HOW TO PLAN A LONG ROAD TRIP

Before hitting the road, you’ll need to ensure your car is prepared for the journey. Check these items:

• Engine oil
• Water
• Washer Fluid
• Tyre pressure
• Cabin air filter
• Battery
• Auto emergency kit

Cleaning your car inside and out will make for a more comfortable and hassle-free adventure.

If you ran out of time or waited until the last minute to wash the outside of your car, you can get the job done quickly with our Hybrid Wash & Wax Waterless Cleaning. It’s a simple spray-and-wipe formula designed to remove dirt and soils without the use of water. It’s also perfect for bringing along on your road trip, in case you need a quick clean-up on your car’s exterior.

To freshen up your car’s interior before your trip, use our Multi-Purpose Dash & Glass Interior Cleaner, a one-step cleaning formula to remove dust and dirt from your windscreen and dashboard, and even your tech screens and instrument gauges.

As most road trips occur during the warmer months, bug splatter build-up can become a little heavy on your windscreen and grille. Our Bug & Tar Remover helps to remove sticky insect residue, along with tree sap and tar, to keep your view out the windscreen as clear as possible.

If you’re travelling abroad, keep your legal documentation on hand, and check on local requirements regarding equipment. Make sure you have your vehicle’s owner’s manual stored in your glove box, plus an emergency kit stored in your boot, which should include:

• Warning triangle
• Reflective vest
• Jumper cables
• Tow rope or strap
• Torch or headlamp
• First-aid kit

Ensure you can easily access the spare tyre and puncture repair kit when you pack your boot full of luggage, in the event of an emergency. Strap your luggage down to prevent anything flying forward if you become involved in an accident.

Get plenty of rest the night before, especially if you’re the driver. If possible, switch drivers about every 2 hours to avoid drowsiness. Take plenty of breaks to stretch your legs.

Utilize online tools to help with budgeting your trip, like road trip calculators for planning costs, both foreseen and unforeseen.

Two useful tools for calculating mileage are the RAC Mileage Calculator or AA Mileage Calculator. Both tools have customisable settings to best figure out fuel costs and ideal routes.

Roadtrippers is a wonderful all-purpose trip planner that makes recommendations for your route such as restaurants, entertainment, and delightful “off the beaten path” stops along the way. It’s user friendly and once you have your trip planned out, you can download the app and sync the trip to your phone.

With these tools, downloading your route can help you plan out the extra time you may need to give yourself for possible traffic jams, stops for stretching your legs, and fuel fill-ups. If you drive an electric car, learn where the roadside charging stations are located along your route.

It’s important to keep yourself comfortable and entertained on long road trips, but stock your cabin in an efficient manner to optimize space. Have everything easily within reach:

• Drinks in the cupholders
• Snacks in the glove box or centre console
• Entertainment for your kids
• Cables and chargers plugged into USB ports
• Your route printed out as a back-up in case you lose GPS signal

It may seem easier and more convenient to drink soft drinks, lots of coffee, and eat candy and salty snacks, but this can lead to fatigue and loss of concentration. Instead, try healthier snacks that are just as easy to nosh on while on the road.

• Drink water instead of soft drinks, and sip on low-caffeine drinks to keep yourself hydrated and awake.
• Snack little, but often. Having a few nibbles here and there will help keep your energy up, rather than eating a lot of food all at once.
• If your itinerary allows it, stop for a picnic! Take homemade sandwiches, salads, fruits and vegetables packed in a cooler, and find a scenic place to stop for a rest and delicious lunch.

These healthy food options make great road trip snacks:

• Fresh or dried fruit
• Fresh vegetables with guacamole or hummus dip
• Beef or turkey jerky
• Roasted chickpeas
• Nuts, like almonds, peanuts, or cashews
• Trail mix
• Granola bars
• Popcorn
• Sushi and rice cakes
• Homemade sandwiches
• Sugar-free chewing gum

Since food can easily spill in the car, not to mention greasy fingers and hands on the steering wheel and door handles, keep your interior clean with the Dash & Glass Interior Cleaner and throw out your rubbish when you make stops.

• Keep yourself entertained to avoid slipping into a highway hypnosis.
• Use your car’s Bluetooth or USB port to connect your smartphone to the speakers. Try using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for safe access to your Spotify playlists, audiobooks, and podcasts. Browse the wide selection of audiobooks offered through Amazon’s Audible app or check out Esquire’s guide to the 66 Best Podcasts You Can Listen To In 2021.
• Because you won’t have a fellow rider to nudge you awake when you start to get drowsy, avoid sugary drinks and food. Drinking plenty of water will help you to stay hydrated.
• If time allows, a scenic route can make your trip far more enjoyable and engaging.

Taking your kids on a fun family road trip can be a blast, and they will cherish the memories for a lifetime. But after a while, they may become a bit restless, so it’s important to keep them comfortable and entertained. Keep them safe too, with appropriate car seats for babies and toddlers, and booster seats and restraints for the older children.

• Occupy them with books and toys
• Have them use headphones while they play games or watch movies on their electronic devices, to keep everyone from having to listen in.
• Or, you can ban electronic devices, and play inclusive road trip games that’ll entertain the whole family, such as I-Spy or the Alphabet Game.

Children can be messy of course, but if you keep the Turtle Wax Interior 1 Multi-Purpose Cleaner & Stain Remover on hand, you’ll be able to quickly and easily clean up any spills from food and drinks, and the little accidents that might occur. The foam spray and detachable brush will clean, deodorise, and protect.

With your furry friend in tow, you’ll want to ensure their happiness and comfort is met. Items to pack:

• Travel carrier or kennel
• Blankets
• Cushioned bed
• Food
• Water and collapsible bowl
• Toys, such as Kongs and other durable types that can’t be easily destroyed, leaving behind a mess.

If possible, try to keep the same schedule that your dog is used to at home, to help them adjust and not stress. Make sure plenty of stops are made so they can stretch and burn off energy.

If your dog tends to have anxiety on car rides, your veterinarian can recommend a solution to help keep them calm. However, as long as you have the Turtle Wax Power Out! Pet Mess Kit, you can feel secure in knowing you’ll be able to quickly clean up any messes on the go.

The Power Out! Odor-X Spray eliminates odours at the molecular level and continues to deodorise for up to 30 days, ensuring the rest of your road trip is pleasant to the senses.