Ingredients:

• A reliable car
• 1 suitcase per person
• 1 backpack per person
• A good plan

Total time:

• 2-3 weeks - Planning
• 1 week - Packing
• 8 weeks - Travelling
• 1 week - Post-trip relaxation

Oven temperature:

Metric: Mid-Summer in Spain

Imperial: Very hot

Preparation:

1. Plan out your trip 

“How long will it be?” “How many people are going?” “Where are you going? “What are you doing?” are some questions that should be answered. Depending on the desired stress levels and spontaneousness of travellers, you could plan out the whole trip in 2-3 weeks before even starting, or you could plan as you went along. Doing the former ties you to a strict plan, whereas the latter can be a bit more stressful. Either way, it’s the “cook’s” choice!

I went wind surfing in Mallorca last summer, if you’re roadtripping near a beach, definitely try to squeeze in some water sports.

2. Packing 

I recommend starting to pack about a week to 10 days before departure, in this time period you should organize all suitcases and backpacks and choose what you need for your trip (clothes, laptops, cameras, chargers, food…). To have a sweeter trip I recommend keeping your luggage to a minimum, but if you must have 2-3 bags, keep in mind the trip might get dense and heavy.

Our car all packed up just before starting the road trip, we were so excited to start!

3. Start your trip

If the prep has gone well, you should have a full 8 weeks of road tripping and having a blast all planned and packed for. Now its time to plop this baby in the summer oven and let her bake. 

4. Course Correct

If your trip is becoming too bland, don’t be afraid to sprinkle in a bit of old-fashioned adventure: take a day trip to a cool place, try a weird food, take the scenic route… 

For example, while we were in Morzine, France (in the Alps) we planned on just relaxing, but it just so happened that there were some amazing downhill biking spots. Of course my dad and I had a blast.

Another great spontaneous adventure was a 2 hour detour we took in Galicia to visit the “most beautiful bench in the world.”

5. Document it! 

Take a camera along and take as many pictures and videos as possible, you’ll have a great time looking back on everything and the media could be used as inspiration for your next trip! 

My sister took this picture of a flower in France while we were just strolling around.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention there were swans

6. Let it cool after taking it out of the oven

Take a week or so after the trip to completely calm down and soak up everything that happened. During this time you can look over your pictures, read, go to the beach… Pretty much any relaxing activity.

Recommendations from the chef

• For a smooth road trip, bring games and other fun activities so the passengers don’t get too bored. Make sure the entertainment is age appropriate - a 24 year old might not want a kid’s coloring book. 

• Let the ingredients set before placing in the oven. If you have a poorly planned trip and a disorganized suitcase, everything will separate and fall apart when its time to cook.

• For a more airy dish, take your time. There is no rush.

• Don’t try to do too much, having too many flavors will get overwhelming and exhausting. 

Lars Wagoner is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program. You can follow along on his family's travels at WagonersAbroad.

All photos courtesy and copyright Lars Wagoner