Going on a road trip with friends can be fun and adventurous, especially when you are leaving the borders of your home country. Nigerians tend to love ‘the abroad’ as we fondly call it and despite the challenges/stress of getting a visa, we’re always happy to travel. But we’ve also tagged ‘the abroad’ and nice places to visit as, let’s say, Europe, Dubai or the continents further away like Asia, Australasia etc. However, there is also so much to explore in places like the Benin Republic or Ghana.
First, these are cheaper options and could turn out to be an adventure of a lifetime when planned with friends. So, if this kind of road trip is something you’re considering or have ever considered, there are a few things you should keep in mind before you embark on this adventure.
Dress appropriately
The worst thing that can happen to you is, after a prolonged attempt at holding your pee, you still end up needing to pee in a random bush. Worse if and you are dressed in a jumpsuit. Yes, most road trips have stops on the way to allow passengers to use proper restrooms. But sometimes our bladders decide to do their own thing. You could be thirsty after drinking a lot of water before you reach the next stop. If this scenario happens to you, it means you will most likely be 90% naked in the forest somewhere and if you need to run for your life at the sight of some strange animal. Lool. The choice is yours really – take the extra time to wear your jumpsuit or choose between your life and your dignity and run out semi-naked. I rest my case.
Carry a paper bag in case you get carsick
No one embarks on a road trip with a plan to throw up but car sickness is real, especially if you pass through a few bumpy patches on the road. The extra movement can cause motion sickness which can lead to you throwing up and I doubt you would want to be that one passenger with stomach content all over your shirt. Plus the driver may be in a place where he’s unable to stop, so as embarrassing as throwing up in a bag may seem, it is a much better option than throwing up anywhere else. When the driver is then able to stop, you can throw the bag out. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Pack light so you have space for souvenirs
This isn’t really a life or death situation like but it’s not something people are prone to consider before embarking on a trip. Most times we see things we like either at our destination or on the journey. You may see some incredible artefacts like a cultural mask or beautifully crafted rug that you absolutely can’t move past but then you find you don’t have space or don’t have the strength to carry three or four bags since you only have two arms. So, consider leaving space for little things you may want to pick up on your journey.
Have you ever been on a long road trip? How was your experience and what other pointers would you add?