When you’re planning for a road trip, your mind might already be swirling with ideas on what you should take with you and what you should leave at home. Whether your road trip is going to be by car or bus, you should pack all the essentials but at the same time, you need to travel light.
You should also bear in mind how long you’re going to be on this road trip. For example, if you’re going on a long trip, then you must bring as many supplies as you can, while if you’re road-tripping on your vacation, you don’t have to pack a lot of items with you. If you don’t know where to start, the following guide will point you in the right direction.
Survival Backpack
If you don’t already have one of those, then you should definitely get one. Even if you’re not going off into the wilderness, a survival backpack will help you keep everything organized. Survival backpacks, according to ExpertWorldTravel.com, are designed to withstand the wear and tear of several days out in the open, and they are also big enough to carry everything you bring along with you.
So, before you start packing anything, you should consider first the backpack you’re going to get and whether it is suitable for the weather. For example, if you’re expecting rainy weather while you go road-tripping, then you should probably get a backpack with a water repellent coating, which will effectively keep all your possessions dry no matter how heavy the rain is. On the other hand, if the weather is hot, you should consider getting a backpack with ventilated inserts, which will allow air into the back panel of your backpack.
Travel Pillow
If you haven’t been on a road trip before, then you probably don’t know it can be painstakingly difficult to sleep in a comfortable position. You might end up getting neck pain and backaches. To avoid this, you can get a comfy travel pillow. If you’re worried that you might not have enough space for one, you can easily get an inflatable pillow or a compression sack, which can work as a makeshift pillow and also provide extra space where you can store clothes.
Bug Spray
Any place you go to can be riddled with mosquitos or even bedbugs, especially if the weather is unbearably warm, which can turn your trip into a living nightmare. So, packing bug spray is just as essential as bringing travel pillows or sunglasses. If you’re traveling by car, then you might want to consider waxing it before the road trip, as this will make it harder for bugs to cling to the exterior of the car.
Toiletries
It is easy to forget paper rolls, bar soaps, deodorants, or toothbrushes when you decide to hit the road, but it is essential to get all of this stuff ready because, let’s face it, you won’t have a bathroom available for you all the time, but when you do finally find one, you should make sure that you have all the necessities with you.
To make sure that your items don’t take much space, buy products that are 3.4 ounces (100ml) or less. For extra protection, put your items away in a sealed bag to protect it from any possible leakages.
First Aid Kit
When you are out and about, you will likely get mild injuries, scratches, blisters, splinters, scrapes, or bug bites, so it is only logical that you keep a well-prepared first aid kit for these instances. You can even create your own DIY first aid kit for road trips instead of buying one. If you’re not sure what you should put in your DIY first aid kit, this list of items will do the job:
- Bandages
- Butterfly closures
- Alcohol and wipes
- First aid tape
- Antibiotic cream for bug bites
- Blister pads
Comfortable Clothes
Because you’re going to spend a long time outside, you can pack comfortable clothes for sleeping in cramped spaces. They will also be useful whenever you make a long tour around the city you’re visiting.
Comfortable clothes include loose pants, leggings, and comfortable tops. Also, be aware of the weather, as this will determine your choice of clothing. Hot weather, for example, will require that you wear sandals or slip-on shoes, sunglasses to protect you from the glaring sun, and a baseball cap to protect your hair from whipping if there’s a strong wind.
Snacks and Drinks
Usually, road trips include meal rests, but you might not feel like eating at these stops, so it’s always better to bring your food with you. Your only options on the road might only be gas station junk food or unhealthy fast food.
If these options don’t appeal to you, you can always pack your own homemade snacks. Also, don’t forget to pack your water bottle. Road trips can be long, and you might get dehydrated between stops, so packing a large bottle of water will be a good choice. However, you might also want to ration your intake of water if there’s no available bathroom.
Entertainment
Going on a road trip is exciting, but it can get boring really fast. That’s why you should plan what to get for the long ride. Whatever you enjoy doing in your free time can be entertaining to do on the road as well. If you enjoy reading, then bring a book or two, but if you get motion sickness, then you can get eBooks or audiobooks to play in your car. You can also get offline movies that you’re sure everyone is going to love. Don’t forget your headphones if you like listening to music or podcasts. Even better, you can arrange a road trip playlist which can make the long hours of sitting still much more enjoyable.
Going on a road trip can be very exciting and will leave you with many good memories if done right, so make sure that you have everything planned a day or two beforehand. If you rush things up, your dream road trip might not turn out as you want it to, so start packing everything you need, be sure to travel light, and enjoy the ride!
