For many, a road trip abroad is the ultimate fantasy. Spontaneous, exciting, and cool, it seems like the ideal way to escape the boredom of everyday life and drink up the best of Europe, without blowing your entire bank balance.
Yet this paradisiacal dream can be deceptive. To get the most from your journey abroad, you’ll need to spend a serious amount of time planning your destinations, working out a budget, and organising the essentials to take with you.
So, we thought that you could use a hand. If you’re overstressed and unsure of what you’ll need, here are 10 essentials that you can’t do without…
#1: European Breakdown Cover
One of the most important preparations that you’ll need to make will be taking out special European breakdown cover. There’s nothing worse than having your road trip ruined by an unscheduled stop in the middle of nowhere, so get in touch with a provider like Start Rescueto make sure you’re covered.
#2: A Basic Tool Kit
Although it’s essential to purchase breakdown cover, you might also want to take along some tools for any minor problems with your vehicle. Flat tires can easily be changed at the roadside, and there are lots of other small repairs that have a simple DIY solution, helping to avoid the cost of covering your excess.
#3: Pillows and Blankets
Road trips are great fun – but not all of the time. Although most people will choose to stay in hotels or hostels overnight, you might want to catch some sleep whilst you travel as well. To ensure that you enjoy your shuteye, pillows and blankets are a must. The smaller and easier to fold away they are the better, so special travel options are probably your best bet.
#4: Snacks
With little to do whilst you’re driving but admire the scenery, lots of people find that their stomachs start to rumble. If you want to save yourself from shelling out on food at shops and eateries along the way, pack some suitable snacks to feast on.
#5: Water
Water is always an essential, but never more so than when you’re driving in a hot foreign country. Make sure that there’s always a bottle or two to hand in your vehicle to help you stay healthy and hydrated.
#6: A Holiday Playlist
What’s a road trip without music? Add a playlist to your phone or create a CD, and watch the world go by whilst your favourite tracks blare out.
#7: Earphones and an In-Car Attachment
If you settle for keeping your playlist on your phone, then an in-car attachment for wiring it up to your speakers is another essential. However, this doesn’t mean that you can forsake your earphones; keep them to hand for the times when your taste in music differs from everybody else’s.
#8: A Basic First Aid Kit
Hopefully you’ll have an injury-free holiday, but you should still take some essential first aid bits and bobs along. Painkillers, anti-sickness tablets, and so on are always handy, as are plasters, scissors, and straps for minor strains and sprains.
#9: A Camera
If everything goes to plan, then you should make some fantastic memories, and to help you remember them, you’re going to want some pictures. Most people’s phones are perfectly capable of taking the snaps you desire, but make sure that you have enough storage to keep them. If you’re looking for a higher quality end result, you might also want to pack something a little more high-tech.
#10: Distractions
Road tripping is fantastic fun, but there will be days where you do little more than drive, and admiring the scenery gets old after a while. To stop boredom from setting in, distractions are a must, so books, magazines, and more all deserve a place in your big bag of essentials.
Plan your perfect road trip today with these handy hints.
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