For a bump free road trip!

In 1915 ,Gandhi ji went on train trip to discover India .It was eye opener for him and a turning point for our country.

After 100 years ,we too want to open our eyes to the wonder of this amazing world. What better way then a road trip?

Well ,RT (road trip) are not new concept, only the hype behind them is new. We, Indians have been forever going on road or rail trips and have been known to enjoy the whole process. Pre 2020 foreign destinations, adventure travels was picking up but with everchanging covid travel restriction RT have regained its top spot in the travel market.

RTs can be magical and give you long lasting memories. I, still fondly remember a memorable family road trip in 1990 with 2 other families through the southern states of India. My favourite memory is of stopping by the road side coconut stalls and drinking nariyal pani. For a north Indian back in 90s, to drink coconut water was ultimate luxury.

Anyway, this post is not about nostalgia rather to offer some practical tips which I found useful during our road trips.

What are the different types of RTs choices available?

Types of road trips

By Bus-Long gone are the horrors of rickety transport bus , which would break down in totally unsuitable places. Now,we can luxury travel and explore our country in the laps of super comfortable AC coaches. Buses are such a pleasure - no driving stress, be perched high on your plush seat and and gaze at the extensive horizon, chat informally  with a stranger sitting next to you ,stop at clean dhabas that the bus drivers prefers and trying the dal tadka with tandoori rotis. No serious decision to take, no concept of meeting time deadlines as buses are known for delays. Yes, mfemale solo travels need to be very cautious when travelling in bus, but with little planning and trying to start and end travel during the daytime, it can turn out to be a best road travel experience.

By cycle-Okay not my cup of tea but our adventurous Insta generation seems to enjoy it. Imagine  entering those unexplored dusty lanes as you avoid the mad hustle bustle of Indian highways .I am sure ,you are in for marvelous time. Prepare well by ensuring your seat is comfortable, your luggage is bare minimum and you  are time rich. Most of the popular tourist destination offer bikes for rent through apps. Here are the details of smart bikes introduced in Chandigarh.

https://techedo.com/blog/electric-bike-in-chandigarh/

Slow travel is in,Folks!

Walking-Again my idea is walking for an hour or two but apparently this is the only way to get to know the should of a place. I picture dusty travellers rambling around for days to explore quaint villages, national parks ,ancient cities as part of slow travel which most bloggers seems to advocate. Books by Bill Bryson should be your guide as the author explores the English countryside. It awakened the passion for walking trips in me which I am yet to explore in length but ek din iska bhi ayega....

Car (of course)-The ever popular form of travel in these covid times. You travel with your own family and hence lessen the chance of exposure. Google- road trip India and you will find scores of people asking for the type of car best suitable for road trips or the less congested route they should take as they travel to X to Y .This mode of travelling has gained more social media visibility.

I find the car road trip adventures of this gusty lady very inspiring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dBgdw1dKhE

Motorhome, caravans...- Slowly, these types of road traveling is also catching up with us Indians. Motorhomes are still not RTO approved but caravans on rent are. Pricy as of now but as the popularity increase the cost will definitely come down.

https://www.idiva.com/lifestyle/travel/budget-friendly-caravans-to-rent-in-india-for-a-safe-road-trip/18013409

So what else do we need to do for a smooth road trip?

Route

Plan an easy to drive route. Avoid highways if possible. They are increasingly getting ugly with all those flyovers where you don’t even know which town, city you are passing over. After all the heart of India is in its villages. Start by exploring your own district, state. People you meet on the road are sure to ask about the attractions in your region. Educate them and encourage tourism in your area, state ,country too. In initial road trips, it is very relaxing and comforting to sleep in your own bed after a tiring day. Plus if a sudden lockdown is announced you can come back to the safety of your home. There are many apps or websites that help you plan the route for a better road trip. Check this one out!

http://hivayking.in/

Packing

When the boys were young I enjoyed the luxury of carrying anything in our own car but now I pack only necessities. Buy those square cane baskets that can be stacked one above the other. The top basket on the stack I store some easy to grab snacks/drinks. An icebox is a good buy and helps you store fruits, veggies, cold sandwiches, cold soups etc. If the car is small and you have no space for an ice box along with your luggage then better freeze all drinks and then load these in car on the morning of trip.

So what are the must-large umbrella, picnic mat/chairs, blanket, one or two cushions, basic cutlery and crockery, knife and peeler, ,ingredient to quick to assemble healthy food, mix match clothes, sturdy shoes and slippers, some board games.

One or two large soft drink bottles filled with tap water to wash hands, toilet emergencies.

Never ever congest the back set of the car even if you are on solo road trip or as couple. A heavily loaded car can cause lots of problems.

Do remember you can easily buy anything you may need . Road trips are all about spontaneity ,even shopping.

Keep space for all that beautiful handmade stuff India is so famous for.

Snacking and Food

Is it only me or are there others ?

I feel terribly hungry on road trips. Junk food and all that sitting means unnecessary added kilos in the long run. So ,I try to munch on fruits ,nuts and here is the best- You can buy all these on the road . Do keep some small denomination currency for quick shopping.

Another big problem is drinking water. We end up buying umpteen bottles and polluting the very places we go to admire. So better buy jug with in built filter. Fill with tap water and wait for 2-3 minutes, ready to drink! Only problem is if you want cold water. I carry these clay bottles which I fill with filtered water from the jug( Both available on Amazon)

Sometimes the water taste is not good then I try infusing water with lemon, cucumber or any fresh fruit we buy on the road.

Breaks

The whole purpose of slow travelling is to enjoy the road as much as you will enjoy the final destination. So ,do plan few intentional breaks to stretch, have breakfast/snacks, use wash rooms or just visit road side temple or quaint looking bridge or that roadside amma selling corn cobs. The best memories are of these random- unplanned breaks.

Toilets can be a big problem on road trips. Seriously ,practise bladder control! But whenever you spot a clean fuel station or dhabba -use the toilet facilities .Many times we enter a town just to use the toilet. I plan our meals in such towns too ,to save time.

Now, I have started looking at portable toilets that can be put in car. Lack of Toilets is road trippers worst nightmares😢.

Car maintenance

Do try to address the unexplained noises, squeaks the car is making. Many a times you can avert serious issues . Our car was refusing to start with the first turn of key but subsequently would start and then seemed okay. Still after another repeat of the same problem , we decided to venture into the next town and am so glad we did. Apparently, the engine wire was so loose that a big road bump would have completely loosened it. Imagine it happening on busy road with bumper to bumper traffic. On a longer road trip, involving different terrain, its better to regularly get the car checked frequently even if things seem okay.

Camping

Camping outdoors in India can be a problem, even risky. India does not have dedicated camping grounds as in Europe or Africa. We haven’t camped in India but few camping friends tell us that they approach a village and request the sarpanch/headmaster to guide them to some vacant but safe spot. Usually they end up in primary school compound ,temple/gurudwara complex and there set tent. You do become center of attraction for the whole village and are in for lots of unwanted curiosity. Good opportunity to chat and interact with a local as most bloggers seems to encourage us to do🙄!

Accommodation

I prefer the comfort of a well made bed so we book ourselves into  airbnb, hotel/lodge . But I would love to go on a unplanned road trip and stay at the hotels/lodges that look nice. I want to able to judge a book by its cover!!

Entertainment

People like music as they drive but I like to hum on my own. Do listen to news ,especially if you can tune into local radio stations. Helps you to get info about road condition, traffic and congestion. A timely warning about an accident leading to massive traffic jam helped us to plan an early lunch .We got talking with some locals, who guided us to a longer but scenic side road thus avoiding all that chaos on the highway. Yes, that side road was reflected on google map but that conversation helped us to understand the road condition.

If you have kids then play with them. I like place atlas where you name the place and the next person will call out a place with the last letter and so on. We carry deck of cards, frisbee, tennis ball(sometimes bat) etc . Don’t let them (and yourself)rely soley on phones for entertainment. Carry a book or buy on road.

Road trips are bonding time. Make best of them!

What else? Share your ideas/tips.