The 5 Essentials for A Successful Road Trip
The road trip is going to play a big part in people’s summers this year, with the confidence in flying and public transport perhaps at an all-time low. A road trip offers the chance to hit the open road in your own bubble and see plenty of sights along the way.
No matter where you’re going through, there are essentials that you must pack in order to make sure your road trip is a success. If you aren’t prepared, it could prove a recipe for disaster, and see you on your way home with your windscreen wipers between your legs…
Documentation for Your Vehicle
First and foremost, you need to ensure you have the documentation for your vehicle. All Your valid documents should come on your journey with you, especially if you’re crossing countries, while you should also have your passport and driving license to pass through freely and safely.
In the case of your car, you’ll need your insurance details, proof of ownership, and breakdown cover in case you do require help or are pulled over by the police.
A Sat Nav
Gone are the days where you need a roadmap (although do keep one in your car just in case). A sat nav will be your best friend when trying to navigate foreign roads, and not only will you get from A to B smoothly, but they will also keep you in the loop on any heavy traffic and road closures, diverting you swiftly and effectively.
While it may take a little bit of the adventure out of a road trip, if you’ve got a schedule to keep, satnavs are the best way to ensure you stay on track. You can pick them up relatively cheaply these days and even if you do wish to use a map, the sat nav could always come in as a last resort if you get a little lost.
In-Car Entertainment
While we are certainly not suggesting you should be doing anything but concentrating on the road, for passengers it can be little dull spending hours on the road, while if you’re camping along the way you’ll also need a few things to keep you occupied. Travel-sized board games are of course a popular choice, as well as iPads and streaming services to binge-watch the latest box sets. Gaming apps are also a useful pick these days.
Arcade games are becoming more popular these days and are perfect for a bit of on-the-go gaming, while games such as Football Manager are ideal for sports fans, and crosswords and brain training is great for keeping your brain alert after hours on the open road.
Then of course there are many other road trip games to play on the move, such as I Spy, 21 Questions, and Spot the Car.
Successful Road Trip: Spares
Spares are essential and you should ensure you pack a number of different spares, from the obvious such as tires, to things like windscreen wiper blades and even phone chargers. Portable battery packs are also important to travel with and can be a lifesaver should you run into issues with your car and you find yourself without charge on your phone. They really are a must.