Road trips can fetch a lifetime experience down your memory lane. Those who have ventured on road trips before would agree that travelling by road can put together an unforgettable experience altogether, leaving you craving for the roads even after your trip is over. If you are one of those who is yet to hit the pathway and experience the time of your life, wait no longer! Get out on the roads right away! However, do stop by and read some of the tips for a road trip shared below to build a holiday on the roads like never before.
- Make a plan, but not a stringent one
Commencing on a road trip triggers anticipation, excitement and the zeal to see the unseen and know the unknown. Planning it and plotting out your destinations can be quite an exciting task and might take a while for you to figure out your trip itinerary. However, the real travel experience lies in not making a stringent plan but simply list out the places where you are likely to halt for the nights. You can leave the rest for your free will and decide whether to leave a place or stay once you are out on the roads. Such tips for a road trip make the journey anticipative and exciting.
- Pack as light as you can
You are likely to collect souvenir on your trips alongside memories, therefore, it is imperative to keep optimum room in your trunk for them. Also, if you refrain from carrying excessive baggage, you are sure to remain more mobile as otherwise. One of the foremost tips for a road trip is to carry anything which you need and leave behind the ones you want.
- Keep a close tab on the condition of your car
Before you start your trip, make sure that you get a servicing done for your car. Clean it off all the junk which you might have piled otherwise and make way for your trip. Once you are en route, try and clean the vehicle every two or three days to make room and keep you away from unnecessary filth piling up in the form of hotel and fuel receipts, local maps and fast food wrappers.
- Make new friends on the go
Your tips for a road trip include making friends. Road trips are the best times to reach out to people and make new contacts, especially with the locals, as they know the area best. Once you befriend them, they can guide you to the best of activities and places and make your trip a unique experience. Try the regional cuisine in authentic places instead of munching on your regular on the snacks.
- Carry a real topographic map
Google Maps and no doubt handy, but the real fun of a road trip lies in tracing directions from a real big map. One of the tips for a road trip is to consider carrying a marker so that you can trace your journey as you travel along. Later, when you are back you can mount it in your home or office and have more reasons to feel good looking at it.
- Know the road rules thoroughly
Driving in the UK is very different from driving in the US or Canada in terms of speed limits, lane discipline and overtaking. The motorists in the UK drive on the left side of the road and sit on the right side of the vehicle. Also, the distance and the speeding limits on the road signs are mentioned in miles. In the US, the motorists drive on the right side, therefore, read some literature on road rules before you plan to sit behind the wheels. Drive safe and steady and ensure that you do not find yourself caught it any road raging incidents. You can look for alternate routes to avoid roads with toll gates and additional surcharge. This is one of the most important tips for a road trip.
- Get Roaming activated on your cell phone
Finding a dead cell phone can be one of the most frustrating of situations. Get in touch with your service provider before you embark upon your journey to ensure that you are able to stay connected, no matter which part of the globe you intend to travel to. Keep in touch with your friends and family at regular intervals and let them know about your whereabouts when you are on the go.
- Keep your personal and vehicle documents handy
Carrying personal and address identification proofs is an absolute necessity whenever you are travelling. Ensure that you are duly carrying your licence, registration and insurance documents as well. Clean your records off any old road penalties or parking tickets if you happen to have any as if you are pulled over for any reason, such circumstances can get ugly and mar your travelling experience to a great extent.
- Keep your camera handy
Whilst on the trip, when you are driving down a road never taken, you never know how breathtaking a landscape might lay ahead, therefore keep your camera fully charged and ready at all times. Whether it is a clear blue lake or scenic green meadows, the strokes of dusk on the horizon or steep mountain ranges, you would want to pull over and capture the moments.
- Carry first aid
Carrying first aid is again one of the vital tips for a road trip. This is perhaps one of the most vital part of your backpacking. Accidents can happen anytime and anywhere, even though you have absolutely no role to play in it. Anyone might need first aid any moment, therefore, it is necessary to carry a few basic medicines and bandages to get you going throughout the trip.
Much of your road trip experience depends on your mindset. If you travel with an open mind, ready to embark upon different and the most unexpected of situations, you will make memories of a lifetime. Tips for a road trip include being generous, showing gratitude and respect to whoever you meet and thanking people heartily if you happen to receive any kind of assistance from them. Get proper halts and have a good night’s sleep to wake up fresh and happy every morning because you will need plenty of energy to get going.
