Planning a Road Trip Somewhere Far Away? Here’s How to Be Fully Prepared

You don’t have to be an experienced traveller to take a road trip in a foreign country. Many people recommend backpacking and getting accustomed to travelling before embarking on an international road trip but as long as you are prepared no experience is necessary. Taking a road trip in a foreign country can be challenging to do without preparation because there are a lot of different things that need to be planned for like inclement weather or dangerous areas.

This post will tell you how to be prepared for a road trip abroad:

Selecting Location

One of the first considerations that need to be made if you are planning on going away for a road trip is the location that you are going to travel to. Some places are better than others as far as road trip destinations go. Many people would agree that Central America is one of the best places in the world for a road trip, with Costa Rica being the most popular country. Not only will a Costa Rica road trip be fun it will also be safe. Central America isn’t exactly known for safety but Costa Rica is ranked as the safest of all of its neighbouring countries; it is also a very cheap place to get around which makes travelling there for long periods of time ideal for individuals on budgets.

Leasing Vehicle

How do you plan on taking a road trip? Will you export your car from your home country or hire one? Most experts agree that it’s better to lease a car than to bring your own. Transporting your car internationally can be a nightmare unless you are travelling by ferry like you can from the United Kingdom to Europe for example. Make sure that you have the correct documentation for your car if you are going to take it. Alternatively, ensure that you read a rental agency’s reviews before hiring them so you can make sure they are worth working with.

Filling Stations

Create a map documenting all of the filling stations along your route. There is no guarantee that you are going to have cell service for all of your journeys so if you do not keep track of where all of the filling stations are then you won’t be able to get fuel when you need to. Running out of fuel in a foreign country can be dangerous especially if you don’t speak the language. Many experts agree learning the language of a country you are planning on travelling in should be one of your main priorities if you are intending on taking a road trip there. Until you know the language a road trip is a bad idea as you won’t be able to ask for help if you need it.

Bringing Supplies

Bring supplies with you on your vacation. Even if you are driving through built-up areas and cities with an abundance of restaurants, cafés and grocery stores you still need to have snacks and water in your car. Travelling without supplies could lead to you ending up in a very nasty situation if your car were to break down somewhere remote. Supplies also allow you to save money; travelling is not cheap after all.

Dangerous Areas

Depending on where you are travelling there could be dangerous areas unsafe for tourists to travel in. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that because they come from a safe country they can travel with impunity like they would at home. Travelling in dangerous areas puts your life at risk and the lives of your travel companions. Conduct extensive research before going abroad so that you can make sure the place you are travelling to is safe for tourists like yourself to visit, travel in and explore. Your country’s embassy should be able to advise you on where is and isn’t safe.

Researching Weather

Before travelling anywhere it is important to research the weather. Some parts of the world experience more unpredictable weather than others. If you do not research the weather before you are travelling then you can end up getting caught in a hurricane, blizzard or storm. Being caught in inclement weather abroad can be dangerous because you will likely not be familiar with driving on that country’s roads and highways. Make sure the weather forecast is good before you travel which you can do by researching online.

Road trips are a great way to see a new country and experience new things. Many people make the mistake of thinking they can take road trips without preparing first but in most cases this is impossible. Taking a road trip isn’t the same as jumping in your car and heading to the grocery store; you need to prepare, plan and think ahead.