The JJC’s Guide to an Awesome Road trip

I love road trips! At least, I love them more than taking a plane. The only turn off for me when traveling in a car or bus is that I sometimes get sick – really sick. I have since found ways to mitigate and sometimes prevent it all together. I’ll share that in the next post but for now, here are a few tips to take note of if you plan to take a road trip soon.

Plan your trip

This seems obvious, right? But when I say ‘Plan your trip’, I mean, really plan it. Plan your routes and stops before your leave. Have contingency plans just in case you run into unexpected circumstances.

If you’re traveling in your own car, take time out to conduct pre-trip checks on your vehicle and as per any trip you take, make sure someone is aware of your movements and have an emergency contact handy.

Travel Light, pack the essentials

It’s always a good idea to travel light, especially if you won’t be traveling in your own car and if that’s the case, there are a few essentials to take with you in order to make your bus ride more comfortable. For example, the ultimate combo of a neck pillow, an eye mask and ear plugs can make the perfect three-some for a road trip. Eye masks are especially useful to combat motion sickness.

It’s alright to have something to nibble on while you travel. Again, if you suffer from car sickness, you want to be careful with this one. Try sticking with foods with ginger (I actually just travel with ginger and I munch this at intervals).

I generally avoid liquids but if you have no problem (with regards to motion sickness), then it’s okay to hydrate regularly but you don’t want to take too much water, except you’re sure of regular bathroom breaks.

Have the right electronics or books

Sometimes, having the right electronics in place can make a big difference to your entire trip. You would be responsible for your own entertainment so, stock up on movies, musics or audio books if you can afford to.

I can’t most times cos I don’t currently own a power bank, music player or a spare battery, so I just tend to ‘regulate’ the usage of my phone. I’m usually in airplane mode for 90% of my trip and I would alternate between talking to other passengers and listening to music. For safety reasons, I never have my laptop out.

I also always pack a book too but I tend not to read if I am in a car (as opposed to being in a bus); I get sick from reading in a moving car. If you don’t, that’s a good way to pass the time while enriching yourself and never forget to ‘Travel with a Pen‘ always.

Make Friends

Don’t be a stranger; make friends with other passengers. You never can tell, you might need a shoulder to lean on – literally!

Exercise

Staying put for a long period of time can take its toll on you. Most buses will make 2-3 stops along the way, so be sure to get off and stretch out a bit. Also take scheduled breaks if you’re driving. While seated, try some foot, neck, and hand exercises as you progress in your trip.

Safety is Key

Maintain a good speed limit and patronize bus companies who enforce that. Make use of seat belts, they actually save lives. It’s amazing how much we underrate this. Accidents are preventable but they can happen at any time – that’s why they are called accidents. Apply all other road safety principles as a driver or a passenger…

And lastly, don’t forget to have some fun along the way! Feel free to share your tips below ?