What If.....?

My packed trunk moving
 across the country

When packing for a road trip, it is always best to be comfortable and be prepared. Unlike a trip where you get on a plane to your destination, a road trip you can pack more in your car. I don’t know about you, but I always over pack. I like to be prepared for all occasions be it weather, emergency or be that person that brings the most random thing that, who knows you might need it in a pinch. Everyone knows the essentials when travelling but not everyone thinks about the What If’s?

• ·         What If your GPS breaks and you don’t have reception in the middle of nowhere to use your phone?
• Always bring a road map as backup. Go to CAA ahead of time and get maps and a TripTik. They highlight the whole trip for you and let you know about construction and what to look out for.
• ·         What If you lock your keys in the car?



My packed front seat moving
across the country

• Always travel with your spare set of keys. Keep your spare key in your purse or wallet and make sure you take it with you when you exit the car. (I might have locked my keys in my car with it running when I went into Tim Hortons on a road trip once. Had the spare key in my purse luckily.)
• ·         What If you have an allergic reaction?
• Always carry some Benadryl with you. Travelling with a little travel pharmacy with you doesn't hurt. I usually bring all the contents of my medicine cabinet as you never know what you might encounter on the open road.

Think about the What’s If’s on your next road trip, you might surprise yourself with what you bring that was a life saver. What is the weirdest thing you have brought on a road trip?

Before You Start....

Before you head out on your journey, there is one thing that you must know very well, your mode of transportation. Be it a car, motorcycle, RV or bicycle, your mode of transportation is the most important part of a road trip. Be comfortable with your vehicle, know the good and bad sounds, know how many kilometres you can go on the highway before you need to fill the tank, take your vehicle into the shop for an inspection, check the oil, air pressure in your tires, fill up on windshield fluid, etc. There is nothing worse then driving down the highway and your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

Purchase a CAA membership while traveling, even if you get it just for the journey and you cancel it. It is worth paying the membership price then having to find a tow truck and spend a few hundred dollars to get the car towed.  While travelling it would be better to splurge on the CAA Plus membership because if you need a tow it will tow you up to 250 km before they start to charge you for every kilometre after that. The basic membership will only tow you up to 10 km, it could get expensive with the cost of repairs.  As the Scouts say, Be Prepared.