7 Things to Plan for a Road Trip Abroad
May 13, 2019
by Riya Sander
A road trip is a fun way to discover new destinations while also spending quality time with your friends or family. Furthermore, you get to enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes and take awesome pictures along the way. However, just like any other trip, there is a lot of planning that goes into a road trip. Here is a list of things on how to plan the perfect road trip.
1. Plan Your Route
One of the first considerations on how to plan a road trip vacation is working out the route to take. Before your trip, have your starting point as well as your destination so that you can decide on the best route to get you there. Choose a route that will allow you to take in the scenic views along the way while avoiding routes that are not safe. You don’t need to have every single detail regarding your route planned out. As long as you have a basic itinerary worked out, you should be fine.
2. Decide Whether You will Get a Car Rental or Not
There are upsides to taking your own car-you know exactly how it works, you can fully service it before you hit the road, and you don’t have to deal with a rental car company. However, your car may not be up to the task for the road trip, which means you will have to hire a car.
Rent a car that is in great condition and up to the task. If you are travelling light, opt for a small car to save on the costs. If you have a lot of luggage, go for a rental that has a lot of trunk space or covered rear space.
Don’t hesitate to ask how the rental works. Inquire about the GPS, how to use the radio/MP3, the air conditioning, and anything else that might help to make you feel more comfortable.
3. Insurance
If you are using your own car, ensure that you inquire from your car insurance company if the policy you have is valid for a road trip abroad. If not, make sure you upgrade to the required level.
For car rentals, you will need to take out insurance for the vehicle as well even if the car insurance company offers coverage. Chances are the policy offered will probably not give you the cover you need, so better safe than sorry. Weigh different car rental insurance options before landing on one that best suits your needs.
4. Research How to Drive on the Left or Right Hand Side
When it comes to driving in a foreign country, it is important to research how to drive on the left or right-hand side of the road. For example, while drivers in many countries keep to the right, those in Australia keep to the left side of the road, as well as those driving in the UK and England.
There are other rules that come with driving in a foreign country. If you are driving through some countries, you will need to get an International Driving Permit (IDP), while in others your issued driving license will suffice. In addition to this, some countries have very specific road rules that you may not expect, so it is always important to do some research before your trip.
5. Come Up with a Road Trip Budget
There are some costs that you have to think about when planning a road trip. While you may leave the starting point with a full tank, you will likely need to refill it along the way. Therefore, research on the fuel prices in all the places along your chosen route.
If the route you are taking is not toll-free, make sure you include the expense of driving on toll roads in your budget.
Unless you plan to sleep under the stars, you will need to budget for accommodation along the way as well. You will probably need to stop somewhere for shopping and a proper meal, so make sure you have enough money for these activities. If you plan to visit some destinations along the way, set aside some cash for these luxuries as well.
6. Look for Any Travel Warnings
Do some research to see if there are any warnings of bad weather or insecurity when you are planning your route. Find out if there are any restrictions along the way so that you don’t run into problems when you are already behind the wheel.
7. Supplies for the Road
If the road trip is going to be lengthy, make sure you pack some healthy snacks and drinks to keep your hunger at bay until you are able to stop for a proper meal. Make sure you bring along medications and supplements you or your traveling partners might need as well as a first aid kit in case something happens along the way.
It is important to be aware of how to plan a road trip vacation so that you can minimize the chances of running into problems. Plan your route, mode of travel, budget, and supplies for the road. Make sure to research driving in a foreign country so as to be aware of the rules of the road, and look out for any travel warnings as well. With all these things planned out, you will be more than ready for your road trip.
About the author: Riya is an inspired writer writing in several areas of expertise. With spending her years working marketing communication, Riya is delighted to work with aspiring small business owners. She understands the importance of productivity at work and never stopped finding new ways to create her work productivity. Connect with Riya on twitter, @sanderriya.
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5 Ways to Accent Your Garden Space
May 6, 2019
Add charming style to your backyard garden or outdoor entertainment area with these products. This will give you some great ideas on decorations to add around the garden
1. Wind Chimes
Woodstock Wind Chimes
Relaxing outdoors has never sounded this good! Woodstock Chimes, a family owned business in Hudson Valley, NY, creates truly unique musical instruments for any outdoor space. From Amazing Grace to America the Beautiful, these outdoor chimes create a harmonious sound to bring relaxation and tranquility to your space. These wind chimes come in different sizes and colors, and they create different sounds to appeal to almost everyone.
2. Garden Signs
Whitehall Garden Signs
Add instant charm to your garden space with a garden sign. These yard signs from Whitehall feature cute sayings or quotes to welcome guests to your outdoor garden space. Simply push the two stakes into the ground to keep the yard sign displayed anywhere in the garden. Organize-It also offers lawn address signs you can display in your front yard, ensuring guests, visitors, or customers can easily locate your home or small business.
3. Bird Feeders and Bird Baths
Bird Feeders and Bird Baths
Bring all the neighborhood birds to your yard with these bird feeders and bird baths. Organize-It offers both standing and hanging bird-baths to give songbirds in your area a “splashing”‘ good time. Tempting birds into your yard has hidden benefits, such as flower pollination and insect control. This helps your garden to thrive, and you have the added benefit of making tons of new feathery friends! Tip: Place a bird feeder and bird bath outside of a large window so you and your family can watch the wildlife from the comfort of your home.
4. Weathervanes
Whitehall Weathervanes
Which way does the wind blow? Find out with these Whitehall weathervanes! To determine wind direction, a wind vane spins and points in the direction from which the wind is coming from. Therefore, if the arrow is pointing to the west, it is called a west wind, and so on and so forth. Organize-It offers rooftop wind vanes so you can display them on top of your home or garage, and garden wind vanes so you can stake them into the ground in your garden. Each weathervane features an ornament at the top to add a stylish touch to the weather instrument.
5. Outdoor Clocks and Thermometers
Outdoor Clocks and Thermometers
Keep yourself on schedule and keep an eye on rising/falling temperatures with these outdoor clocks and thermometers. These devices are available in a wide range of styles and colors to add eye-catching style to any outside space. These clocks and thermometers are constructed from rust-recycled aluminum and fade-resistant finishes. Available in separate devices or even combination units for a convenient design. Tip: place an outdoor clock or thermometer outside of the kitchen window so you can view the device while washing dishes or cooking.
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How to Start a Garden When You Live in an Apartment
April 29, 2019
Just because you live in a small space or lack a private yard doesn’t mean you have to give up on all of your gardening dreams! No matter your situation, you don’t have to have a huge yard and tons of time on your hands. You simply have to think small and get creative with the available space at your disposal. Here are some tricks on how to maximize the potential of your apartment for growing your garden!
1. Observe how much light each room or outdoor space receives during the day
Depending on how much sun your apartment gets everyday will determine what kind of plants will thrive in the space. Plants usually come in three varieties: full sun, partial sun, or shade. If
you don’t get a lot of sun, you may want to consider shade-living plants. If your apartment has tons of windows that bring in lots of natural sunlight, plants that love partial or full sun will thrive in this environment.
Don’t have enough sunlight but love sun-loving plants? Bring in some artificial sun! Plant sunlight lamps allow you to supplement the sunlight your plants are missing. Sunlight lamps are especially handy when you are trying to grow flowers, herbs, or vegetables from seeds or seedlings. You can even put the lamp on a timer so you can shut off the light at the same time every night.
2. How much of your living space are you willing to sacrifice?
The average apartment size in America is 941 square feet. That’s not a lot of space if you have a lot of furniture and other belongings. Now, there are ways to maximize the available space in your apartment so you can still have tons of plants. Add wall mounted shelves to the wall and line them with your favorite potted plants. This is perfect for smaller flowers such as African violets or even common cooking herbs.
You can even create a modern floating effect by mounting terra cotta planters directly to the wall. Check out this DIY Terra Cotta Pots Planter Wall blog for step-by-step instructions on how to create an entire garden space right on your living room wall! This not only saves space in your apartment – but it also saves you money since you won’t have to buy any decor!
3. Buy the appropriate pots or raised gardening beds for your plants
Here is the fun part, buying all the pretty pots to plant your flowers in! If you already have planters or flower pots no problem, but if you don’t, now is the perfect time to consider creating a cohesive design. For example, choose flower pots of all one type such as the traditional terra cotta pots. Or you can choose planters of all one color to complement your home decor. Whatever you choose, make sure you have the right planter for the job.
Do you want to grow vegetables? Depending on the type of vegetable you may want to consider specially made containers or raised garden beds. Raised planters give you ample surface area while keeping the dirt and plants raised to a comfortable height so you can easily weed or prune as needed.
Bonus Idea: Consider purchasing a free-standing shelving unit where you can arrange all of your potted plants and herbs. This allows you to keep your garden in one convenient location, and it takes advantage of unused vertical height.
4. Plan Ahead for the winter months
If you live in sunny California or temperate Florida, this may not be a problem for you. But if you’re like the rest of us, cold weather hits once a year and seems to last forever. So you should plan ahead what you want to do with any potted plants you have on your balcony or patio. Annual plants only last for one growing season, so by the time winter hits they don’t need to be brought inside. Simply store the planters for next season!
Perennial plants last for more than one growing season, so you will probably want to bring these plants inside for the winter months. So before you decorate your patio with tons of perennial flowers, please be aware you will have to bring these plants indoors for the winter months so they don’t die in the cold weather. Make sure you plan ahead and have space for these planters once the snow starts to fly.
5. Most importantly – don’t go overboard!
Remember, this is how to garden while living in a small space. Your space will get even smaller if you go overboard and fill your home with tons of plants! Pick the flowers that are most important to you and bring you joy, and have some fun tending them this summer!
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