Useful tips for auto travelers

Putting it together on the list

If you think that you will not forget anything and so, then in vain. In the hustle and bustle, it is easy to forget not only the most necessary things, but also the necessary little things, which you can later regret. So you don't have to walk back halfway, start your car journey by making a list of your essentials. And to make it easier for you, take as a basis a ready-made list of necessary things for a traveler.
1. Documents - passports, birth certificates of children, driver's licenses, car documents.
2. Money, bank cards, gas station cards.
3. Phone, tablet, laptop (mouse, mat), camera (lenses, tripod) and chargers for them - automobile and ordinary, memory cards and other small accessories, a video player for a child.
4. Navigator, video recorder.
5. Route plan (road map).
6. First aid kit - 2 pieces, a set of a motorist.
7. Clothes for the season.
8. Food for the trip, drinks.
9. Plaid, a small pillow.
10. Accessories for the child




Now let's take a closer look at each item.

Preparing documents

Collect passports of all family members, birth certificates of children, license and car documents. Be sure to make photocopies of your documents. In addition, scan all documents and send them to your e-mail. Place the photocopies and originals in separate bags. And even if photocopies have no legal force, in case of loss of originals, it is better than nothing at all.

Money

It is preferable to keep money on a bank card, and have just as much cash as you need to refuel the car, food, plus a little more for unforeseen expenses. At the same time, it is better to pay for gasoline from a card.

Gadgets

Before traveling, update the maps in the navigator and make sure that the dashcam in the car is working properly. Charge phones, tablets and other batteries.

We develop a route




It is a very useful habit to plan your trip in advance. There are a lot of services on the Internet where you can indicate the beginning and end of the route, and the service will show you the approximate distance in kilometers, the approximate travel time, the location of road repairs, possible traffic jams and their detour routes, and even calculate the amount of gasoline required in liters and its cost in rubles (or other currency). Having detailed route information in advance will reduce your stress on the road.

Here's what you need to know before traveling by car:

The location of hotels and motels along the route (as well as telephone numbers and approximate prices for accommodation),
location of large hypermarkets (as a rule, they are located on the outskirts of large cities),
location of parking and rest areas, good gas stations,
the presence of hospitals and pharmacies along the route,
addresses of car services,
addresses of canteens, cafes or fast food restaurants.
Write a plan, or better yet, print it out and put it in the car in an easily accessible place. Such a plan is not particularly necessary for short-distance travel. But on a trip of 1000, 1500 and more kilometers, it helps the driver and passengers a lot.

Please note that not all of our tracks are ideal and not in all directions it is easy to find an all-inclusive gas station with a playground and free wi-fi with Internet access via the I-pad, which the organization will provide you with free use right there in cafe hall. On some deserted roads, it is impossible to find even a small motel. Be sure to take these nuances into account.

What to eat on the road while traveling by car




It all depends solely on what you are used to eating, but there are some small useful rules here:
1. Use a cooler bag or thermos bag. The second keeps warm or cold not so long, and is not quite suitable for long journeys.
2. Food is best packed in small, sealed plastic containers.
3. On the road, it is most convenient to eat "piece" food - those that are calculated in pieces: sausages, cutlets, apples, sliced ​​cheese, bread, peeled eggs, nuts, and so on. This is especially convenient when passengers have a snack while the car is moving. Multi-layered sandwiches, sauces are extremely uncomfortable food on the road.
4. If you need hot liquid food, stock up on a special thermos for food. Such thermoses are sold in ordinary crockery stores.
5. Be sure to take drinking water - with or without gas. Don't take too many bottles. You can always buy water at any local store or gas station. It only makes sense to buy more drinking water if you are traveling, for example, on a climate change vacation, and there is concern that the local water may cause unwanted side effects in your body. In this case, it is best to put several 5 liter bottles of drinking water in the trunk.
6. Invigorating and hot drinks - tea with lemon, coffee or - very convenient to have on hand. In a thermos, boiling water does not cool down for about a day, and you will have a great opportunity to have a coffee break somewhere in a green birch grove.
7. Put a pack of wet wipes and a few food bags in your food bag where you can put used dishes, napkins, and cutlery.

Essentials for very little toddlers:
1. Personal hygiene items. Wet wipes (1 large pack), disposable diapers (2-4 pcs), cotton diapers (2-4 pcs), diapers. It is very convenient to use diapers-panties in the car, if the child's age already allows, especially in the cold season - changing the baby in them is much easier than in a regular diaper. Next to the car seat, put 2-3 cotton diapers or a towel - in case the child gets seasick - it is very convenient to quickly put a diaper on so as not to stain the chair and clothes.
2. Baby food. Everything here is very individual. But in general, it is convenient to use meat and vegetables in glass jars with a screw cap, ready-made cereals with a straw. Do not take fermented milk products on the road to avoid food poisoning. If you are feeding a baby with formula, buy some of the most inexpensive bottles from the pharmacy that you can simply throw away after each feed. Such a purchase will not hit your budget hard, but it will save you from a lot of problems and unnecessary hassle along the way.
3. Clothes. Prepare a bag of clothes that you will have on hand in your car. Even in summer, it is worth putting warm socks and a blouse in a bag (the weather in another region can change dramatically), and in winter - a light T-shirt and thin tights.
4. A small blanket.
5. Toys, a book.
For older children:
1. Favorite delicacies, food, drink.
2. A book or player (tablet) with cartoons.

What to put in the medicine cabinet

You will have two first-aid kits. The first is the one that must be in the car according to the Traffic Rules of the Russian Federation and the second is your personal one.
An indicative list of medicines:
Motion sickness pills, if necessary,
analgesics, antispasmodics,
antihistamines,
temperature remedy, including for children,
remedy for indigestion and poisoning,
medicines prescribed by your doctor,
remedies for flu and colds, for coughs,
sore throat spray or tablets
nasal drops,
thermometer,
plaster, bandage,
iodine, brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide.

Clothes and footwear

Clothes are selected according to the season, but may come in handy:
1. In the summer season, take warm clothes: jeans, a sweater, socks, a windbreaker, sneakers or autumn shoes.
2. Slim raincoat that fits easily into your purse.
What else can you need for a road trip?
Soap, a small towel and a bottle of water to wash your hands
Toilet paper
Driving glasses
Small garbage bags
Lantern
Notepad and pen
Plaid and auto-pillow

Checking the car before the trip




It will not be superfluous to call in a service station and check:
Brake system, parking brake
Tire pressure
Oil level in the engine and gearbox, whether there are any leaks on the oil pan
Brake fluid and power steering system level
Coolant level in the radiator
Serviceability of lighting: turn signals, dimensions, low / high beam, brake lights, hazard warning lights, fog lights, reverse
Windshield washer operation, brushes working properly
In the car, if possible under the seat (not in the trunk!), There must be a serviceable, not expired fire extinguisher (or preferably two), a towing reflective cable, a jack, a key for removing wheels, a spare wheel, a set of tools for minor car repairs, spare lamps for headlights, warning triangle, car compressor for tire inflation, starter wires, safety vest with reflective elements.
It is not necessary, but it is advisable to always have in the car:
Thin but warm blanket
Sleeping bag
Small tent
Enjoy your journey by car along the roads of the world, bright positive emotions and new interesting impressions!

By the way, did you know?