Author: Guest
By Molly Barnes, Digital Nomad Life
For many, traveling the open road is a way of living the American dream. Besides enjoying your unfettered freedom, you learn a lot about yourself, other people, and the culture in the area you’re visiting. If you’re doing it long-term (as we remote workers are), you can also learn plenty about keeping systems in good working order, from your transportation to your work situation to your finances.
And, of course, precautions are necessary to stay safe in the event of medical emergencies and the other road-trip calamities. COVID-19 adds another layer of concern to the normal stuff you have to think about. If you’re preparing to venture out in your RV or even take a standard vacation, check out these six important things I’ve learned to do while RVing across the country.
1. Make a plan
Traveling cross-country creates a feeling of freedom, but you’ll need to do some advance planning first. Leaving without a plan could prove to be disastrous.
Traveling light is definitely the way to go. Put most of your stuff in storage and tread lightly. You want to make sure you don’t carry more weight than you need, especially if you want to leave room for special purchases along the way.
Have a general idea of where you’re going. Not only do you need to know where the RV parks are located along your route but also how far in advance you’ll need to make reservations.
Make sure you have enough food and supplies, along with PPE (personal protective equipment) like masks, sanitizer, cleaners, and disinfectants. Don’t forget toilet paper! Stores are continually restocking and supplies have stabilized somewhat, but you might still find some shortages along the way.
2. Check your tech before you leave
Maybe you’ll be working from the road. Or maybe you just want internet access to make sure you can order food, make reservations, check email, transfer money, or perform other digital tasks. Either way, you’ll need to make sure your tech is in order. Here are some steps to consider:
Public Wi-Fi might not be readily available this year, so make sure you have enough data on your plan before hitting the road. If you can afford an unlimited plan, that’s your best bet.
Purchase a wireless network device to hook up in your RV.
Plan to stay at parks that offer reliable internet access. (Research which ones are free vs. which ones require a fee.)
See which cities have reopened so you’ll know if you can access the internet from coffee shops or outdoor patios.
Don’t forget your online storage. Being able to access your work from the cloud anywhere, anytime is invaluable.
Internet disruption and/or loss of documents can be a real problem if you’re not prepared. Be sure to evaluate your needs before you hit the road, then plan accordingly.
3. Know your money situation
You may feel far away from the mundane while you’re on the road, and that’s good. What’s bad is ignoring your financial obligations, which won’t go away just because you’re out of town. Be sure to:
Set up automatic bill pay for your regular obligations.
Have an emergency fund you can access easily.
Know your credit score: With solid credit, you’ll have an easier time accessing funding (and help) if you run into a problem.
Related Read: What Does a Full-Time Travel Budget Look Like?
4. Plan for emergencies
You never know when an unexpected event might occur, so you want to be prepared for a variety of situations.
Pack a first-aid kit and brush up on your CPR skills before heading out on the road, especially if you plan to visit some remote places.
Remember to bring a few extra charged batteries and portable chargers so you aren’t out of contact (unless you’re out of service range).
Assemble a kit of essential tools to fix your RV.
Tuck a paper map in your RV in case you’re out of range of Google maps.
Unfortunately, circumstances arise on the road — it’s inevitable. But if you’re prepared, it’s a lot easier to get moving again.
5. Make connections with others
I’ve found that building relationships is as important when you’re just passing through a community as when you’re planning to stay. Be open to interacting with others. It’s going to be a little different this year, with masks and social distancing measures in place, but as you travel, make sure you don’t avoid the valuable experience of connecting with others. Being out on the road is a great opportunity to make lifelong friends.
If you’re working while traveling, networking is probably your main watchword. Traveling through different regions presents great opportunities to make business connections. You probably don’t have a lot of room to tote around promotional materials in your RV, but you could probably squeeze in a box or two of personalized pens to share with others or leave in places you visit. Since you’re already out there, get your name out there, too!
6. Let loose and have fun
Being out on the road gives you an opportunity to let loose and do things you’d never think of doing as part of your everyday routine. Try new and exotic foods, learn new recipes to cook over a campfire, try adventures in parks as they reopen, or even drive barefoot (it’s legal in all 50 U.S. states!!)
This summer, as gas prices hit record lows and many destinations are offering deals to road-trippers, RV travel is expected to be at an all-time high — so we’ll have lots of company on the road. Make a plan, get equipped, then get out there and have some adventures!
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Budget, Destinations, Education, Entertainment / Activities / Attractions