- Tips/Guides-Tips/Guides
4 Dec 2019
Your car is checked, your luggage is packed, and the road is a-waiting. But not so fast – there are certain items that can be forgotten that could just become the most important when you least expect it.
You could probably think of a dozen more items to pack, but this is our list of road trip essentials to help you get through the rough bits of your journey.
For your comfort:
- Travel Pillow – these neck pillows are typically filled with micro-beads or, for space-saving ability, can be blown up with air. Popular for use on an airplane, they are an essential for a long car journey, supporting the neck while sleeping in an upright position for long periods. Most of us have experienced the dreaded head roll while dropping off resulting in a pain in the neck.
- First Aid Kit – more than just plasters and pain killers, there may be items within that could come in handy in the most unexpected times, such as sticky tape or safety pins. Check what your kit contains and top up with other necessities you can think of, such as eye drops or calamine lotion. Keep a small bottle of hand sanitiser in the kit as well.
- Foldable Puffer Jacket or Raincoat – long journeys bring with it the unpredictable. Whether it’s a breakdown, getting lost, or just spur-of-the-moment decisions, you never know where and how you could end up. And that’s what holidaying is all about, enjoying the moment as it happens. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared for the elements, because there’s nothing more unpleasant than shivering in the rain or being stuck in the cold.
- Drinking-Water – you can pack all the snack you want, but when it comes to what your body really needs on a long journey, is water. No debate. Be kind to the environment and try to fill up with filtered water at home and whenever you can as much as possible rather than buying bottles and bottles of water.
- Music – who doesn’t like music while driving? It sets the mood, it keeps you awake, it’s a basic human need. If you’re driving off-the-beaten-track, you may lose your preferred radio station reception, so don’t forget to load the USB with your favourite tunes or bring along those CDs if you’re still ‘old school’!
For ‘just-in-case’
- Paper-based Map – Just like that radio reception, you might just lose cell phone reception too. Depending on your network provider, there will be some remote areas in the country that won’t be covered, and unless you know the roads like the back of your hand, you don’t want to end up lost, especially not at night.
- Torch or Headlamp – this one relates to the above, much easier to shine a light directly. But there are so many situations that a torch would come in handy in the dark, like answering the call of nature, dropping your cell phone as you alight from the car, looking for your shoes under the seat, etc.
- Cash – though it’s so much better not to have to withdraw money and carry it around with you to pay for goods, it’s always good to have a few small notes and coins on hand. You’ll use it to buy some fresh mangoes from the side of the road, or help out a car guard feed himself for the day.
- Spare phone – This one is especially for lone travellers. Cell phone technology has come a long way and we depend on it so much now that if and when the hardware breaks down or the software goes on the blink, we’re stuck.
- Insurance Policies – do you know all the details of your car insurance policy? Your policy documents should be kept in your car at all times anyway. In the case of an accident, you will need to have all the details of the policy to avoid hassles when filing for a claim.
Your comfort and enjoyment are important as they can indirectly contribute to safer driving. So don’t neglect yourself or your passengers – slow down, enjoy the trip, take in the moment, smile, and get there safely.
Have you seen our vehicle maintenance checklist blog? Make sure your car is in perfect running order first, before embarking on any road trip. Come in to Supa Quick for a free vehicle safety check.
