Thanks to a global pandemic, international travel will be off the cards for a while. However, that doesn’t stop us from road-tripping around our country or state (unless it isn’t safe for you to do so, please make sure you listen to the health advice provided by your government). Long car rides can be boring, so here are some essentials that can help you pass the time while having a bit of fun!

#1 A device
This one is pretty obvious, a phone, iPod, iPad or any device that you can use to entertain yourself is something that most people bring with them anyway. But do you realise how many things you can do to pass time with them? Firstly, if you’re like me you have games and social media on your phone. Honestly, we spend a lot of time on these apps at home anyway, so why not use them to pass time during a road trip!
Secondly, you can take incredible photos on you (hopefully) scenic drive. The cameras on phones alone are some of the best quality around today! You can take and edit your photos on the drive and then post them to your socials after (if you want to). What a relaxing way to spend the car trip!
Of course there is this little thing called music you can get from your phone too but I’ll mention more on that later!

#2 A portable charger
Using your phone for hours on end would definitely run it flat easily. Bringing a fully charged portable charger allows you to charge your device without a power point. And you don’t have to get an expensive one for it to work. I know Target sells them and you could probably get a good portable charger online for a decent price.
One of the best things about a portable charger is the long battery life. The one I have (a Romoss Sense 6 LED which can be found for $35 on Amazon) lets me charge my devices up to 10 times (depending on the size and how much battery it has when I plug it in) before I need to charge it. This one specifically has two charging ports so if you need to charge two devices you can. Honestly, it is one of the best investments I’ve made and I hope that this advice can help you if you struggle to keep your phone alive (especially during road trips).

#3 Headphones and a long playlist
The obvious activity to pass time is bringing a pair of headphones and a long playlist. This is probably one of the staple activities to do during a road trip and making a tailored playlist according to your current mood and who you’re currently listening to can really change a drive to your destination. I went on a road trip in early December 2020 and we blutoothed my Spotify playlist through our car. My sister and I ended up spending the time screaming lyrics and providing my family with a concert!
Headphones are here just in case you feel a bit antisocial or you don’t want your companions to know what you’re listening to. We all have that one song that we want no one to hear.

#4 A book
As someone who gets motion sickness, I personally can’t use this option however, I know so many people that love to read in the car. This can be your chance to finish that series that you’re best friend is begging you to finish or to reread your favourite series.
Just be careful, if you start feeling sick stop immediately and focus on the horizon. Otherwise you could be in a bit of a pickle…

#5 Snacks and water
Who thought sitting in a car for a long period of time could make you hungry? By bringing simple snacks like packets of chips (crisps), biscuits or cookies or even cut-up vegetables and fruit in a cooler bag can be your saviour. Bring something that is easily portable and doesn’t make a mess. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be sitting in crumbs for extended eras of time.

#6 A pillow
Finally, here’s a regular household item that can actually be useful on a road trip. Depending on your accommodation, you may or may not need to bring a pillow with you on a road trip. But even if you don’t, I recommend you bring one for the car drive. Not only does it make the car more comfortable, but you can also sleep on it! Another staple road trip or car drive activity, but you can be tiered (especially if you’re leaving early). So these car drives can be a great way to catch up on some sleep or just get more!

There’s all of my Road Trip Essentials for you. Do you have anything I’ve missed? Comment it down below! We’d love to hear what you use to keep yourselves entertained on these long drives!
Travel safely!

Post by  daniela_bagnato