Roadtrips: Planning every detail

Although it’s fun to take an unplanned road trip, que sera sera, it’s important to consider issues about safety, budget, time and destination to enjoy the trip smoothly. Lots of things might happen in a road trip and being prepared is your back up to any circumstances.

What you need to consider when taking road trips depend on the purpose of you trip. Purpose? Yes. Either will it be an aimless journey or a mapped out destination.

 WHERE TO GO

• Your Hometown

It may be the place where you are born or where your parents grew up. A trip home gives one a recollection of their past. So, why not make a schedule of a trip going back to your roots. Visit a relative or childhood friends.

• Festivals or Fiesta Season

Sinulog Festival in Cebu

We Filipinos celebrate different festivals as an honor to patron saints. Each hometown and provinces held festivities every year. Why not research festival schedule from nearby provinces and plan a trip from town to town. Tip: Avoid a road trip during Flores de Mayo season as you’ll get stuck on heavy traffic due to processions and parades. Or, if you’re ready to get stuck on traffic, and get a glimpse of the beauty of the floats and santacruzan, might as well go and join the parade.

• Food tripping

It is everyone’s favorite reason for making a trip. Who would not want to try new menus from the other side of the country? Like, the Sisig of Pampanga or the spicy Laing of Bicol. Just make sure to eat moderately, you’re on the road remember…. public comfort rooms are not always comfortable neither always accessible.

• Visit new places

Have you been in Baluarte Zoo in Vigan? Or in Banna, Ilocos Norte and tried the new Zipline adventure? Visiting new places you’ve never been and discovering what it has to offer is another perfect reason to plan a road trip. You wouldn’t want to be left behind of the new talk of the town, anyways.

• Spiritual or Religious Quest

Kamay ni Hesus Shrine

Every year before or during summertime we observe Holy Week as Catholics. It is a regular holiday in the country as a tradition and a perfect time for busy people to go on vacation. It’s a great time also to plan a trip relevant to the occasion like a visit to holy places or do a retreat or a pilgrim. Why not try Kamay ni Hesus shrine in Lucban, Quezon, or a visit to Mt. Banahaw in Dolores also in Quezon. This kind of trip offers one a reconnection to spirituality not just plainly looking for fun.

Among these reasons, there are other things to consider in choosing a road trip destination. Such as;

Budget

Of course, what are you going to spend on food, accommodation, toll and entrance fees, “toilet fee”, and most importantly, Gas? Whether you’re driving your own wheels or rented a vehicle for your trip, everything will depend on your budget. Be it a lavish expedition or a frugal journey, it is quite important to have enough funds to spend especially on emergencies.

Weather

Although it is not a common practice for every “Juan” to check on weather conditions, why not try practicing it every time you plan a trip. We all know that this country experiences heavy rainfall that causes floods and landslide, so be prepared and advance in knowing where to go to avoid such calamities while on the road. You wouldn’t want to get trapped or stranded on a flooded road and ruined your vacation.

WHAT YOU NEED

After confirming your destination, budget and the weather condition, what’s next is making a list of what to bring along in your journey. It will save time and effort if you think you’ve packed all the necessary things.

Van For Hire in Cebu

Your Car – is it perfectly conditioned for a long drive? Spare tire, air, breaks, tools, and Gas? Bringing your own car maybe fun as you’ll be able to practice your driving skills on a long less traffic roads, but do you know what to do in case of flat tires and over-heats?

Food for snacks – bringing your own baon for the trips saves you some penny. Foods that can be bought on the road most of the time are pricey and parking sometimes takes time and cause delays. So enjoy sightseeing and some chatting while dipping on snacks and drinks you brought along. Just be a responsible citizen and don’t litter especially on the road..

Emergency Kit – being prepared beats the odds. Whatever circumstances may occur, always have something to pull out of your compartment. Tool box, first aid kit, communication gadgets, map or a compass (google map is the best if you have wifi), and emergency contact numbers are some of the most important to have in your journey.

Itinerary or Route Plan – it’s a road trip, there’s plenty of stop over, roads and streets to take, towns to pass by, bridges to cross and crossroads to choose. Map the trip by listing down possible places to stop by and distances of every destination. Make a list of possible activities and objectives you’d encounter along the way. That way, you won’t have to miss anything or worst, get lost.

Although, to some people getting lost might be fun to discover new places, routes and destination, if you’re not that resourceful and can’t read maps... it’s a waste of time.

Pack your things days ahead, this way, you can have an ample time to check all the necessary supplies and stuffs. As the day draw near, you might also think of other things to bring or another place to go for the coming trip.

On the contrary, it’s an adventure! And could be more exciting and more awesome if it became spontaneous and unanticipated..

The best thing…? Don’t forget to take pictures (obviously), so you can document every steps you’ve left and footprints you’ve planted on places you’ve been.. (and something to post on your Facebook as well)..

Have a safe trip.