10 tips for preparing for a road trip

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It's got to that time of year again that the days are getting longer and we think about planning some road trips. From town to country to coast we cover hundreds of miles in the search of new and exciting sights as well as revisiting some old favourites. It's very tempting to just chuck a bundle of things in the boot of your car and set off. Our experience in doing road trips means that a little preparation is needed. Here are our top 10 tips.

1. Plan a route – Being impulsive can be great fun but it can also be a waste of time and frustrating. Before you blindly turn off make sure the road is going to somewhere that is worth turning off for.

2. Have a suitable car – We have a seven seater people carrier which is great for road trips as it has an enormous boot. It also means there's scope to bring extra people on our trips. If you're looking for a new car then there's a great selection on Cars.com.

3. Tell people where you are going – You don't need to tell all and sundry what your plans are but make sure someone else knows you are going away. If the worst happens then at least one person will have a rough idea where you could be.

4. Have an in-car mobile phone charger – If you are going to be spending a lot of time on the road make use of the power in your car.

5. Have an actual map – We rely so much on SatNavs and mobile devices these days that it's easy to disregard a paper map. So many areas though still have no internet, mobile or GPS signal so an old fashioned map could save you from getting lost.

6. Be an orderly packer – If you a spending a lot of time on the road and taking luggage in and out all the time make it easy for yourself.

7. Pack a first aid kit – If you need a simple plaster or some antiseptic cream you can guarantee it will be while you are in the middle of nowhere. Make sure your supplies are kept in a nice clean tin or zipped bag.

8. Get adequate breakdown cover – Breaking down is never fun but you need to make sure your breakdown provider will come out to you wherever you find yourself. Think about adding on transportation to your next destination or even home.

9. Sort out an emergency kit – Sometimes you can get stuck in the middle of nowhere and other times it will be hours on a motorway. Wherever you find yourself stopping for a while ensure you have some blankets, food and water available.

10. Keep your fuel topped up – Where I live there are petrol stations every couple of miles but on the road it can be a long time before you see one. Don't get caught out and make sure you top up in time.

Have you got any road trips planned? What are your travel tips?