The time for that trip you’ve been planning for months has finally arrived. You and your family are seated comfortably in the car, the sights are relaxing and the cool breeze is gently caressing your cheeks. There’s a smile on everyone’s face, as the destination and the promise of a lovely time are just ahead of you.
And then, you realize – you forgot to bring something essential for the trip! The journey suddenly turns into a stressful affair; the smiles are gone and the frustration is in the air, making you wish you just stayed at home. To prevent this from happening, we’ve prepared this article that should help ensure a pleasant voyage for you and your family. Think of it as a sort of reminder that you should consult with before leaving, in order to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.
4 things to have in your car for the family
Something to nibble
Regardless of whether you’re planning on stopping and having a meal somewhere along the way, you should always have something to eat in the car.
https://pixabay.com/photos/berries-plate-fresh-fruits-1838314/
Of course, you don’t have to bring a meal of fillet mignon or chateaubriand, but having some snacks or fruit will be a nice temporary solution, in case someone gets hungry and you can’t stop anywhere to eat. And having a candy bar or two (or five) will be useful if some of the passengers have low blood sugar.
Cold drinks for hot summer days
Likewise, don’t forget to bring some water or soda. The lack of drinks in the car is likely to make everyone irritable, and there’s no need for that to happen.
The approaching summer will be hotter than it’s been for years, and a bottle of cool refreshment will surely come in handy. In an extreme case, you might also get dehydrated, but not if you bring enough cold, liquid goodness in the car with you.
Medicine
If you or someone in your family suffers from a medical condition, forgetting to bring the medicine won’t be good, to say the least.
But even if you don’t suffer from any specific condition, it’s always a good idea to have medicine for alleviating a possible headache or motion sickness. Not only will your family feel more pleasant, but you’ll also avoid having to clean stains from your seats.
A game plan
Depending on the length of the journey, you might easily need something to pass the time. This could be a music CD, a mobile video-game console such as Nintendo Switch, or simply the awareness of a cool game you could play.
For example, trying to guess a famous person that someone thought of, by asking a series of questions until arriving at the final answer, is always a fun time.
3 things to have in the car for the car itself
A full gas tank
It’s very useful to always be aware of the amount of fuel you have left. And not only at the start of the journey, but every step of the way, too. It may happen that you’ll get too preoccupied with all the other travel arrangements, so don’t forget to fill your gas tank. You’ll need it no matter where your destination is.
If you don’t check your fuel level regularly, it wouldn’t be surprising if you got stranded somewhere along the way. After waiting for someone to tow your car, you’ll probably head to the nearest bus station to take the bus home.
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Car documents
Make sure you’ve brought all car-related documents you might need. Driving license, car registration document, best travel insurance. You never know when you’ll get stopped by the routine police inspection, or, God forbid, you might be involved in a car accident. Having all the relevant documents will prepare you, at least somewhat, for such unpleasant situations.
And, make sure that your passports are in the car before leaving, if you’re traveling abroad. The border is the last place where you’ll want to remember that your passports are, in fact, still sitting forgotten on your living room table.
Electric car charger
Finally, in case of traveling in an electric car, you’ll need the charger. You can also prepare notes on the places along the way where you’ll be able to charge your vehicle. Planning your route according to such places will allow you to never worry about running out of energy on the road.
Depending on the kind of charger and the model of your vehicle, the time needed to charge the vehicle will vary, which is another factor that will influence your travel plans.
Have a good time
And with that, we’ve covered all the more general things you might need in your car for a relaxing family trip.
Last but not the least, it goes without saying that you should fill the car with some positive vibrations, which is just as important as everything we’ve mentioned (okay, except for the medicine). We wish you a splendid trip!
Feature photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/family-people-car-looking-children-932245/