If you need a sign from the heavens to tell you to go on a road trip across the country, you may not be ready for one in the first place.
Quite on the contrary, actually!
Road trips, especially the ones that take you through secretive nooks and crannies of your land usually mean thorough planning, being able to muster some resources, and last but not least – having your car’s health at a full bar prior to embarking on your epic journey.
In this article, we’re going to talk about the things you need to take care of, as well as take into consideration when it comes to organizing yourself for a cross-country trip. As you will see, each of these matters as there’s no way getting around the fact that you need some proper organization before you set off on the voyage of your dreams.
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5 Signs You Are Ready for a Cross-Country Road Trip
You Have Saved Some Money
Even though the idea of simply jumping into your car and setting off on a trip into the distance may seem attractive (and it is), you’d still need to be aware of the state of your finances before you can do so.
Indeed, if you want a recipe for a disaster rather than a cross-country trip – make sure you have no idea about what’s happening in your bank account. All sorts of annoying and potentially dangerous situations can befall you along the way if you don’t have any money! (These would include running out of petrol, your gearbox acting up, eating all the food on the first day, and so on and so forth.)
So, to ensure a merry and fulfilling trip, prepare a budget you can work with. It will provide both security in case something unexpected happens AND will leave you with more room to have high-quality fun along the way!
Your Car Is Well-Taken Care Of
An excellent way to ‘check’ if a cross-country trip is waiting for you just around the corner would be to see the state of your car. (Of the car or van you’ll be using for the cross-country trip of course, not your other car – in case you have two.)
A well-tuned vehicle will hum along the road eating miles upon miles with ease, while a dodgy one will break down as soon as you leave your doorway. And that’s the best case scenario! (Imagine if it breaks somewhere later on down the road. That would be a way bigger bummer actually.)
Before leaving on your trip, remember to secure a few essential car accessories to keep your vehicle protected on the road. One such accessory is a custom-fit car cover that protects against UV rays and the elements when you have to park your car outside for some time. Next are durable car mats to keep the dirt off your vehicle’s floor. You’ll also need a windshield sunshade to help keep the heat out of your vehicle.
If your car is not already in good shape, you’ll definitely want to bring it into such a state, so to speak. In case you don’t know how to do this yourself, and you happen to live in Australia, you can hire the folks from Epping Auto Service and they’ll help you out.
You’re Getting Giddy
If a morose curtain of tedium is descending upon your everyday existence and there’s a drizzly November in your soul , you may be long overdue for a cross-country trip.
The best way to figure out if this is the case with you is to check if you’d like to beat everyone up and don’t see the point of going to work and you feel generally awful every day.
A big part of enjoying your cross-country trip lies in the fact that you’ll leave the day-to-day life for a while and change things up a little bit. For the record, a traveling salesman may not feel the same excitement for this type of holiday as someone who’s scarcely left their home town in months.
So, if you feel cooped up home, and would like to change things up a little bit – get ready for a trip of your lifetime!
Your Sleeping Bags Are Ready
And not just sleeping bags, but also food, spare clothes, maps, a radio (or a music player with a playlist), a toolbox for fixing your car, and a toothbrush.
Preparing all of these and perhaps a couple more things for your road trip is crucial for ensuring you won’t lack anything on your journey or be forced to buy it at a petrol station where everything is more expensive.
There’s Plenty of Music On Your Phone
Your phone, or any of the similar tablet-like contraptions that can play music – should be laden with music of your preference before you set off.
Cross-country trips are more about traveling itself than arriving anywhere, in particular, so making sure you have plenty of music ready at your disposal would be the best way to ensure the atmosphere in your car or van would be top notch!
All things considered, a cross-country trip doesn’t have to be complicated or take months to plan. All you really need is some money, a functioning car, a couple of maps, and some snacks along the way and you’re good to go!
