Road trips are excellent ways to destress and enjoy yourself. Road trips are usually as easy as packing a light bag, getting into the car, and setting off. They’re excellent for budget trips, family vacations, solo trips, and more. You can take a road trip in any season and for as long as you’d like.
However, that doesn’t mean you can take international road trips without considering a few things in advance. The most critical aspect is the documentation. It is best to consult an immigration lawyer to help with the necessary paperwork and get all the visas and insurances out of the way. Once you have the legalities done, you can start planning your fun road trip with ease.
Here are 8 tips for fun road trips.
- Get The Right Car:
Whether you’re using your vehicle or renting one, you should ensure you select the right car. If you’re traveling rocky terrains, you may need a 4×4, while city driving can be much easier. A 4-wheel drive will be essential for the high clearance and safety that it offers when you’re traveling cross country.
If your trip is an extended one, you may end up paying too much for a rented automobile, so coach day trips may be a better bet. In this case, it is best to purchase a good quality, well-maintained second-hand one and drive comfortably. Remember to speak to an immigration attorney about any possible issues your citizenship or paperwork may cause before starting your journey.
- Check Your Tires:
Once you plan the road trip, you will have a rough idea about the distance you will cover. As you get to the rural areas, the roads may not be in excellent condition. It is best to check your tires beforehand, replace them if necessary, and keep a spare in the boot. You should also check the terrain and plan accordingly.
- Maps:
Google Maps is your best friend. While GPS technology is excellent for driving around, you may travel to areas where internet connectivity is spotty. It is also best to have a physical map present and chalk the route out to avoid getting lost. Getting lost after sundown without knowing where you are and having no internet connectivity could be your worst nightmare (especially if you’re in another country)! Ideally, learning how to map your way after dark and keeping additional provisions on hand is best.
- Plan the Route:
Planning the route is winning half the battle. Ensure you stop at small towns to sample the local cuisine, drink the local wine or ale, and chat with new people. Small towns have huge personalities and will add to your experience. When planning the route, you should also take care to avoid potentially dangerous roads. Getting into accidents may cause extreme injury, leading to personal injury claims that could affect your travel and medical insurance. It would also be helpful to map the nearest embassy so you can get access to call immigration assistance (in case of emergencies).
- Music:
The road trip would be highly dull without a killer music playlist. Plan the music, and download the necessary playlists to your phone. It could also be fun flipping through the various radio stations and their music as you travel from one place to another. Some people also consider music as therapy. However, sometimes, you may crave the silence that comes from a liberating road trip.
- Eat and Stay Local:
Avoid booking overpriced hotels, and instead, opt for the mom-and-pop type of motels. B&Bs, kitsch motels, and small places have more personality than large hotel chains. It would help if you also searched for local foods and drinks in smaller restaurants and out-of-the-way cafes to sample some of the regional cuisines.
- Choose Your Companions Wisely:
Nothing can be more irritating than traveling with people you are uncomfortable around. It is best to ask people you get along with rather than those you don’t. After all, it is your trip, and you should decide who can and cannot travel with you. Choosing the wrong traveling companions can get extremely frustrating if they don’t share your music choices, food preferences, and stay ideas. You could get into heated arguments, lose your temper, or even decide to cancel the trip and head back home.
- Pack Light:
It is best to pack light and ensure you don’t carry too much bulky stuff with you. Taking a huge ice cooler with drinks and ice is a waste of space. Instead, you could stop at a convenience store, stretch your legs, speak to the locals, grab a drink and a bite, and drive ahead. It is ideal only to carry the essentials and travel as light as possible.