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Road Trip Packing List: The Essentials to Bring Along on Your Road Trip
On your trip, you will need to prepare the necessary luggage to be able to comfortably enjoy it, as well as prepare for possible contingencies. Careful preparation will give you more peace of mind, but we will need to filter out the necessary items by categories such as a vehicle-specific kit, personal belongings, and a combo set for travel first aid.
Here are some items that we think you might need to bring along with you in case you haven’t got them on the list already!
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Driver's License - Always Accompanies You
A driver's license is a type of license issued to citizens by a competent authority to enable them to operate, circulate and participate in road traffic. You will need to carry this permit with you at all times to prove you are fully capable of driving and ensure safety on the road. When passing through some checkpoints, the police may ask for a driver's license, so be prepared!
Vehicle Registration - An Essential Document to Bring Along
You will also need to bring your vehicle registration permit. If you are driving yourself, you will need this document to prove that you have registered your vehicle on the national vehicle system and to prove that you are the owner of the vehicle. Carrying this document will make it easy for you to prove the origin of the vehicle, as well as to avoid getting into unnecessary trouble when being asked about the related documents.
Car Repair Kit
Of course, you will need to prepare an extra car repair kit for this long trip, as you will not always encounter a car repair shop, so bring it along just in case it is necessary. You can buy this compact kit at all auto parts stores and it takes up only a very small amount of space on your vehicle.
Car Manual - An Emergency Vehicle Repair Manual
Each car has its unique characteristics and construction for each model. Therefore, the car manual was designed so that you can know the features and problems you will encounter so that you can be flexible and proactive in fixing your car. Bear in mind that not every technical question can be answered by Google. And it is not guaranteed that Google will have the right answer about the problems that your car is experiencing while on the road at the time. Therefore, you will need to carry this manual with you in case your car can get into trouble midway.
Travel Insurance - The Necessary Piece of Shield
A travel insurance package will cover the problem related to health issues during the trip. If in case of unfortunate events such as a health problem or an external situation such as the COVID-19 epidemic and you cannot leave the country, you will be compensated for the cost. When you are on a trip but need medical insurance in a foreign country, this insurance also helps you cover part of the total cost.
First Aid Kit - A Portable Medicine and Bandage Kit
When you go on a long trip, you will need to prepare medical equipment that can give you first aid in case of an emergency, because we might get injured even when we are very careful. If you often go camping or climbing, you will need to bring this mobile assistant to be ready for emergencies. Along with that, if you are taking prescription drugs, you will need to be prepared to bring these doses to ensure your health is always at the most stable level.
Spare Tire
Along the way, we may run into sharp objects that will cause the wheels to deflate and soften, or have been going for many days and the wheels begin to show signs of softening, leading to the tire's cover having to increase the contact area with the road surface, which will easily damage the wheel structure. Therefore, storing spare tires is always an important thing for long trips. On the other hand, you should also check the condition of the wheels before setting off to ensure safety.
Emergency Car Repair Kit
When travelling long distances, it will be difficult for us to avoid unexpected breakdowns. If you are on the top of a mountain or an empty pass, it will be difficult for you to call a car repair shop or ask for help from the car company you are using. Therefore, you will need to carry this kit with you to prevent the above unfortunate situation from happening, as well as to proactively repair your car quickly, avoid trip interruptions - as well as traffic jams.
Cash
In this day and age, you are comfortable paying online and swiping cards because the payment technology has been upgraded, but of course, cash still plays a vital role in our daily life. On the way, you will likely meet many small shops or homemade shops, so it will be difficult to pay through banking or swiping your credit cards like in big restaurants. Therefore, you will need to have some spare cash on hand so that you can buy groceries or pay for meals when you stop at a small restaurant along the way.
Spare Car Key - Lifesaver when Forgetting the Master Key
You will need to carry a spare car key with you. Many times you get out of the car too much, in case you temporarily park to buy things quickly, if the door is locked, what will you do in the meantime? Therefore, having a spare key ready will help you get out of an awkward situation, as well as reduce the time you spend waiting for the car company to bring the tool down to assist you.
Wheel Pump - Preventing Your Car Tires from Flatten
You will need to take this assistant with you on long trips. You can buy a portable pump, which is quite small so it won't take up too much space. On the way, not every place has car repair shops. Therefore, you will need to prevent the car from becoming soft and making it difficult to move, which will disrupt the trip. Checking the tire tension before going is a good thing to do to estimate the current condition of the wheels to help you feel more secure on the move.
Portable Trash Can
You should bring a small trash can to store used bottles, tissues or wrapping paper for fast food. Putting garbage in a separate bin will help keep your car organized and neat. Moreover, you can also easily empty the bin when you encounter a larger trash can on the road.
Portable Toilet Pot
If you’re on a road trip with children, a portable toilet is something you should consider to bring along. You will not always find a public restroom when you arrive at a stop. The children themselves are too young, so they will hardly be able to endure going to the toilet like adults. So equipping a portable toilet will help you worry less about your child getting sick, as well as… avoid having to go to the toilet on the side of the road!
Car Carpet Pads - Anti-dirt Essential for Car Floors
Think of all the times you get in and out of the car from the dirt or a muddy surface, your shoes will get stuck in a lot of mushy soil, which will make the floor of the car dirty and difficult to clean. Therefore, you will need to buy plastic car mats, to avoid these stains on the floor of the car after the end of the trip. This rug is very easy to clean, so it will not take much of your time.
Portable Umbrella - Rainy Days? No Worries.
Summer weather is very hot and sometimes it rains suddenly. Therefore, you will need to have a folding umbrella handy in your luggage to avoid it when it rains suddenly. There are many types of umbrellas with different sizes, you can choose from the options based on your needs and compatibility with the types of bags you often carry around.
Reusable Water Bottle - Always Stay Hydrated!
You should also prepare reusable water bottles to store water on the go. In case you are going through passes or hilly areas, there are very few convenience stores nearby where you can get a bottle of water. Therefore, you can actively prepare water bottles that can be used many times with a large volume to ensure that you always provide enough water for yourself, as to avoid falling into dehydration.
Navigation Apps - Online Road Instruction
You will need to install the navigation apps on your phone before setting them off. These apps can help you find your way easily or can indicate how long the distance is. You can also easily search for places to eat through these apps. The most popular is Google Maps, you can use this app and turn on GPS positioning. It will give directions and guide you on which road to turn to get where you want to go.
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