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Roadtrips can be loads of fun, especially with a little bit of preparation. One of our favourite trip planning tools is Google My Maps.
Google My Maps
Do you like maps? Are you planning a roadtrip with lots of stops and highlights you don’t want to miss? Then Google My Maps is for you!
You are going to remote areas and want to document where the gas stations are? Want to know where all the hotels or campgrounds are located along your itinerary? Then Google My Maps is your friend!
Google My Maps’ main function is to allow to save a map with lots of pinned locations. It’s not really a route planning tool (although you can use it to plan routes). You can create multiple different maps, and each map can have up to 10 layers that you can show or hide. Layers can be a category of pins (e.g. hotels, campsites, gas stations, sites of interest), or they can be a “directions layer” with step-by-step navigation instructions between two and ten locations. However, note that the navigation instructions generated with Google My Maps won’t update in real-time.
To create your map, you can fully research anything you would normally search on google maps, and then add them to your map with personalized pins for multiple locations. It is highly customizable with all sorts of pin types and colours. There are also several video tutorials to help you set up your first map.
Here’s a sneak-peek at two of our My Maps for Iceland and Namibia.
Linking your Google My Maps with Google Maps
Open up Google Maps and go to the menu and click “Your Places”. Then click “Maps” and you will then see the custom maps you have created.
If you want to navigate to one of your pins, just click it and click “directions.” Note, however, that when you do this, you won’t see your custom map anymore. This will instead create new Google Maps driving instructions. You can then repeat this step every time you want directions to a new pin (destination). Though this might seem tedious, it will be quick and easy because you have previously saved all the pins. Moreover, this bypasses the 10-destination limit when planning a Google Maps itinerary.
Suggested roadtrip gear
Charging while on the go
If you are camping or spending a lot of time on the road, having the proper gear to recharge your electronics is essential. Although most modern vehicles are equipped with USB outlets, a lighter plug-to-USB adapter can come in very handy if you have lots of devices that need charging. We purchased this one and it works like a charm.
Need something to recharge devices with AC plugs? We strongly recommend getting a (500W or more) power converter that plugs into the vehicle’s lighter plug. It will convert 12V DC battery power to 120V AC, which is great for charging laptops, cameras, batteries, etc. They often come with a few AC outlets and USB slots as well. Important: inverters should only be used while driving, otherwise you will drain the car battery if the engine has been off for a while.
Another great device to have is a slim portable charging power bank for charging your USB devices, especially if you plan on being outdoors for a while. These batteries can charge multiple devices simultaneously, multiple times, on a single charge! Most mobile phones can be recharged 5 or 6 times before the power bank itself will need to be recharged.
Finally, since we are on the topic of charging electronics, having a good plug adapter when travelling abroad is a must. This small TESSAN Wall Power Adapter provides great bang for the buck (for North American travellers in Europe), with 3 AC outlets and 2 USB slots.
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