Road trips are always fun with your friends or family, isn’t it? You are excited. Music, games and the company, everything seems just perfect and as you head towards the destination, the excitement doubles. Like every coin has two sides, road trips also have a face which a traveler often overlooks. Say, you are on a trip and the car tire falls flat on the way? We know this is the last thing you would ever want.
So, why not avoid these common road trip mistakes and plan it perfectly? Here are some of the situations which one might overlook during a road trip, but mind you, these need your attention the most. Keep reading.
Getting stuck in traffic
Busy roads, long traffic and you on a road trip – it is sheer waste of time and gas. Usually traffic makes you exhausted and the journey longer than expected. If you have kids with you, it’s going to get really difficult to manage them for long hours. Better start the journey during ‘no rush’ hours like early morning or when traffic seems to be the least. Avoiding traffic will save you both time and energy to enjoy on reaching your destination.
Not carrying enough snacks and drinks
Considering the above situation of traffic, having food for back up is always important. There are routes which do not have shops and food joints you can take a halt at. Keeping this in mind, you should better stock up your car with sufficient food and drinks, when with kids, just double the quantity including their favorite snack. In the worst case of traffic or breakdown, you won’t starve!
Lack of planning for kids on the trip
The questions of kids increase on trips and the most dreaded is “Are we there?” Traveling with kids and teens by road is somewhat challenging, but proper planning sets it right. Keep them happy and engaged in games and activities, as already said have sufficient food and their favorite snack and play music they love. These are some tried and tested ideas to make a road trip fun and exciting, both for you and the kids. If your plans are to fly to India and explore the country on short road trips, book your last-minute flights right away to avoid any more delay. It is a great idea for sure.
Not having enough cash in hand
Sure you are saving by driving to your holiday destination but there’s no harm in having sufficient cash in hand. Always remember to carry good amount of cash for emergencies. Yeah, it is hard to believe that you won’t get ATMs in the growing digitalization, but it is possible. You obviously won’t want to have a flat tire and no money in your pockets. It is one the most essential road trip tips and tricks you must keep in mind before getting started for the journey.
No entertainment
Wait! Road trip without music? Not happening. Okay, chatting and playing fun games while en route makes the journey exciting but no entertainment would make the trip boring during lulls. Create amazing road trip playlists that everyone in the car would enjoy. Some soothing tracks for everyone that they can sing along. You can also have multiple playlists with different genres of songs depending on the age group of people you are traveling with. The base line is MUSIC is a MUST on road trips.
Under-budgeting your trip
It is important to know how to save money on road trips but under-budgeting is no option. Even if you have included every little thing in your budget, there are some unexpected road trip expenses that might come up anytime. So, pay attention to every minute detail while planning your road trip like toll booths, ATM fees, petrol and food. As aforesaid, have additional cash. Always.
Not having a road map
It is not always possible that you travel in network areas. There are times when making calls, sending texts and even accessing GPS won’t be a possibility on your road trip. For situations like this, you should have a road map as back up and a proper compass to be on the right path to your destination.
Traveling by road is always fun and adventurous but it is a trip that needs great planning and attention throughout the journey. Keep these common road trip mistakes in mind and make sure to avoid them on your next trip by road.
