Michael and I, have a shared a lot of first together. Love at first sight, (awwee - insert cheese here). First time to so many travel locations. First times for forms of travel - cruises, buses, and driving. From Florida to Baltimore, we were already familiar on what a long trip may entail.
But this first, was the first time driving, with my in-laws. After a long wait, we were finally able to bring them to our home in Florida. Then after enjoying some sun, we wanted to torture them with snow hahaha. Well, we knew we wanted to give them a little more of an adventure. From Colombia to Florida, to Maryland and Canada, we are adding more adventures for all of us.
Now before we hit the road, we had to pack. There is something insane and more comfortable about driving. "Take it- we're driving anyways, its not like we have a weight limit".
Yikes- did we have that car packed! Granted we are lucky enough to have a larger SUV (shout out to Subaru), but for 4 adults; packing for ourselves, the gifts to take to be distributed, not to mention the snacks to save on our food budget. There was barely any cubic space left
Here are some tips we wanted to share- and some we wish we knew before:
Road Trip Recommendations
~Drive at night- if your not too scared of the dark, I recommend it. Less traffic, less use of a/c, less likely patrol so you can save some time. Not saying to go over the speed limit, but, ya' know- Drive safe
~Waze vs. Maps App- I would say Waze - its a new way that I just discovered, to move around and its great! It shows you more real time traffic issues, recommends alternate routes with unexpected construction, hazards, and more! And you can enter it yourself too.
~Driving Alert - I've found that sugar is cleaner energy, and helps to stay more alert during the night. Even Ice Coffee, can be a softer energy then pure coffee if you are more sensitive.
~Napping - When its not your turn to
drive, put on your headphones, turn on noise cancelling features, take your pillow and nap. Nothing can replace a bed, but when you can, make sure to support your back and neck to allow your body as much comfort. And don't forget to wean yourself off the sugar.
~ Spare key - There is nothing worse than getting locked out or stranded in unknown territory because your car may auto lock. Make it a habit to always have your key on your person at all times. Especially if you have a rental car, not all settings are the same and with the new technology you never know.
Things to pack for the Road
~Pillows and Blankets- Lumbar pillow will help when napping
~Headphones- for when your napping or for when others are, they allow everyone to have their invisible bubble
~Drinks- Caffeinated drinks are great for the midnight dark driving but don't forget the actual water to stay hydrated
~Sugar- it can be fruit or candies, but you'll feel the rush when driving
~Sunglasses- if you follow the recommendations you might not think about needing them at night, but eventually the sun comes up
~Battery packs- this is great for normal tourist needs but also helps during the road trip in case there are limited plug-in ports
~Clothes> Bring both- because there is some more flexibility in driving. If the weather is hot or cold in your destination, bring 1 of each item just in case. Ex) long pants, shorts, long sleeve, short sleeve
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