Co-written by: Nicole Villaluz and Tiffany Tolones
Buzzing streets, fast-paced lifestyles, and extreme traffic is the definition of Metro Manila. City life has always been demanding of time, patience, and a lot of endurance. A lot of Pinoys work round the clock just to keep up with life in the city. Sometimes, we don’t even get a day of rest. So there will always come a time when you just want to escape such a hectic life, even for a moment.
When you start feeling this way, there’s only one thing to do: go on a road trip.
Road trips are awesome. There’s something so relaxing about the long drives, the landscapes rushing past your window, and the endless stream of songs playing in the car. Most especially when everyone suddenly breaks into a karaoke sing-along, hands in the air, shoulders bopping, hips swaying, throats swelling for notes you can hardly reach but try to anyway.
I like to think of myself as a road trip connoisseur (lol)—I’ve spent many a times on the road, sometimes cruising from the south all the way to the misty mountains of Banaue. So, trust me, I know how to make road trips as efficient, comfortable, and fun as possible.
And so, here are 7 things my friends and I always have with us on an epic road trip, and things you shouldn’t forget for yours, too.
7. Navigation App
You think my friends and I would have made it to Banaue without a navigation app? *Insert condescending laugh* Not a chance. None of us has ever made it there, and we’d literally be lost without it. Besides, aside from providing you directions, most navigation apps also show you road traffic conditions so you could work your way around them. And, sadly, there’s traffic outside Metro Manila, too. (Nueva Ecija I’m looking at you.)
6. Snacks. Lots of it.
…and water, too! It just really sucks feeling hungry (and dehydrated) on the road, okay? Think about when you’re in the middle of nowhere and there’s hardly any structure in sight. That’s happened to me and my buddies. Luckily a tiny sari-sari store eventually showed up somewhere between the mountains, and the lady at the store was sweet enough to cook for us. #blessed #butneveragain
5. Meds!
Biyahilo? Don’t forget to stock up on medicine. For headaches, tummy-aches, for motion sickness, and most importantly, for when you really have to go do the deed but there’s no restroom yet in sight. Pop the pill, man. Keep it in.
4. Pillows and blankets
I’ve been on 14-hour road trips and ones that take me to cold places, so anything that will keep me not just comfortable but absolutely cozy inside the car is very much welcome. Neck pillows (or just pillows) are best friends. Blankets, too. <3
3. Games
Card or board games are great ways to break the boredom. Plus, it gets everyone in the car involved! Maybe just not the driver. (Definitely not the driver.) And maybe not the Uno Cards, too, because that game ruins friendships. #competitive
2. For the love of god, tools.
You don’t want to be stuck in who-knows-where with a flat tire and a spare tire in the back but with no way to change them because you do not have a jack. Don’t be that person.
1. Your karaoke A-game
Trust me, at some point, you and your road trip buddies will somehow break into a song. Whether it’s to a classic Backstreet Boys song or to an emotionally charged Adele tune, YOU. WILL. SING. And it will feel so liberating.
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Sometimes, even the shortest road trips can turn out to be one of the best memories—and it’s not always just because of where you went or how long you stayed there. Some of my best road trip memories have happened in the car, while on the road. You know how it’s been said again and again that the real destination is the journey? I’ve discovered that with the right company, and the perfect car to boot, that saying certainly rings true.
So, really, choosing a car for your road trip experience is also just as important as choosing your buddies for the trip. It can make or break your experience, so you have to make sure that the car will be perfect for your getaway. And by perfect, we mean safe, sturdy, and fun to bring along.
Last June 16 at Mall of Asia Atrium, SM Supermalls presented the public new cars from the brand with more than a century experience of providing some of the world’s best and most well-known cars—Chevrolet. Quality and style have always been their forte, and that’s how it always has been since the brand was established in 1911.
SM and Chevrolet showcased different activities, live performances, games, and car-a-oke sessions during the event. One of their featured cars was the Chevrolet Sail, a 5-seater sub-compact Sedan with a built-in karaoke perfect for an entertaining road trip of the family or barkada. We even tried to sing our favorite songs with the car-a-oke.
SM Supermalls launched the “Home of Global Brands” campaign last May, which presents one global brand each month to give their patrons another experience of the world through their partner brands. “Home of Global Brands” will run until December this year.
