As a two-man delivery service, our teams spend a lot of time out on the roads – and when we say a lot? We mean a lot. The Coronavirus has put a spanner in the works for most people’s travel plans this year, with the threat of a sudden quarantine proving just too risky to fly to sunnier climes. Because of this, many families the nation over are looking closer to home for their holiday options.

With the October half term quickly creeping on us, the word ‘staycation' seems to be the order of the day, and why not?! The UK has a stunning variety of landscapes, a great number of tourist attractions and, nowadays, the food isn’t so bad either! A staycation often means a long drive, though, and if you’re not used to them, these can be daunting. That’s why our delivery teams have put together their top tips for keeping positive and energised on the road, and how to actually enjoy those long trips!

1. Whip Up A Road Trip Playlist

Now this may not be the ‘hottest take’ ever, but you really can’t beat a DIY compilation of carefully chosen tracks for your road trip. Our delivery teams take their playlists pretty seriously, and being given command of the AUX cable isn’t something to be taken lightly! What was it that Uncle Ben said in Spiderman? “With great power comes great responsibility"

You don’t want to be known as the one in the group who messed up their chance as the DJ. Nobody wants that title. So, whether you’re DJ-ing solo or for a full car, here’s a bit of advice to make those painstaking inclusion choices a little easier. Choose upbeat tracks that you know are going to keep you head-banging all the way to your destination. An emotional love ballad from the heart of the ‘80s may tug at your heartstrings, but it’s not going to be much good in keeping you energised on a trip down to Cornwall…

2. Stay Hydrated

There’s nothing worse than a stuffy car. Anyone who has been stuck crawling on the motorway for hours at a time knows it’s pretty horrible. Now pair that with the headaches and feelings of nausea that often come with that stuffiness, and you’ve got a lethal combination. Our drivers’ tip? Keep hydrated. We’re not talking about knocking back triple espressos or a pint of Sunny D, here, we’re talking about good ol’ fashioned H2O.

The last thing you want on a long drive is to start feeling car-sick or headachy – keeping on top of your fluids helps avoid this! When you’re out on the asphalt all day like our two-man delivery service teams are, you get used to covering those long distances. For us other mere mortals, though, it’s better to be overly-prepared! So always have more water than you think you’ll need.

3. But Not TOO Hydrated…

We’ve all done it. The boot is packed, the kids strapped in and already asking the immortal question ‘are we there yet?’ and then half an hour into your seven-hour trip, you find that you’re busting for the loo. It’s a rookie error – an understandable one, but a rookie one, nonetheless – so don’t be that person who needs to stop at every junction!

4. A Snack A Day Keeps The Boredom At Bay

It’s a well-known fact that you can judge a man entirely by his go-to choice of snack. Don’t bother looking that up, just trust us on this one. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a sherbet lemon kind of guy or partial to a toffee éclair , the only thing that matters is making sure you pack enough of them in! Asides from being an indicator of character, however, sugary snacks can prove genuinely helpful on long drives.

One of the first things to happen when your blood sugar drops is that you get a dip in energy, as well. You get lethargic, sleepy – and that’s not really something you want happening at the wheel… The occasional pick-me-up in sugar form will help keep your energy levels nice and stable over the course of a longer stretch of driving!

5. Play The 'BJS’ Game To Pass The Time

What’s the BJS game, we hear you say? Well, it’s very simple, but can get very competitive very quickly. It plays as follows, whenever you see one of our two-man delivery service’s vans or HGVs you (carefully) tap the roof of your car interior. Whoever taps first scores a point, whoever has the most points at the end of the trip, wins. Simple as that. Sound silly? Try and stop yourself playing next time you’re in the car with other people… Go on, we dare you.

6. Listen To A Podcast

Podcasts have really taken off over the past few years, and with good reason. Whether it’s a tell-all autobiography, true crime series or irreverent, zany comedy, these binge-able little packets of audio content are especially good for solo drives where tiredness often begins to factor in. Forcing yourself to actively listen to a story being played out to you is a pretty good way to stave off what we like to call ‘<i>motorway monotony</i>’! That feeling of drowsiness that comes from driving along similar stints of road for large stretches at a time. Whack a podcast series on and you’ll be at your destination before you know it!

7. Up Your Service Station Game

Now, you can’t necessarily help where you live or where you’re headed on your trip, but when it comes to service stations, there are good ones, and then there are… not so good ones… If you’re looking for something fancy, Gloucester services, with its building nestled into the landscape, makes for an organic treat on the M5. If you’re looking for sheer satisfaction, then the Norton Canes Roadchef on the M6 toll is hard to beat (scoring an incredible 99% customer satisfaction rate – something echoed by our drivers!). Honourable mentions must also go to Reading West, on the M4, South Mimms, off the M25 and Wetherby, along the A1!

8. Check Your Vehicle Before You Set Off

It may seem like an obvious one, but the number of people (and we’ve all probably been guilty of it at some point) that set off on long drives without doing the key vehicle checks is probably pretty huge. As a two-man delivery service, we’re heavily reliant on our fleet of vehicles. At the same time, though, those same vehicles are subject to some pretty serious mileage, so it’s vital we keep them in tip-top shape. So, before you set off, check the following:

-Tyre pressure

-Car battery (especially if your car has been sitting around unused for a while)

-Brakes

-Oil levels

9. Pack A Portable Charger (And Make Sure It’s Fully Charged!)

If there’s one thing our two-man delivery service’s drivers all agreed on, more than anything else, it was the importance of a portable charger (or two). Battery life drains so quickly on modern equipment. It’s a price we pay for the kind of computing power now at our disposals. For the sake of your kids’ relaxation (and your sanity) make sure you’ve got an ample power back-up to help keep them entertained on even the longest of journeys.

10. Enjoy It!

We often end up being so wrapped up in the thought of the destination that we forget to make the most of the journey itself. But often, it’s the journey that provides those truly lasting memories! Some of the biggest belly laughs, the deepest of chats and the most interesting of conversations often end up happening on those long motorway drives, so make the most of them!

Contact Us

So, if you’d like to find out any more about our two-man delivery service (or about our drivers’ music choices…) then get in touch! Contact BJS Home Delivery today on 01922 645 650.