Keep yourself from cracking over Easter

The Easter holidays are a welcome break for both parents and kids after adjusting to a new school year, especially on the back-end of a grueling summer. That’s why South Africa’s roads tend to be a bit busier when it comes to the long weekends during and around Easter, so Woodford have put together some tips for getting your loved ones to your destination safely – and for keeping yourself from cracking en route!

• Make sure your kids are cool and comfortable. If you’ve got an aircon in the car (Woodford Car Hire offers a wide range of vehicles with an A/C and a host of other luxuries), then you can keep the temperature fairly constant. Be aware of the temperature outside as well – extreme changes in temperature when moving from inside the car to outside could lead to a runny nose or two while you’re holidaying.
• Take plenty of drinks and snacks. Apart from the necessity of keeping the family hydrated, enjoying snacks during the trip provides a good break in monotony and the full mouths will ensure that you’ll hear “Are we there yet?” a lot less!
• Audio books and CDs the kids can follow or sing-along to do wonders on a long trip. The majority of Woodford Car Hire’s fleet is fitted with CD players (some have DVD players as well as USB ports), so be sure to carry classic stories in the form of audiobooks or find out what your kids are reading at the moment and get a copy before the trip. It’s a great way to keep them absorbed and stimulated during the journey. 
• Make regular stops. Between the scorching weather, traffic and refreshments, it isn’t worth taking the chance of soldiering on to the end of the trip. You risk losing your cool (quite literally) or even a wet backseat! Luckily, the main roads in South Africa have regular stops with excellent facilities – including play areas and bathrooms – for the weary driver and the restless family. 
• South Africa also has an abundance of historical as well as natural attractions and scenery along most of its major routes. Plan stops that allow your family to take in these attractions, explaining the significance of the next attraction coming up. The fresh air will do them good and break the journey into shorter legs – each of which are looked forward to. 
• Play car games with your kids! The novelty might have died down with the introduction of portable DVD players and iPods, but don’t take for granted the appeal of simple games like “Eye-Spy” or where the colours and models of cars are counted. Try trivia games or make a production of playing “20 Questions” or a mobile version of “30 Seconds”. Making up your own games with family rules might work as well. Chances are, your enthusiasm will rub off on your kids and they’ll want to play simply because you are.
• Teenagers and slightly older children might want to be left alone with their mp3-player or cell phone, so if they’re not interested in playing games or listening to audiobooks, it’s sometimes best to leave them be. The last thing you’d want on an Easter break is a sulking thirteen-year-old!
• Plan ahead for travel sickness, and be sure to take medication with you if any of your children suffer from chronic illness or mild nausea.

Woodford Car Hire hopes that these tips will make your Easter journey go a little more smoothly and wishes you and your family a safe trip. Don’t forget to book online with us and find out about the best distance deals so that you get the most of your trip even before you hit the road!