C/o Miss FQ Collective’s Harriet Keown, aka our go-to road trippin’ expert, take note of the eight need-to-knows ahead of your next road trip.

You know, beyond making sure your vehicle’s oil, water, and fuel etc are topped up and in shipshape.

Scroll for Harriet’s roadie hacks below: 

1. Prep your wheels. Stock the car with all those roadie essentials so you don’t get caught unprepared in the middle of nowhere. Snacks, camera, chargers, sleeping bag, water bottle, the kitchen sink. And don’t forget about petrol, okay?
2. Make a loose budget. Ever planned to just buy a couple of buns from the supermarket but ended up blowing $30 on lunch at a fancy restaurant instead? Yep, me too. Calculate a rough daily budget so you don’t splurge your whole trip’s quota in one day. Although treating yo’self can be nice too, so leave room for error.
3. Plan ahead to beat the traffic. Don’t want to be stuck on the motorway for three hours? Leave early in the morning or the day before a long weekend begins to allow a smooth-sailed departure. Better still, take your day off before or after a regular weekend. 100km/h for days.
4. Keep it varied. The best road trips have got it all. We’re talking beaches, art galleries, walking tracks, history, scenic stops, those quirky stores a place is famous for, and food. All the food. Mixing it up makes it all that much more memorable.
5. Curate the perfect playlist. No road trip is complete without a backing track. Whether you want coastal vibes, upbeat mood boosters, or epic sing-alongs, download a killer list of tunes to soundtrack your ride.
6. Lock that phone. You’re going off grid for a reason, right? Turn off your notifications and leave your responsibilities behind, because there’s so much in front of you to experience. That email can wait to be sent. That friend can wait to be replied to. That gram can wait to be liked.
7. Life’s a journey (or a destination). There are two ways to have the ultimate road trip. Plan it around the journey, with some amazing stops lined up, and no particular end destination in mind. Or, choose a destination (like a glamping getaway), and wing it on the way there. Either way, you’ll have the time of your life.
8. But… Don’t plan it all. Channel your inner Harry Bright and be spontaneous on your roadie, because the best moments are often the ones that you stumble across completely randomly. So chuck the map into the back seat and see where the road takes you.

You can find out more about Harriet and the Miss FQ Collective here. 

Words: Harriet Keown
Photos: Holly Sarah Burgess for Miss FQ Issue 1, 2016

WATCH: 5 Hacks To Make Your Phone Battery Last Longer