a trip, always check for water availability at checkpoints or roadside petrol pumps.
- Pack a variety of healthy snacks such as fruits, nuts, protein bars.
- Keep medicines when you or your partner is feeling sick while driving.
- Long distance can be tiring for your mind and body. So take regular breaks by stopping on food joints.
- Or you can stop and do simple stretches like shoulder rolls or leg stretches to prevent joint stiffness. It also helps improve blood circulation throughout the body.
Mental and Emotional Readiness
Some people get nervous just thinking about taking the risk of taking a road trip. Anxiety of a lurking unknown danger can keep you from making travel plans.
However, traveling with a partner or friends or family is the best bet. Other ways to keep stress away while driving are:
- Take timely breaks of 15 minutes after every two hours to recharge your brain.
- Do deep breathing exercises to relax and regain composure.
- Any driver fatigue will help your senses rejuvenate, filling you with a positive energy of the excitement that lies ahead in your path.
- Set realistic expectations which creates a holistic approach to enjoy the moment.
- Any challenges can be overcome with a positive attitude, keeping the vision of the destination in mind.
- Prepare a playlist of upbeat songs or audiobooks about the destination you are visiting. You can also listen to your favorite podcast.
- Playing car games when traveling with friends or family is the best way to enjoy the journey.
TRAVEL TIP
Keep garbage bags handy with you to keep the roads and your vehicle clean.
Planning the Route
For a road trip, planning the route should be done meticulously to avoid any major bumps or accidents.
Here are some useful tips to keep in mind when route planning:
- From point A to point B, which means, you should be clear of your starting location and your destination, calculating total travel time.
- Check weather, gas filling stations, food joints, restrooms on the way.
- Also research alternate routes that offer beautiful landscapes.
- If you will be stopping at a guest house for a few hours of sleep, check all the amenities and safety around that area.
- Keep your itinerary flexible so that all your travel companions are happy.
- Never miss an opportunity to go on trekking routes to capture sunrise or sunsets.
Hitting the Road
No road is difficult to travel if you are well prepared for the journey. Therefore, a holistic approach entails mental and physical preparation, ready to adapt to enjoy the road trip.
Like we mentioned in this article, create a checklist and follow it steadfastly for a stress-free excursion.
Prepare your vehicle with all maintenance tools and comfort for the long distance. Ultimately, a successful trip means embracing the twists and turns as you find new paths along the way.
Also Read: 5 Things to Keep in Consider on Road Trip Tips
