My Dad's Road Trip Tips
I’ve lived in Joburg most of my life and growing up every odd December we would drive to visit my Ouma Nucie in Jeffreys Bay or Reebok with the extended family. My parents would pack my brother and I in the car while we were still sleeping before sunrise and we’d only wake up halfway to eat at the rest stop, and carry on napping until we got there, 14 hours later. One year my parents decided that we needed to experience the fact that there was an actual road between Joburg and Jeffreys Bay and we did a proper road trip like it should be done. When I was 14, we joined forces with the Benade family and took on Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe in one massive road trip which was one of the most amazing memories from my childhood. If you haven’t road tripped through Southern Africa, please make sure you do at least once in your life! If I start writing about the places you could see, we’ll be here forever – so rather give me a call and I’ll talk your ear off instead!
Back to the reason for my post, the focus for today’s blog is to share the road trip tips from the man that took us on our first road trip and gave me my first car, my Dad, Danie Roodt. He is like a biological GPS, honestly, to this day it boggles my mind that he just always knew exactly where we were at any given time (before smart phones). He also happens to have worked in the transport industry his whole life, his most recent business venture (with my Brother) is Mammoth Tyres. So, I asked the man himself to give us some of his tips to making sure your road trip goes smoothly:
My Dad’s Best Road Trip Tips:
1. Do a vehicle safety check on your vehicle before you leave – you don’t want to breakdown/get stuck with stuff that could be preventable.
a. Check when next service is due. If it will go over the recommended service schedule on the planned trip - service, it.
b. Check brakes. You will probably be loaded heavier than normal.
c. Tyres - Check general condition of all tyres. (Smoothness, cracks, or visible damage to tyre) AND CHECK spare wheel condition!! Do you have the right tools to change a wheel? (jack and wheel spanner that fits on the nuts of your rims). A canister of tyre fix could also be useful.
d. Expiry of Licence disk. You have 21 days after the month the license expiries to renew it. It must be displayed – always give traffic officials reason to pull you over.
e. General state of health of your vehicle – some fitments centres does a free safety check.
2. Take rechargeable light/torch – for if you get stuck at night and in case of load shedding at stay overs.
3. Take a few basic tools – plyers, shifting spanner, star and flat screwdrivers and a utility knife like a Leatherman
4. Take duct tape and cable ties – it fixes everything.
5. Take a first aid kit.
6. Always have water in the vehicle.
7. Take wet wipes/tissues or a “jammer lappie” for the accidents/spillage in the car. And they will happen.
8. Pack sensibly – things like overnight bags must be easily accessible
9. GOOD MUSIC IS CRUCIAL – While traveling through certain areas you will have no or bad reception. Make sure you take a good selection of music. If you are more than two people, ask each passenger to make a playlist for the road.
10. Do not travel too far between destinations. Plan the trip with stops for fuel and comfort breaks. In remote areas both these could be an issue – so make sure you know what the fuel range of your vehicle is and fill up before – do not push it.
11. Do a bit of research on the attractions on the route you will be travelling – natural, manmade and what is special in that region and make time to visit them.
12. MOST IMPORTANT BE SAFE. ENJOY THE TRIP AND MAKE MEMORIES!!!!
Before you go visit Mammoth Tyres for a safety check, tell them Danie Roodt sent you!