My road trip essentials

Now I have a car I have been taking a lot of opportunities to go further afield and I have gradually come up with a list of must haves for when I’m going to be in my car for more than an hour or so, and thought I would share them with you all.

My top must haves for a journey (in no particular order) are as follows…

1- Know where you’re going.

This seems like a really obvious and simple one but I have had so many issues with the maps on my phone I now make sure I know roughly which roads I am following before I set up in case the screen freezes or it tries to reroute me in the wrong direction…

2- The right playlist.

Music is a very powerful thing, certain songs can change my mood almost instantly so on longer journeys I don’t usually put the radio on as I don’t know what will be playing tat day and as I play the radio on my way to and from work each day I’ve usually heard the same few songs far too much so on a longer journey I would prefer a bit more variety. I usually put on a Spotify playlist or pop a CD into the player and have a bit of a sing song in the car to keep my mood boosted even when I’m stuck in a traffic jam.

3- Decent snacks.

When on a longer journey it is a good idea to schedule a few breaks but between those breaks you may fancy a bit of a nibble or a drink so I recommend making yourself a hot drink in a travel mug and having a bottle of water or fizzy stuff (non alcoholic of course) in reach, I also have a very sweet tooth so will more often than not have a couple of bags of sweets in the car door to share around.

4- Good company.

No matter how prepared you are for a road trip, with the right tunes playing, the right foodie bits to pick at etc etc etc having a fabulous companion along for the ride improves any road trip (in my extroverted opinion). You can concentrate on the roads while they press play on the right tunes, the can hand you the alternative snack bags, you can have a catch up, lots of laughs and they can take photos of the views you are going past rather than missing the picturesque shots.

If you prefer to just be in your own company then that is what you should do, take a road trip by yourself. As I said you have to have good company, if you are the best company for you, why not go solo? I like to sometimes as well but a I don’t get to see my friends very often because of our busy lives or how far a part we live, when we get the chance I love a good road trip with friends ^_^

5- Regular breaks

As the signs say along the motorway ‘tiredness can kill’. Make sure you are taking enough breaks to stretch your legs, use the toilets, get more snacks or go for a proper lunch/dinner break depending on when you are driving.

6- Direct or scenic route? Make the choice and stick to it

Do you want to get from A to B as quickly as possible? Or do you want to make a bigger deal of the journey and add stops on along the way? Make the choice (between you if you are going with or meeting up with) and stick to it. If it’s a long journey (4 hours+ I would say) it’s quite nice to know you have something planned around the half way mark. Take your camera and make memories on your route.

When I’ve gone with family we have often stopped off in quaint little villages for an afternoon tea or go to a castle of something – we do love a good castle visit.

7- Chargers.

Nowadays most of us rely on a lot of technology, different devices and things, so don’t forget your chargers. Either a power bank in your bag, or an in car charger in your glove compartment (or both and have them there at all times if like me you are paranoid/forgetful). If you are staying overnight don’t forget to pack the wall chargers in your luggage as well just in case.

8- Sleep.

I’m hoping you know that I mean in preparation for the drive and not at the wheel during the journey. Getting a good nights sleep and being as well rested as you can be before a big drive is always a good idea, sleep and being well rested is good on any day but with a big drive ahead it is even more helpful.

Do you agree? What are your road trip essentials? What was the best road trip you’ve been on? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, TTFN.

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