Rushed meals, long distance driving, group of tired friends, sharing the same quarters, are some of the things that come to mind when we think of a road trip. No two road trips are alike, but there are certain set of rules that can be followed to keep everyone safe, happy and satisfied.
- First and most importantly ensure your vehicle is road-ready by checking tire pressure, oil levels, lights, brakes, and carrying emergency tools and a spare tire.
- At all times, the person sitting next to the driver, must remain awake to help follow navigation, feed the driver as and when required, adjust the volume and chitchat continuously to ensure that he does not doze off while driving. People sitting at the back are free to sleep for as long as they like.
- Don’t depend entirely on your phone navigation as your cellphone signal can go off in the middle of nowhere, leaving you stranded in the middle of remote mountain roads without any human life coming to your help.Learning how to read a paper map may seem outdated, but will never let you down, so carry one for such emergencies.
- Be open to spontaneity as you may have to change your plans randomly because of any reason whatsoever. There is a thin, fine line between planning and over-planning; planning is definitely essential, but leave some scope for moments of randomness. For example, you may have researched and planned all the places to visit, and then you see something interesting by the roadside that you might not want to miss.
- Limit your driving to four to six hours per day to enjoy your trip. Driving more than this will not only get tiring as you’ll end up driving most of the day, but also not leave any time for exploring the terrain.
- The driver chooses the music unless he opts to hand over the control to some other person. Of course! He can take it back at any point of time.
To sum up, remember that even the best planned trip can go haywire, so don’t get upset on such things and take everything in good spirit. Flexibility and a positive attitude are key to enjoying the unexpected moments that make road trips unforgettable.
