Travel and Places  

Tips To Remember When Planning Your First Road Trip

By Michael Bamidele

23 August 2021   |   5:51 pm

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A road trip is a long-distance journey on the road typically traveled by automobile. The thought of travelling long distances alone can be quite intimidating, however, with good planning, it can be one of the most exciting journeys. You don’t need to put in a ton of effort planning out your entire trip ahead of…

Image – Laura Austin

A road trip is a long-distance journey on the road typically traveled by automobile. The thought of travelling long distances alone can be quite intimidating, however, with good planning, it can be one of the most exciting journeys.

You don’t need to put in a ton of effort planning out your entire trip ahead of time… just have a rough idea of places or landmarks you want to visit.

What is your purpose?
Adventure or the need for a new experience is one of the primary reasons people embark on road trips.

Before setting off on a road trip by yourself, discover what your purpose for doing so is. Whatever your purpose is, you’ll want to plan your road trip around that purpose.

If you aim to gather content, photography, and information to share with others, plan to stop a lot along the way! You’ll want to add that in time from destination to destination for extra stops in case you see a roadside attraction you want to stop at or you find a good spot for photos.

African road trip – Image – Ker-Downey Africa

Is your car in good condition?
All of your best road trip planning will be for naught if you can’t depend on your car. Ensure that your car is in good condition before you set out for your trip. The last thing you need is your car breaking down in the middle of nowhere.

Do a safety check of your tyres (condition and pressure), oil, water, lights, wipers (and windshield washer) and petrol. Teach yourself how to change a tyre and have all the necessary recovery equipment like a spare wheel, water, warning triangles, wheel spanner, jack, flashlight and a first aid kit.

Make your plan flexible
It’s important to maintain a sense of flexibility during your road trip. Leave some room for flexibility in your itinerary. By not being flexible, you’re setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. Like any other trip you take, there is most certainly something that will go wrong during your road trip.

Solo black woman – Image – Dee Wellwornheels – BisToTheWorld

Befriend your map
What’s the point of a road trip if you get lost in the middle of nowhere?

Google Maps is great for planning road trips. You can easily set a starting point and destination point on the app. It also gives a turn-by-turn navigation direction.

With a detailed map, you can easily make note of significant landmarks, bodies of water, or cities that you’ll cross through, so you know what you’ll be passing through. It’s also important to know which stretches of road will have rest areas or restaurants so you can take a bathroom break and get food.

Zuma Rock – Image – Wikipedia

Music! Music! And more Music!
Indeed, going on a trip is a thrilling experience, however, when you have to sit in your car alone for hours, you can easily get bored.

This is why you should have a playlist of songs and even audio books that will keep you company.

There are definitely times to listen to local radio but chances are you’ll get bored of it and, possibly, be out of range of a station.

Be safety conscious
Travelling alone comes with its own risk, especially if you’re travelling via a road you’re not familiar with. A few safety measures include sharing your location with trusted friends or family. Get a backup charger or power bank for your mobile phone.

Do not offer rides or agree to share a room with anyone you don’t know. You can never fully know someone’s true intentions after just a few minutes of conversation. Don’t stop for someone stranded on the side of the road