Fancy hitting the road for easter vacation?! A little fresh air in your routine to discover a country and its breathtaking sightseeings... sounds good, doesn't it?
Forget your troubles for a while, and take care to consider all the following questions before departure: they are the main pillars for a great journey.
1) WHO's coming with you?
First of all, consider which people you would like to spend time with. Maybe someone of your family or friend(s) in the need of evasion and fun. Take into account the fact that if each person coming along is willing to drive, you will be able to share all together the driving chore.
2) WHERE will you go?
Take a moment to get together and brainstorm ideas for your trip. That moment is usually exciting as people express their desires and become enthusiastic about the coming adventure. Don't go too far into details, a general idea of direction, few "must see" destinations or turn back point are sufficient.
Identify the purpose of your journey as it will define the amount of advance planning to pull off. If you want to visit lots of museums or other tourism attractions you will need to plan more than a tank of gas to get going. If not, it will allow you more spontaneous actions and - for some - more freedom feeling.
4) WHEN do you plan to go? How long the trip will last?
It's important to get an idea of when and how long your journey will be - some planning is essential to ensure that your trip gets you back on time to where you came from !
According to the places you and your folks chose to visit, it might be helpful to check the eventual times of opening / dates of events or accommodation facilities available with consideration of this specific period of the year.
Study travel guides to determine how much time you will require for each location/ activity on your list. If possible, allow some flexibility to your planning to take advantage of unforeseen opportunities.
Set a budget and stick with it. Plan ahead for prices of fuel and take an up-to-date road atlas to avoid toll roads and big city stops with expensive car parks. If you are low on cash, prefer cheap hotels to expensive ones and make sure you pack in the car sleeping bags and blankets, towels, water and food supplies... to keep down the costs. Then, ensure you have at least one credit card with you for emergencies as well as small amounts of cash.
6) HOW to ensure a successful trip?
- Make sure your vehicle is adequately equipped and be prepared for unfortunate circumstances.
- Take care driving to avoid turning an awesome experience into a nightmare: don't be too confident and stay aware of speed limitations and road conditions.
- Be careful when travelling by night that the driver is not beyond his limits. It's maybe time for another one to replace him/her. If everyone is tired, take shifts 1 hour 45 minutes long !
- Take along your favorite music and create your "Hit the road" playlist: it will enhance a road trip mood inside the car that you will never forget about!
- Keep a record of your road trip: take pictures of your experiences and the places you visited and traveled through. If you have also the energy to write down your feelings, do that too. All of these memories will bring the trip back to you in years to come.
Last but not least, ENJOY YOUR TRIP !
Sources:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5232327_plan-itinerary-sightseeing-trip.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Take-a-Road-Trip
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/tips/How-To-Plan-A-Great-Road-Trip.htm
http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-organize-a-road-trip/
Nice post !
ReplyDeleteAnd also "JUST DON'T DIE" =)