Road trips are fun and tiring at the same time. One enjoys the journey more than they enjoy the destination. A road trip makes us appreciate the scenic nature which comes along the way and also enjoy the authentic dhaba foods which are on highways. On mountain trips those foods are replaced by a hot plate of maggi and tea with a beautiful view of the mountains and valleys. Sometimes a road trip plan doesn’t reach the execution stage because it will make the designated driver tired. To solve this problem, hire Travel Art! Travel Art provides transportation for every group size rather it be a group of 6 or a group of 50. We have luxury buses, mini buses and travellers to suit each need and they all come with a designated driver who is hired after a series of interviews, background checks and tests. This way your road trip plans won’t be canceled and you’ll be able to enjoy all the benefits! Sometimes, there are very common little mistakes which lead to a bad experience of a road trip. Some of those are listed below so that you don’t make them and have a smooth ride.
1. NO PLANNING: This is the most common mistakes because most people start a road trip with a ‘let’s go with the flow’ attitude and end up having dozens of problems. A base plan is required about where to get gas and what do to each day. Without these basic planning elements, you might end up in the middle of nowhere with no gas. This will also give you an idea about how many stops you can make in a day without compromising your entire itinerary.
2. NOT SLEEPING ENOUGH: One might get pumped up and be motivated to cover the maximum distance and tourist spots in one go while compromising their sleep. This is a bad practice. A person sleeping less than the bare minimum and driving continuously would lead to nothing else but a road accident. The person might doze of while driving and in no time there would a severe accident. These are the things which can be avoided just by having enough sleep each night and by not trying to achieve more than possible.
3. MAINTENANCE: No matter how new your car is or in how good condition it is, a check-up is required before starting a road trip. Being stranded in middle of nowhere on your road trip is something nobody wishes. Everyone wants a smooth road trip, one without car stopping in between. A regular oil check, full windshield fluid and appropriate tire pressure are to be checked before going on a road trip. Even if there is a little problem or issue, one should get it fixed because precaution is always better than cure.
4. TRAFFIC- One might be spontaneous and get on the road anytime of the day and on ready road which is a big no. Always check traffic conditions and leave when the city traffic is the lowest, normally it is during early morning or late at night. Being stuck in traffic will not only waste your time but also cost you extra fuel money and test your patience. It is also advised to keep a track of traffic on your route for a week before leaving so that you’re familiar with the traffic trends and can plan food and fuel accordingly.
5. DOWNLOADING MAPS: Almost everyone uses GPS systems and go on routes provided by the google maps or any other related software. But many people forget that these taps work using the internet and they will stop when the connections are weak which is quite often on a road trip. To avoid this issue, you can download the route before leaving or carry a paper map for better navigation and one will not get lost in the middle of nowhere.
6. ENTERTAINMENT: Nothing sounds better than a long drive with your favourite playlist. A good playlist of songs or podcasts are important on a road trip because one might get bored driving in silence. Also, it becomes extremely important when you’re traveling alone. These songs and podcasts will keep you company all through the drive. In addition, also download movies or your favorite shows to watch during your stay.
7. MECHANICAL KIT AND KNOWLEDGE- A full mechanical kit with an extra tyre and all the required tools is a must in your car. No matter if you’re going on a day adventure or a road trip, it is an essential. A tiny sharp rock or nail can puncture the tyre and one will be stranded on the highway without an extra tyre. Apart from this, the knowledge of changing a tyre is also a must. You won’t be able to help yourself unless you know how to change it and if one is depending on Youtube tutorials, the connection is normally AWOL on highways. Before starting your road journey, make sure you have this mechanical kit with full knowledge to utilize this.
8. JUNK FOOD: The foodie in us awakens when we are visiting different places forcing us to try local food and all junk food available. This is a delightful experience for sure but it can also lead to diarrhoea, vomiting and any numerous number of diseases. It is always advisable to have a little quantity of junk food and more of healthy hygienically prepared food.
9. FIRST AID: Leaving for a road trip without a first aid kit is like leaving for school without pens. Traveling can lead to traveling sickness, food poisoning due to dhaba foods and also flu and viral due to weather changes. Allergies are also a possibility because of change in water and air. A first aid kit will make sure that you have cure for all of these at your disposal always and you don’t have to look for pharmacies on highways. Another place where first aid kits can come to use are for small cuts and bruises.
10. LUGGAGE ON SHOWCASE: Keeping your luggage on showcase is a direct invite to thieves to come and rob you. When you are driving alone, it makes you much more vulnerable and the chances of robbery increases. Always make sure to keep all your luggage, especially valuables like laptops and cameras, covered either in the trunk of the car or under the seats. Covered luggage will also enable you to nap in the car itself without any worries.
11. WAITING FOR GAS: Some people wait till the last ounce to get gas because they think it will get them their money’s worth but on the contrary, it is not so. One should make sure that the fuel tank is almost half full at all times on a road trip. You cannot predict the upcoming obstructions rather it be bad weather or road blockage and in conditions like this, fuel is very important. You might want to take another route to your destination which is longer than anticipated and lesser fuel might not allow you to do so.
12. IGNORING TOLLS: Road tolls are everywhere specially in India. Even if you’ve to travel from Delhi to Gurgaon or Noida you’ve to pay the toll. On a road trip, there will be any number of tolls and it is compulsory to pay each. From last year, a new system has been started of ‘Fast tags’. These a stickers or devices pasted to your car, linked with your paytm wallet. Every time you pass a toll, the money will be deducted automatically. If your vehicle isn’t equipped with fast tag then, you’ll have to pay double the toll to pass through it. This system was introduced to promote cashless transactions and digital economy.
No matter how excited you are to go on a trip, always keep certain things in mind before starting to have a smooth journey and when you’re starting a road trip take extra precautions. In a road trip you’re independent and there is no one you can rely on for helping you. Even a small mistake like forgetting to keep a mechanical kit or ignoring low gas warnings will lead to a stranded vehicle in the middle of nowhere with a high possibility of no network and no one to help for miles. With Travel Art Company, you can forget about all these things. We at Travel Art we make sure that your journey can be as comfortable as possible. We have something for everyone. Our luxury buses and experienced drivers will give you no chance to complaint. Our buses are equipped with first aid kits and GPS systems making your journey safe and sound. In addition, we also have travellers for smaller groups and even cars for rentals too. If you want to travel in the comfort of your own car but don’t want to be the designated driver, we have experienced drivers that can take you to your destination and back to your home. We at Travel Art believe to make your journey as beautiful and dreamy as art. Choose Road trip, choose Travel Art.