A road trip really is a life-changing experience, but the roads can be a cruel mistress with the unknown often waiting around the corner.
That means you need to be prepared for all eventualities, whether it be patching up a leaky roof following a monsoon-like downpour, changing a tire, or finding yourself having to take a detour.
Luckily, there are a number of items that can make life easier Should such unfortunate events happen.
Here’s our ultimate checklist for heading out on a road trip.
A Back-Up Credit Card
First and foremost, having extra financial support is a must. You never know when you might need it and should you lose your first line of payment, you won’t be left stranded.
There are some fantastic credit cards for a European travel break, giving you opportunities to earn while you spend. Most importantly though, a card is a universal currency so you will never be stuck with no money and no backup.
Emergency Tyre Back Up
If you don’t want to be stuck at the side of the road waiting for a foreign recovery truck, being prepared for a puncture will really save your bacon.
Learn how to change a tyre and keep both a spare tyre and some emergency tyre foam, so if you do use your spare, you can patch up your tyre until you reach the next garage stop.
Having more than one recovery option is essential and it really won’t take up that much more space in your vehicle.
Emergency Food
Now, we’re not expecting you to be going on an expedition to the Arctic and be preparing rations. However, rolling into a town late in the evening with no restaurants or stores open can leave you incredibly hungry.
Don’t skip a meal, make sure you have your cupboards stocked so you can light the stove and have a late night dinner after a long day on the road.
The same applies to breakfast or even lunch when you’re in between towns. A good tip is to have a grab bag handy for any quick essentials needed and have this stocked up with a variety of road trip food.
A Map/A-Z
Yes, it may seem a little old school, but what happens if your sat-nav or smartphone packs in?
You can tuck away a map in your glovebox no problem, and the chances are you’ll never need it, but you know it’s there and you don’t need to panic if technology lets you down.
Alternatively, you can forget tech and simply rely on your map reading skills, just as it was done in the old days.
Jumper Cables
Thousands of miles can really take it out of not just you, but your vehicle too. Packing some jumper cables could be the difference between you getting back on the road quickly and being towed home should your battery die.
Being prepared for all eventualities is wise when going on a road trip. In fact, it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to know how to jump-start a car, but if that unfortunate event does happen, you’re fully prepared and in the known of how to fix it.
For more road trip inspirations, take a look at what some of our friends have been up to.
