Prep Your Ride for Travel
Some things to consider before travelling by automobile are the following:
Fluids and Inspections
If you are almost due for an oil change, consider having that done before you get on the road. Inspect fluids like oil, anti-freeze, steering wheel fluid, windshield washer fluid, and so forth to make sure you are driving at optimal performance. Get your brakes, wipers, and tires checked in addition to an overall vehicle check by a mechanic. Make sure all your exterior lights are in good working order, not only for safety purposes, but also you would hate to get pulled over for something like that.
Paperwork
Do you have your license, registration, and a copy of your insurance card? Are all the dates current?
Spares
Do you have your spare tire? Are all the items you might need with it in your vehicle such as a jack?
Emergency Items
A survival kit (you can almost find one in any camping section of a store), a first aid kit, a blanket, and some water are sometimes useful in the case of an emergency. A camera is especially handy in case of a minor accident. Other handy items include a flash light, pen and paper, and a phone book.
Activities for the Kids
Besides some of the many products you can buy specifically designed for children and traveling such as travel board games, activity books, and things like travel bingo, kids also enjoy games parents play with them, usually of the verbal variety like an alphabet I Spy and Padiddle. In addition, you can make travel a learning opportunity talking about history as you drive through historical sites and math as you configure the answer to the age old question, “how much longer?” Hint, the answer to that age old question is Speed times Time equals Distance. Of course, kids do like technology in travel, especially portable DVD players, Mp3 players, and hand-held video games.
