7 Road Trip Mistakes That Cost You Time and Money

Charles and I have spent nights in Australian gas station parking lots because we arrived after closing time without enough fuel to reach the next town. Apparently, we liked the experience enough to repeat it.Our trusty van dwarfed by an Australian termite moundThat’s one of the less photogenic details from our six months driving around Australia in a campervan, a trip that eventually clocked up more than 25,000 kilometers. Back in Canada, we’ve spent plenty of summers driving from our base in Kelowna BC to visit friends and family in Alberta (700km), often times continuing all the way to Winnipeg, Manitoba (a 2000km journey both ways).I still love loading up the car for a road trip. I’d just prefer to spend our travel budget on something more enjoyable than fixing an avoidable problem, and our holiday hours somewhere other than a closed gas station.A bit of preparation helps. These are seven road trip mistakes worth catching before you leave.1. Planning More Driving Than You’ll Actually EnjoyA five hour drive looks manageable when you’re sitting at home with a map. Add lunch and a couple of stops to stretch your legs, and it starts taking up a much bigger chunk of the day.Then you...