Getting away from it all is one of the principal joys of a modern life. You can pack up all of your key items, set off into the countryside, and camp or stay in hotels away from home purely for the enjoyment of being elsewhere. There are unpredictable troubles with a trip away from home, though, and these could leave you needing a little assistance if you’re not properly prepared for them. To offset these potentially getaway-ruining events, we’ve put together a list of things to prepare for when planning a trip away from home.
Car Troubles
First and foremost is the biggest concern for most people- car troubles.
Picture it: you’re out in the middle of a densely packed forest on a Saturday night with your family, you’re camping for the evening and you need to be back for work on Monday, and a lack of electricity has caused your phone to run out of battery.
You go to start the car the following morning and it doesn’t turn over, no noise issues from the engine, and you’re all of a sudden stranded in the wilderness with no way to contact anyone and no way to get home. Having a working car is pretty essential to a good camping trip, and having yours serviced immediately before a trip is a good habit to develop. It’s also a good idea, if you’re familiar with the area, to have a mobile mechanic in Brisbane on call for such emergencies.
Food
You’ll be wanting to eat on your luxurious trip away and the less planning you undertake on that point, the more likely you are to either need to eat takeaway (for town trips) or go hungry (for remote camping trips). Either way, this isn’t exactly an ideal situation to be in, as hunger is uncomfortable and takeout is expensive. To prevent this discomfort or cost, remember to pack more food than you think you’ll need in your car, and maybe make a habit of stashing a few protein bars and snacks in the glove box of your vehicle, for just such an emergency.
Water
Water is the number one most important thing to take on a trip anywhere.
It can top up your radiator (temporarily) in the event of an engine overheating, it can wash a wound in case of injury, and it can keep you alive for a few weeks without food in an unlikely disaster. Always make sure to have a ten-litre bottle of water hidden away in your car for any and all of these situations, and you won’t need to risk dehydration or overheating on what is meant to be a relaxing break.
Emergency Situations
In an emergency, all of the previously mentioned things are crucial to a safe passage back home, but there are other things that can be brought along to ensure more situations are catered for. In a more extreme example, for instance, a satellite phone with a spare battery can be a priceless tool to have in an extreme weather situation, or an extreme wilderness exploration problem.
Travel Costs
Preparing for the worst and hoping for the best is a good rule of thumb for travel costs, as it can end up saving you money in the long run. Fuel, insurance, plane flights and other travel related costs can be calculated beforehand, but what about the smaller costs often forgotten, like toll costs in other cities, or a surge in fuel prices? Calculate as close to the dollar as you can, and then add twenty five percent of the final cost as an emergency fund. If you don’t use it, you haven’t needed it and it can be saved or spent back at home, and if you did use it, then it did its job.
Unexpected Problems
Finally, the little things can often have a largely disruptive effect on your getaway plans. Things like flat tyres, forgotten sunscreen, getting lost and losing booking numbers are all common occurrences that can cast a shadow on a lovely weekend, and making a checklist for items needed is a great way to avoid most of those. Keep a spare tyre in your vehicle as well, just in case you need it.
With these things in mind, and a checklist in hand, you should have no problem staving off the relatively unpredictable dangers that the open road can throw your way. Keep your car regularly serviced, stock up on food, and get ready for a wonderful weekend away!