The summer before my sophomore year of college was one to remember- my best friend and I hopped in a car and road tripped it across Canada, but we ran into a few road bumps along the way.
1. Pack LOTS of snacks.
If you’re going on a one-week trip- pack enough snacks to last you two weeks...at least. You’ll never believe how many times you’ll randomly crave a power bar or chocolate chip cookie while on the road a painful number of hours.
2. Expect to hate each other (temporarily).
Let’s face it- being forced to spend all day and all night
with your best friend in a small enclosed space for an extended period of time
can be a challenge. You’ll disagree about a
lot of things along the way (probably small things, like debating how long
you can possibly go without filling up your gas tank again), and most likely
get into a few small, petty arguments. The most important thing is to just
remember why you’re on this trip in the first place, and do whatever is best to
keep your mental sanity and arrive at your next destination safely.
3. Make an effort to create a music playlist together BEFORE you depart.
There is absolutely nothing worse than disagreeing on the music selection during a road trip. After hours and hours of driving an absurd distance, the last thing either of you want is to disagree on the background tunes. Trust me, this can get messy and easily create conflict if the driver wants to relax to some Khalid, and the passenger wants to get lit to G-Eazy.
4. Keep the car as clean as possible.
If you’re traveling as much as we did (10-15 hour driving days), it is imperative that you and your travel buddy keep a clean car. This is the hub of all activity- the place where you will spend the most amount of time during your trip. Nobody wants to be trapped in a car with rotting cheese or expired milk in the cooler, it’s just torture for everyone. Heed my warning, regularly check the expiration dates on all of your perishables, and make sure your cooler is clean and rotten-food free.
Take pictures, lots of them. There is no better way to remember your adventures and travels than an album full of pictures. My best friend and I separated our pictures by making an album for each place we visited, and a “random” album for those hilarious in-car selfies in-between destinations.
6. Map out your bathroom and food stops in advance, if possible.
I speak from experience when I say this... peeing on the side of the road in rural northeast Maine in the pouring rain is NOT ideal. If you have the time, take advantage of travel apps and tools to help you plot out convenient food / bathroom stops along your way.
7. Make sure that the places you're staying at are safe.
Expedia pictures can make any hotel look safe. However, when you arrive at your destination, this may not always be the case. The last thing you need after driving for 14 hours straight is to end up at some sketchy motel in the ghetto of Montreal. Yes, this happened to us. No, it was NOT a fun time. Make sure to research the area you’re staying in before you arrive, and read the reviews on other travel websites in addition to Expedia. Pro tip: if the check in desk has bullet-proof glass separating you from the desk attendant, that’s probably a telltale sign that you should get the hell out of there...ASAP.
8. Embrace the local culture... but not too much.
If you’re road tripping internationally, there may be a language difference in some of your destinations. For us, our time in Quebec was interesting as neither of us spoke a lick of French. In order to “blend in”, I tried to greet locals with a friendly “bonjour!” however, this totally backfired when they responded completely in French, and I stood there looking like a deer in the headlights.
9. Carve out time for random, yet extremely necessary side-of-the-road naps.
Driving in general is tiring, but driving for 10+ hours straight is undoubtedly exhausting. When you and your travel buddy have been driving since 5 in the morning, you may find it necessary to take a nap on the side of the road. Pull over, recline your seats, lock your doors, put on Spotify’s Deep Sleep playlist, and relax. An hour power nap may be beneficial, and definitely beats falling asleep at the wheel.
10. Be prepared to grow.
Traveling is incredible. You’re exposed to all sorts of new cultures, new foods, and new people. If you have the opportunity to road trip it with your best friend, go for it. You will never regret it. Embarking on a parent-free road trip will force you to be as responsible as possible, and you will learn things about yourself, and your best friend that you never knew (plus, you’ll be really good at pumping gas by the end of the trip). What could be better than bonding with your bestie over that weirdo local old guy that just tried to add you on snapchat?!
