How to Transition Smoothly from a Long Flight to a Road Trip Vacation
Arriving jet-lagged, disoriented or tired and then renting a car and hitting the road combines two exhausted elements in one dangerous package. But if you must go from flight to driver's seat in one fell swoop, here are a few tips.
Treat The Transition As Its Own Travel Phase
Many people carefully plan their flight or train journey and then plan to arrive at a location. But people don't carefully plan the hour in between. This is usually filled with a trip to the rental car agency, driving from an airport hub to a resort, or a bit of a scramble for a taxi. Most people treat this in-between time as overhead.
Perhaps it is overhead. But overhead is underrated. The extra costs above the line are usually viewed as a place for cuts not as an opportunity for investment and improvement. People scrimp and save on overhead, on the margin, and compete to shave costs on the perceived easily shavable.
Overlooking the critical in-between phase of a journey happens all the time. Perhaps because it's seen as getting from one place you want to leave to another place you want to be. Drudging through something miserable to get somewhere great. Who needs to optimize that?
Build In A Buffer Zone Before You Even Book
The mistake many travelers tend to make over and over again is planning a first-day itinerary that doesn't take any potential jet lag into account. For example, if you arrive at your destination at noon but your body thinks it's in the middle of the night, the last thing you want to do is drive for two hours through rush-hour city traffic or on winding country roads.
The fix is easy: Simply book your first night's accommodation close to the airport - within 30 to 60 minutes' drive. That's close enough that you can get there even when your reactions are impaired from sleepiness and disorientation. Close enough, dare we say, that you could even make the drive with your eyes closed (which you might just do! Not that we told you to!).
Takeout food, carpark naps, early nights - this is your chance! Then on day two you can get on with the seriously ambitious driving as normal, once you're a little more caught up on your Zs. It's not an overreaction. Drowsy driving is a contributing factor in some 16% to 21% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety). Post-flight fatigue is far more than just being a bit tired.
Prepare Your Documents Before The Flight, Not At The Counter
Long lines at the car rental counter have put paid to many a great trip before it's even truly begun. Much of that time is completely unnecessary.
Pre-register your driver's license details with the rental company before you fly, make your insurance decisions in advance rather than at the rental depot, and find out if you need an International Driving Permit at your destination. Then, consolidate your booking confirmation along with your credit card and any necessary permits to that same pocket of your carry-on - the one you don't have to empty to get at your documents.
For on-airport-terminal collection destinations, booking with a provider of airport car hire made simple will help you run through the admin fast and take your exhausted self away from the desk sooner.
Inspect The Car Like You Mean It
This is the part of the process that people tend to do quickly and without much attention. Sadly, this is where they pay the price weeks down the line.
Photograph or video every angle of the vehicle, including the roof, under the chassis, wheel arches, and all four wheels, as well as the interior. Be extra vigilant about the windscreen - if you miss a tiny chip and the rental company has to replace the entire screen it will cost you hundreds. Make sure any pre-existing damages the car has are clearly marked on the rental agreement before you sign it. It's one instance where photos and videos work to your benefit.
Check what the fuel policy is as well. If you return the car with a full tank and the contract says it should be full when you get it, make sure the level is full and get it noted in the contract. It sounds over the top, but you need a record you can reference if they try to charge you a refueling fee.
Lastly, ensure you are covered by a roadside assistance policy. The last thing you want is to be stranded with a flat tire in the middle of nowhere and then find out your rental won't cover the cost.
Get Comfortable With The Car Before You Pull Out
Spend ten minutes in the vehicle before you leave the car park. Adjust the mirrors properly. Find the hazard lights. Work out the windshield wipers. Pair your phone to the Bluetooth system so you're not fumbling with it while moving.
If you're driving on an unfamiliar side of the road or in a country with different speed limit conventions, take two minutes to look up the basics before you shift into drive. You don't need to become an expert in local traffic law, but knowing whether speed limits are displayed in km/h or mph, and what the default speed limit is outside a town, will prevent panicked guesswork on the road.
Set Up Navigation While You Still Have Airport Wi-Fi
Download offline maps for your entire route before you depart the terminal. Google Maps and Maps.me offer offline access, and in low cell areas - so many scenic road trip destinations - those downloads are the distinction between knowing where you are and being lost.
Load your road trip playlist while you're at it. Flicking around for tunes on a voyage of discovery is a cognitive load best avoided on your inaugural day.
Do the logistics on the ground, sleep near where you touch down, and it's the road trip you dreamed of that you'll have.
