Even though traveling is one of the universally favorite things for nearly everyone out there, there are two types of people when it comes to it. For the first group, it’s all about the destination, while for the others, it is how you get there that counts. When it comes to them, there is literally nothing more satisfying than going on a road trip. Still, organizing a satisfying, fun and above all safe road trip is not a simple thing. For this, you need an elaborate planning stage and a huge amount of preparation ahead of you. Seeing how there’s no time to lose, here are a few tips to get you started.
1. Start planning
The absolute first thing you want to do here is – decide where you want to go on a road trip. Here, you can consult an online list of ultimate road trips or simply map a route on your own. Next, you need to try and read a bit about the area, seeing how every road has its hazards and peculiarities. For instance, in Australia, kangaroo crossing the road is a serious issue that causes a multitude of crashes each year, while driving around Russia may require you to get a dash-cam in order not to get insurance-scammed. Once you are done with the planning, you need to start preparing for the actual trip.
2. Taking care of your vehicle
Probably the most important issue surrounding your safety on the road trip comes down to the condition in which your car is in. Seeing how most of the time of the road you will be traveling through the vast, uninhabited areas, the last thing you want to do is get stranded in the middle of nowhere because your car broke.
The first thing you want to do is get your vehicle to the mechanic and have them do a thorough check-up. Second, you need to calculate how much fuel you will have in order to know for sure if you need some additional gas tanks in your trunk. This also depends on the distance until your next gas station. Finally, you want to change your car’s filters and replace the oil, just in case. Your safest bet is probably to go with a high-end oil brand like oil brand like Castrol.
3. Start packing
The next thing you want to do is start packing for your road trip and here, you have two major stages. First, you need to think about the basics like your first aid kit, supplies, and the clothing. The second stage consists of the items you will need situationally. For instance, if you intend to stop fishing somewhere along the way, you will have to bring some additional gear. If you intend to camp, you may need a tent a night light and few additional handy accessories. All in all, the sooner you start planning your inventory, the smaller the odds are that you will forget something.
4. Maps, maps, maps
Another thing you should think of before you head out is the maps of the area you are traversing through. Sure, in the age of the internet, you may not feel the need to bring paperback maps of the area, but what about losing connectivity or running out of battery. Well, the first issue may be resolved by downloading an app with offline maps, while the latter part may be resolved by bringing a portable charger. Still, an old-school paperback map doesn’t take much space in your backpack and checking out maps of the area beforehand, and trying to memorize as much as you can, doesn’t take much time.
5. Few more ideas
Finally, you need to keep in mind that there is more to your road trip enjoyment than simply taking care of the basics (car, maps, and supplies). For instance, the above-mentioned dash cam is a great idea for road trip even outside of its fraud-protection function. This allows you to rewind your entire road trip on a later date and edit it so that you make a short and fun video as a memento. Later, you can show this to your friends, post it on social media or just keep it to yourself and rewatch it on occasion. Aside from this, it might also be a good idea to try and make a road trip soundtrack in order to add a bit more ambiance to this adventure.
Conclusion
As you can see, planning a road trip is hardly a rocket science but you do have to be quite thorough in order to make it as safe as possible. Moreover, making sure you have done everything right beforehand will also help you relax and therefore make this entire experience much more enjoyable.
