One of the most common dreams among young men is to one day go on an epic road trip. It’s probably because it is a combination of so many elements that signal the arrival of adulthood. The ability to drive a car. The freedom to go where you please without answering to others. That kind of thing.
Unfortunately, a lot of people head out on road trips without being properly prepared! If you’re going to do this, then you need to do it properly. You need to make sure you do it with the maximum potential for fun and discovery, but in a safe manner. Here’s a quick guide to keeping your road trip as enjoyable as possible.
Choose a destination – but keep it rough
One of the best things about a road trip is the true sense of freedom. It’s good to have some kind of destination to aim for, roughly. After all, you could just find yourself a little stuck if you start heading out without an idea of the direction you want to go in.
But you also want the freedom to veer off-course. To see more of the unbeaten paths of your country. So don’t make some promise to yourself to get to that destination.
Get your car ready
Pretty much the worst thing that could happen on your road trip, while you’re out in the middle of a long highway, is for your car to break down. Well, okay, there are much worse things that can happen, technically. But when you’re on your trip, you want to forget about the mechanics of everything as much as possible.
Make sure you get your car checked properly before you leave. You should also take measures to protect it from the various bumps you’ll encounter out there. For example, getting a good bed liner to prevent all your cargo from causing damage is a good start. Keeping cleaning products that will help you clean dirt off your vehicle is also advised.
Pick the right travel buddy
So, who is it going to be? A loved one? A family member? A good friend? Or maybe the perfect travel buddy would be yourself. (I don’t mean you should go with a clone of yourself. I mean you should consider just going alone.) Of course, some time to yourself may not go amiss. Just make sure you’re prepared to be alone for a long period when you’re away from home. You may think you’re used to being alone, but things can be a bit different once you’re on the road and cease to have much choice.
If you are going to go with someone else, you should ensure it’s someone you know well and that you can spend hours on end with. A really good indicator of suitability is if you know you can actually spend some time in silence with them. Can you be comfortable just sitting there with someone, enjoying their company out on the road? If you feel the need to force conversation with that person, a road trip with them may not be advisable.
