Route
Preparing for a road trip begins with drawing up a route. It is best to start developing it several months before the trip. To plan a route properly, first of all, you need to carefully think over the mode of travel and rest, tentative overnight stops and places you want to visit, as well as many other nuances.
To start, experienced auto travelers surveyed by Gazeta.Ru advise getting as much information as possible about the intended route. All possible methods are suitable: communication on thematic forums, studying reports of other travelers, guidebooks and maps. Special attention should be paid to information about time zones, location of motels, cafes, traffic police posts and gas stations. The latter is very relevant for travelers in Russia: in some regions there are places where gas stations are far apart (up to a hundred kilometers). In addition, if your car is sensitive to the quality of the fuel, you need to make sure in advance that every 500 km there will be at least one gas station of the company you trust.
A separate issue requiring detailed study relates to highways: their condition, width, ruts and speed limit signs. When traveling through the countries of the former Soviet Union, it is important to remember that some roads are not suitable for cars with low ground clearance, and some can only be navigated by tractor. Be sure to stock up not only on general route maps, but also on maps of the cities where you plan to stop. For difficult sections of the road, you should get maps with a scale of 1 cm = 2 km or larger. Even better to have a GPS and maps for navigators. However, according to some tourists, you shouldn't rely entirely on GPS: who knows where the satellite might lead you.
When calculating the travel schedule, take into account the time for crossing borders and sightseeing. The best approach is to minimize time costs and cover as many sights along the way as possible. "Knowing the number of days I will spend on the trip, I try to roughly create a 'circular' route, covering as many interesting places as possible," explained one of the participants of the auto travel club. "Based on the number of sights along the way, I also choose the distance to travel per day. Usually it's 4-5 hours on the road and 8-10 for sightseeing. But everything needs to be thoroughly prepared. I always print out materials from the Internet and mark references to these places on maps. Such preparation takes me at least two months for a two-week trip."
Car
When planning a trip, you need to decide which car to use: your own or a rental. The opinions of surveyed auto travelers are divided: some believe it is better to use a rented car, others would not trade their own car for anything. Let's look at both options in more detail.
If you decide to rent a car, do not forget that different countries have different rental requirements. It is better to find out about them in advance. As a rule, you need an international driver's license and a credit card (cash is often not accepted).
Many auto travelers believe that the ideal option is to rent a motorhome, or, as it is also called, a camper. According to them, if you have a camper, you no longer have to think about hotels and overnight stays, since you can stop almost anywhere you like. "Imagine, you wake up in the morning, open the door and immediately find yourself on the shore of a beautiful lake. There is a bicycle nearby, fishing rods, a boat not far away..." said one avid auto traveler. True, according to those surveyed, camper tourism is common only in the West, and in the former Soviet Union it is not yet developed, because such a vehicle cannot be serviced everywhere here.
Meanwhile, a significant number of auto travelers agree that traveling in your own car is both cheaper and more pleasant. "For me, the journey begins from the driveway," said one auto traveler. "It all depends on how you set yourself up. Some people think it's crazy to spend three days getting to a country you want to see. I feel fine about it: I go out, load the trunk, unload it a month later. No taxis or waiting at airports. I even went to Africa that way."
Be that as it may, before departure you should make sure that the car (personal or rented) is in good technical condition.
Driving mode
Driving mode is different for everyone. Some like to drive fast and stop only at major attractions, while others stop at every turn to take photos. All these features, of course, need to be taken into account when planning the route.
Meanwhile, there are universal rules that most auto travelers follow. For example, many believe that the optimal option is to drive with maximum fuel economy and at the same time reduce speed in built-up areas. To comfortably travel long distances and have time to visit sights along the way, you need to cover no more than 500-700 km per day. If you just need to get to a specific vacation spot as quickly as possible, you can cover 900-1,000 km per day.
Experienced auto travelers do not advise greatly exceeding the speed limit. It is worth remembering that this can result in losing more time dealing with traffic inspectors and parting with a substantial amount of money on fines. Moreover, at high speeds, fuel consumption increases, and you have to refuel more often.
Many tourists believe that, if possible, it is better not to travel during dark hours and to sleep at night. For safety reasons, the passenger sitting next to the driver can act as a navigator, and at the end of the day, make sure that the tired driver does not accidentally fall asleep.
It is useful to note everything encountered on the road - especially motels, cafes, and gas stations. It is better to tie these important points to kilometers so that later the place of interest can be easily found.
If you suddenly realize that you are not keeping to the schedule, you most likely made a mistake when planning the route. In such a situation, simply adjust your plan of action along the way.
Meals and accommodation
You need to eat carefully on the road. It is advisable to have a packed meal, plenty of drinking water, and all sorts of drinks, especially hot ones. Of course, you can hope that you will come across a good roadside cafe along the way, but often the food in such places is far from ideal.
For overnight stays, you should choose safe places. This can be not only a motel but also, for example, a parking lot or a campsite. You should not stop for the night in remote villages where locals might come to you, with all the consequences of such a visit.
Wherever you are, remember that you are a guest. Behave correctly and friendly. The same rule applies to communication with law enforcement. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the laws of the country you are going to. Before the trip, it is best to call the embassy of the country you plan to enter and clarify any questions you may have.
Road trips are becoming increasingly popular among our compatriots. This can be explained by the fact that people not only strive to see other countries and try something new, but also want to feel free and not depend on travel agents, airlines, guides, and hosts.
Oksana KISLITSYNA.
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