From the experience of travelling across country in my home country of England, I have experienced the means and planning needed in order to travel and look out for the unexpected as well as plan for the unexpected. I will go through the process I use for planning a big road trip. These tips can be very useful for any trip you may be planning on going on.
1. Time management
Time management is very important; knowing how far you can drive before getting tired and how many miles you can cover within a set time can be vital. This can be easily worked out with the use of Google Maps, which can map out the fastest route as well as tell you travel times and the distance in miles. Knowing where the next rest stop is can be helpful so you know when you can have a break and relax/stretch your legs for a while. It is important that, when having a break, you try to limit your time so you can have a more optimum travel time. I know the frustration of planning to check out a certain place for a while but only having a short time available to do so. With time spent unwisely, it won’t allow you to spend the day at one place with all of the travelling involved, so keeping to a schedule can be a nice way of getting to spend time exploring and enjoying the destination you love.
2. Places of interest
Along the road you will drive by many places that look interesting and where you or your family might want to visit, it is important to account for this when planning your time, as well as mapping out any place along the journey that you will expect to be visiting. Part of the fun of a road trip is because of the places you can visit along the way so the quickest route might not always be the best route if you are looking to visit some interesting places along the way. As said in tip 1, it is always important to know where your final destination is and give yourself enough time there, but enjoying the journey and not rushing is important too, as this is supposed to be the time when you relax and enjoy yourself.
3. Clothing
Having the appropriate attire is somewhere that I always slip up, always forgetting to pack my warm sweater or my swim wear. This is something that you should always prepare for; checking the weather in advance can help you in your decision as to what clothes you want to take with you.
4. Transportation
Having the appropriate vehicle to tackle certain situations can be very important, depending on where your cross country exploration can take you, having the right set of wheels can be the difference between home and dry to wet and cold. As with clothing, you should check the weather for the driving conditions you will be facing as well as the kind of tires you will need. Always check the spare tire and have the equipment needed in the case of getting a flat tire. Don’t drive for long extended periods without having a break, getting tired on the road can be dangerous as well as ruin your fun when you get to where you want to be.
Under Transportation I’d also fit in petrol/gas expenses as well as making sure you have enough to get from one point to the next. Making sure you have enough money put aside to cover the gas prices is important, as we all know how the prices are shooting up these days. Having a full tank at the start of your journey is always a plus.
5. Money Planning
Travelling can be very expensive and having to abide by the fees of motels/hotels in the middle of nowhere, can be pricey. Having a set budget and putting money aside for: potential issues, hotels, as well as any travel insurances, will pay off in the long run or in the event of it being needed. Planning for meals as well as packing food while travelling will always help, being able to stay on the road till the next point of interest while having a snack packed earlier will always pay off, rather than stopping to eat somewhere. This will save money and will be more convenient while travelling.
Hope you enjoyed these tips on cross country travel. Have a safe trip!
