Top ‘Road Trip’ tips – Emma O’Boyle, TripAdvisor spokesperson
In The Open Road, out on DVD 25th April, Carlton (Justin Timberlake) and his friend Lucy go on a road trip across America to find his estranged father and bring him home. Long car journeys with family and friends can be tough going at the best of times, so whether you’ve got a long drive to a festival or a summer adventure coming up, here are some top tips for avoiding the many potential road trip pit falls.
Prepare your car – have your car inspected before you go, change your oil and check fluid levels. Make sure you have all relevant documents – including licence, insurance and registration – and that you know where they are all at all times. Keep a cool bag with drinks and snacks and re-fill this at rest stops. Bring a first aid kit.
Keep small change in several currencies – be prepared for road tolls. Most toll booths will accept coins only, so avoid an embarrassing reversing-out-the-queue moment and make sure you have change to hand.
Bring suncream – you can and you will get sunburn through the car window
Beware roaming charges – check with your mobile provider before you leave to find out what charges you could incur and how best to avoid these
Bring zone-out material – you’ll be in close quarters and ‘alone time’ will be difficult to come by when your fellow road-trippers start getting on your nerves. Stock up your iPod, tablet, laptop etc. with your favourite TV shows and DVDs so you can block everyone else out when needs be.
Miles and Kilometres – Be aware that your speedometer may be in miles, but the speed limit measured in kilometres depending what country you’re in. Know the conversion (1 mile = 1.6 km) or you could end up with a nasty speeding ticket
Be ready for sleep – bring a blanket and pillow to make yourself more comfortable in between driving shifts and, if you’ve booked a hotel, remember that most check-in times are between noon and 2pm, so plan your driving schedules accordingly
Prepare a good and very extensive playlist – you will have difficulty finding a radio station in many locations, so bring your own music. Make sure you playlist is at least a few hours long so you don’t find yourself listening to the same ten songs on repeat
Go to the bathroom at every rest stop – even if you don’t need to because the next one could be very far away. This will avoid any uncomfortable and embarrassing roadside stops.
Bring embassy and government contact numbers with you – in case you lose your passport or any other important documentation, be sure you know where your nearest embassy or consulate is at all times so you can you rectify the situation as soon as possible
Share the driving and do it in shifts – a tired driver is an unsafe driver
“The Open Road is out on DVD 25th April.”