by Tharien van Eck, AWC Antwerp
Do you ever pause for a moment to think what you would need for long car journey? With summer around the corner in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s worth going through this checklist to make sure you will be prepared for most eventualities, and therefore have a pleasant journey.
The basics we always should have with us:
- Driver’s license and registration, passport and ID documents; it is worth having an extra set of copies of all your important documentation in a place separate from your handbag.
- Make a list of all your bank cards, and the numbers that you need to phone in case your card is stopped for whatever reason.
- Insurance details; also have an extra copy.
- Phone charger/power bank; I always carry at least one per person—and remember to carry this in your hand luggage if you are flying to your destination over the holiday.
- First aid kit; you always need to have a variety of plasters, a bandage or two, a disinfectant for scrapes and wounds, the common OTC medications and any extras that you need for your family.
- Flashlight or headlamp.
- Bottled water; I always have smaller and larger bottles of water when I travel with my family. It is worth investing in a good flask that will keep water cold for those very warm summer days.
- Snacks (a variety to suit all the tastes in your family).
- Sunglasses, and a spare pair of glasses if you are dependent on them.
- Any regular medication: this is a very important aspect, especially if you are on any chronic medication. I always pack an extra 7–10 doses of medication for those unforeseen situations! Please check the regulations on what you can take into a specific country if you use any antidepressants, sleeping tablets or chronic medication with codeine in it, especially if you are traveling to countries in Asia.
If you’ll be driving across Europe, also check country-specific requirements. Some countries require:
- High-visibility vests.
- Breathalyzer kits (occasionally recommended in France).
- Snow chains or winter tires in certain seasons (unlikely for summer, but you never know).
- Warning triangle and reflective vest (required or recommended in many European countries).
Breakdown & emergency kit: this is foreign to me, so I asked my husband and ChatGPT what would be recommended.
- Spare tire or tire repair kit / jack and wheel wrench / jumper cables / tire pressure gauge / small tool kit / duct tape.
- Windshield washer fluid / engine oil.
- Emergency blanket.
- Tow rope.
Comfort for long hours
This is very important to me as I become very restless during long journeys and want to travel in as much comfort as possible:
- Neck pillow and a nice soft blanket.
- Wet wipes/tissues: a few packets of wet wipes are very handy, and we always have multiple packets in the car.
- Hand sanitizer.
- Reusable water bottle: service stations along the road may offer free water; look out for them and top up.
- Trash bag for all the sweet and chocolate wrappers and other trash.
- Nuts and raisins, biscuits, sweets, fruit … whatever you like to snack on during a long journey.
- Playlist, podcasts or audiobooks.
- Comfortable shoes.
Navigation & tech
Even with modern cars, backups help:
- Offline maps downloaded in Google Maps or Waze.
- Charging cables.
- Car adapter with USB ports.
- Paper map (optional but surprisingly useful in remote areas); I always have a paper map when I travel. It makes for very interesting reading on long journeys!
Enjoy your holiday and safe travels!