Pack your bags and put your foot on the gas — it’s road trip time! While travelling in flights and trains are essential, there is nothing better than a good ol’ road trip with friends and family. While a road trip can be as long or as short as you like, depending on how adventurous you are feeling, there are quite a few essentials that you must pack to ensure that you have a blast (no pun intended) on the road.
One of the first things that one must never compromise on is looking after your car. For the entirety of the journey, your car is your BFF. Don’t skimp out on giving your road buddy the pampering it needs to support you through the whole trip. From getting emissions checked and making sure the tire pressure is perfect to having the air-conditioning optimised. A little pampering will go a long way!
When on a road trip, one can’t help but crib about the umpteen number of toll booths one has to cross. To ensure you don’t get drowned in a sea of trucks on the highways, always plan your trip and start in the early hours of dawn to avoid getting stuck in the toll line. Along with this, make sure to recharge your FastTag account before you start your journey. Not only will this hasten the process of paying toll, but will also make it easier.
Now that you’re ready to start the trip, let’s talk #basics! Lather up the sunscreen, everybody. This seemingly simple thing is very important when you’re going to be on the road for a long time.
Get your hands on one that isn’t sticky and oily and most importantly, doesn’t leave a white residue.
Road trips are all about the #ontheroad selfies, so it is of course imperative to carry your cool glares with you. While making you look uber cool, your sunglasses will shield you from the harsh sun and make the whole journey much easier.
If you’re someone who likes to sit back, relax and nap in the car while someone else drives, then you need a neck pillow. This will spare you a lot of neck pain and wobbling from one person’s shoulder to the other in the car, making sure you’re fresh as a daisy during the next pit stop.
When you’re on the road, you will need to use public washrooms and there is no way to avoid it. However, there is a way to ensure you don’t contract an unsavoury UTI — sanitisation sprays and lots of sanitiser. While most women have already mastered the art of squatting in public toilets, it is always better to sanitise the toilet seat.
Are you a Musafir Hoon Yaaron person or Khaabon Ke Parinday person? Well, either way, we must agree that what makes a good road trip great is a playlist to take along for the ride. Create a playlist that has a little bit of everything — retro bollywood, upbeat dance music, rock, pop and anything else you can think of! And if everyone on the trip is up for it, play some antakshari too.
Munch, munch, munch — that is exactly what everyone does once in the car! Carry snacks to keep your hunger pangs at bay in between pit stops at dhabas. From biscuits, chips, chocolate and more, binge eat without guilt – because you’re on holiday.
Most importantly, the one thing that you cannot compromise on at all is good company! You will be cooped up with them in the car for hours and nothing can be worse than being uncomfortable in a space like that. Plan road trips with family and friends, and make the most of the summer.