The content of the article:
- Benefits of a car trip
- Disadvantages of traveling by car
- Preparing for the trip
- Security
Car travel is fundamentally different from any other type of travel, which is mainly due to the degree of freedom and economy.
What is more in the rally - advantages or disadvantages? How to prepare for a long trip? What features should be considered when traveling in Russia? We will try to consider all the subtleties and nuances in the next review. Only it will focus on the traditional vacation - sightseeing or on the beach - and not about conquering mountain passes, places far from civilization and other extreme arrivals.
Benefits of a car trip
Pros and cons can be found in each type of recreation, and which of them will outweigh the scales - the decision is purely individual. But it should be admitted that motor rallies are preferred by younger people who do not find it difficult to be motionless for a long time and be content with a minimum of comfort.
Saving
Air travel in Russia outside the holiday season with luggage will cost on average about 10 thousand rubles in both directions. In summer and early autumn towards the coast, this amount will increase several times. And if a family of four is going on vacation? Five? The road alone will cost a lot.
If we consider a car that is not the most voracious, not demanding on gasoline, then the road, for example, from Moscow to Sochi will cost only 5-6 thousand rubles. In the presence of a large company, where the costs are divided equally, each passenger will pay mere pennies for a "ticket".
You can also save money on hotels by bringing sleeping bags or tents with you.
Route
On the one hand, it is good when a vacationer does not have to think about what sights to see and how to get to them. In each city there are travel agencies offering entertainment for every taste: sightseeing trips and fishing, horseback riding and fur markets, diving or relaxation in thermal springs.
But on the other hand, when traveling on your own, it is possible to adjust the route., to be in an interesting place not as much as it should be according to the program, but as much as you want. You can endlessly walk around the souvenir shops, stop for a swim in a picturesque bay, get stuck with children on the playground, without fear that the sightseeing bus will leave without you.
Baggage
Of course, those 23 kilograms that you can carry in your luggage on an airplane is quite enough for an average vacation. But still, no suitcase can compare with the size of a car trunk, which can accommodate not only a variegated wardrobe, but also books, board games, equipment for your favorite hobby (fishing rods, rackets, scuba gear) and even dishes if you intend to cook your own food.
Disadvantages of traveling by car
Weather
In case of snowfall, stormy winds or incessant rainstorms, the train will still leave on schedule, the plane may be postponed for a couple of hours, but the car will have more difficulty. Considering the extremely unstable Russian weather in principle, as well as the large difference in climate in different regions, such troubles occur in almost half of the trips.
It is good if bad weather catches in the village where you can find housing. And if on a deserted highway, where you have to spend an unknown number of hours on the sidelines? Or in flattering terrain, where fallen branches or even a tree might block the road? Not everyone can endure such an extreme adventure.
Road conditions
The duration of a car trip is difficult to predict due to many factors beyond the control of the driver. The car may have a punctured wheel, the replacement of which will take some time. From spring to late autumn there will be many kilometers of traffic jams in the direction of coastal cities, where you either have to be patient or look for bypass, not always shorter, ways.
Regarding trips to Crimea that are so popular now, you will additionally have to stand in a queue for the crossing, from which, in the presence of a storm, serious interruptions may occur.
On serpentines, drivers who are not accustomed to such a landscape will move carefully and leisurely, which will again lead to a waste of time. And there are many more situations that cannot be influenced.
The technical side
A competent, responsible car owner always monitors the condition of his vehicle, passing technical inspection in a timely manner, changing fluids and making urgent repairs. Before a long journey, the scope of these activities will be more extensive and thorough so that the vacation does not end somewhere in the technical center with spending money on repairing the car.
This point is especially important when considering the condition of most Russian roads and spaces between settlements. After falling into a colossal pit or other troubles somewhere in the field, the driver is unlikely to find a tow truck and will have to rely on his talents or the help of other motorists. Therefore, it is recommended to undergo a complete inspection of the car, check the level of oil, brake fluid, antifreeze and washer. The stock in the trunk of these liquids will not be superfluous.
Unfortunately, in Russia the service is still depressingly poorly developed. If in Europe any roadside gas station has a car repair shop, snack bar, toilet, shower and even a restroom with hourly pay, then in case of any trouble with a car in his native space, the driver will have to independently resolve issues with accommodation, household needs and repairs.
To minimize damage, you should stock up on all the necessary tools, consumables, and dry rations as much as possible in order to be ready for any emergency.
Preparing for the trip
What additional steps do you need to do to properly prepare for a road trip?
Think over nutrition
Bearing in mind the lack of infrastructure in remote Russian regions, one should have a supply of food and water. Food should consist of non-perishable foods: biscuits, crackers, canned food, tea, coffee, nuts. In addition, it is undesirable to take excessively salty or peppery foods that will cause increased thirst.
Get directions
In order to calculate your strength, not to waste time and not be accidentally without a place to sleep, you should develop a travel route at home and all possible deviations from it. On the Internet, you can find useful resources that will help you calculate mileage and fuel consumption, show gas stations and roadside motels.
Maps in the navigator should be refreshed, and also stock up on their paper equivalents in case of poor communication and loss of GPS signal. You don't have to trust the navigator's route unconditionally, checking if there are at least some settlements along the route.
This is especially true for long sections of the route over 100 km, so that in case of an emergency you do not get stuck in the wilderness.
Collect a first aid kit
This should be a really practical first aid kit, and not the minimum that is usually stored in the car for presentation to the traffic police inspector. Iodine and brilliant green, antihistamines and pain relievers, bandages and plasters, hydrogen peroxide and a thermometer - everything so as not to get infection or inflammation and to reach the nearest first-aid post.
Calculate finances
In order for the first road trip to be remembered from the best side, it is necessary to reasonably think over the financial expenses. Someone at this point will get bored - so many things have to be taken care of that the feeling of freedom disappears. However, we are not talking about strict costs for each day, pre-booked hotels and other attributes of a structured vacation.
For example, on the way to Vladimir the driver will lose track of roadside cafes, each of which offers extremely affordable prices for their meals.
Whereas in the Novgorod region on the way to Valdai you can travel a hundred kilometers without encountering signs of civilization.
When fellow travelers are for such a long time deprived of the opportunity to eat or use the toilet, discontent spoiling the mood will begin. In addition, in the center of any large city, the entire infrastructure will, by definition, be more expensive, so it is more profitable to dine and book accommodation somewhere on the outskirts, and go for a walk to the city.
Thus, the cost planning process includes reasonable route estimation, overnight options, parking and other services at reasonable prices. If we are talking about "wild" rest, then you should take care of the utensils for cooking, coal, liquid for lighting a fire, find places for camping, get acquainted with the rates for accommodation in them.
Security
And, finally, a few words about safety precautions during a car trip across Russia.
Unfortunately, no one is immune from theft and hooliganism, be it their native land, civilized Europe or democratic America. Therefore, it is recommended to take with you on a trip any means of self-defense: pepper spray, any other spray that can blind a criminal, pneumatic weapons, brass knuckles, even a baseball bat widely known in American cinema.
Most likely, none of this will have to be used, because the hooligans, having felt a rebuff, themselves will not get involved.
Before leaving, you should definitely inform your family and friends about your route, leave as much contact information as possible and regularly report yourself. In this case, they will be able to sound the alarm in time if travelers do not get in touch for a long time.
When leaving the car, even for a short time, you should definitely take money and documents with you. It is advisable to park the car in lighted places, and in the case of spending the night in the car, do not put it right next to a tree, a post or a wall, so that in case of danger you can quickly leave.
Experienced travelers also recommend not hitchhiking. Even if you are not alone in the car and do not fear for your life, it is not known what kind of person the person you meet will be and what kind of trouble he can bring.
If a car is driving close behind, which is trying in every possible way to attract attention and asks you to stop, it is better to just slow down a little and find out what the matter is. When the car's headlight is off or the trunk is open, many motorists will signal a breakdown.
If a lone motorist shows such a clear interest, it already arouses suspicion. You should block the doors and communicate with the pursuer through a slightly open window, without opening it completely and in no case getting out of your car.
No matter what they say about bad Russian roads, disgusting service, rudeness on the roads, more often Russian travelers find themselves in unpleasant situations outside their homeland. The beauty of nature, architectural monuments, legendary historical sites of our immense country deserve to be studied thoughtfully and for a long time, and not swooped during an excursion tour. The rally only for the first time seems difficult and dangerous, but once you taste it, it will become the style and philosophy of your life.
