When you’re travelling long distances, it’s important that you’re prepared and have your trip well planned out. Most people focus on packing what they’ll need at their destination but neglect what they might need for the journey itself.
When you’re going to be in the car for hours on end, travelling roads you might not be familiar with, or even simply winging it, it’s important that you’re prepped and ready for the journey and everything it might throw at you.
Here are a few important things to have on hand before you start your engine.
Emergency Roadside Assistance
Safety should be your first priority on the road, and this goes beyond wearing your seatbelt. Being ready for a roadside emergency is crucial for your and your passengers’ safety and peace of mind.
Make sure you have your spare tire and jack in place before leaving, and that you have an emergency triangle in the trunk. Investing in extra items like portable tire inflators and a set of jumper cables can make emergency situations like these far more manageable too.
Spare Chargers
Being in contact with your loved ones is extra important when you’re on the road. You’ll need to be able to call someone for help in the case of an emergency, and you’ll also want to be able to let the people you care about know when you’ve arrived safely at your destination.
Keeping a charger in your car can save you from dealing with flat smartphones at the most inconvenient times. Make sure to keep all your cables organised in your car to avoid disorder.
Road Trip Snacks
Sitting around in the car all day isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, and this can be made even worse when you’re tired and hungry. Packing a good selection of snacks will help keep you fuelled and keep your mood up too during the worst of it.
Try to opt for low-mess and easy-to-eat foods such as protein and energy bars, dried fruit and nuts, and some of your favourite candy to keep things fun.
A Comfy Outfit
What you wear on a road trip can have a big impact on how comfortable you feel for the duration. You can look good and be comfortable at the same time, or you can skip the style and simply opt for your most comfy sweats.
This will all depend on where you’re headed and if you’ll want to look your best when you arrive or if you’ll be heading straight into a hotel room.
Entertainment
You’ll probably have plenty of vacation activities planned once you arrive, but don’t forget about entertainment on the road. Travelling long distances in the car can become tedious and exhausting, and it’s a good idea for passengers to have some kind of entertainment to keep them busy.
Audiobooks and podcasts are good options, but coming up with an upbeat playlist for everyone in the car to enjoy is probably going to make the trip more fun.
