The 5 Mistakes On a Road Trip

More often than not, road trips are synonymous with adventurous and spontaneous. While it can be fun to take it as it comes and we do not need to plan everything to the T, it does help to not make these 5 mistakes on a road trip that people tend to make.

Not carrying enough food and water in the car for your road trip

You must carry enough water with you when you set out on a road trip and keep replenishing it on the way. You do not want to end up stranded somewhere without water. The same logic also applies to food. There are always a lot of places where you could stop for food on your route. However, you can both save money and make healthier choices by carrying snacks and finger food in the car. For longer trip, consider taking along a cooler as well to keeps drinks and perishables cold.

Not packing the right things

There are people who carry everything in sight because there is space in the trunk. This reduces the mileage of your car and does not leave any room to store souvenirs or even the fresh veggies you may pick up from the villages you pass by. Then there are people who do not have a fixed plan and hence, just throw together some things to carry with them. They end up buying a lot of things on the way or at the destination, things that they often never use again. Paying some attention to packing the right things will go a long way is ensuring a great trip with no wasteful spending.

Not budgeting correctly for the road trip

Road trips aren’t always on low budgets but even if you have considerable amount of money to spend, it helps to plan a tentative budget for your trip. As you are driving on your designated route, you may pass smaller towns and villages where you may not always have access to ATMs and all establishments may not take credit/debit cards. If you have a budget in mind, you would know how much cash you might need to keep with you for the trip till you reach your destination.

Not getting your vehicle road ready and being prepared for emergency

When you are taking your vehicle on a long trip, you are putting it to the test. So it is imperative to get it serviced properly and equipped for any emergencies. This means that you get the tyres rotated/replaced, transmission inspected, fluids & brakes checked, oil changed and even get the spare tyre checked. It helps to pack an emergency kit with the basic tools, puncture repair kit, car jack and jumping cables, to have them handy in case of a breakdown.

Not planning an itinerary

People often like to ‘wing it’ when they are on a rod trip. However, traveling without any type of itinerary or even a pre-designated route means you end up missing out on great lodging deals, faster or more scenic routes and often, even great attractions along the way. It is always smart to plan the route, so that you know all possible food and restroom stops and are familiar with the towns you will be passing by. Considering you might be travelling through areas with questionable internet coverage, it also helps to have an offline version of your route saved on your phone/tablet or to carry a paper map/printout of route.

Road trips are meant to be all about the journey and not the destination. So don’t make the mistake of creating impossible to-do-lists that a lot of people make. Plan out your activities for each day but do not cram too much into one day. Leave some room to ‘be spontaneous’ and you would truly be able to enjoy the best of both worlds