Thanks to Hollywood, the family road trip has become a bit of a cliche and a story vehicle for slapstick humour. The storyline usually involves dad dragging his reluctant family to the car, then trying to keep them onside and amused as the usual scenarios light up the screen.
There are the motel jokes, the petrol station blunders, the teenage angst rising in parallel with the frustration of being cooped up in a car with the un-coolest people in the world (parents), and the inevitable battles between sibling rivals.
However, forget these American cliches. A Kiwi road trip is usually far too interesting for any of that Chevy Chase/Jim Carey palaver.
The New Zealand roadscape, with its mix of ever-changing scenery, unusual farm fence decorations — a practice that started with displays of escaped hubcaps and now includes donations of surplus bras, jandals, wetsuits, etc — and a plethora of small towns that make mighty claims (Dargaville — kumara capital of the world, Kerikeri — so nice they named it twice) makes it easy to focus more on the journey than the destination.
Sure, there’ll be times when things don’t go as planned, so be prepared for seagulls contesting your ownership of the finest fish and chips you found after a life-long search. Be ready for the kids to inevitably ask the AWTY question, for the back-seat stare-down contests, and even the odd provocative prod of an elbow.
Games such as I Spy, counting the colours of oncoming vehicles (hot tip: silver always wins ), or seeing who can spot the most tractors first can keep the back-seat boredom at bay. Up front, there are downloaded podcasts and iHeartRadio playlists to enjoy.
A key strategy for making a road trip more enjoyable is simply to stop as often as possible. Stretch those legs, breathe that fresh country air, and drivers will feel relieved and refreshed, especially if a nearby playground or a roadside rusty vintage tractor has released most of the kids’ pent-up play energy.
So lever the kids away from the computers, grab the dog (after assuring it that it’s not going on a ride to the vet), take whatever beach/bush equipment you need, and fill up at your nearest Mobil station on the fuel that will take you further.
We live in road trip paradise, in a country with one of the best combos of infrastructure and natural attractions. It’s as easy to find the things travellers need as it is to enjoy jaw-dropping sights and experiences. Over the next three months, we’ll highlight some of the best trips to take on New Zealand roads.
More miles, more adventures
Why use Mobil? Aren’t all fuels equal in New Zealand? It’s the Synergy-branded mixture of additives that make the difference, and many of those added to Mobil fuels are there to improve engine hygiene and efficiency.
Drivers can enhance this efficiency by anticipating halts in traffic flows to keep stopping and starting to a minimum, making sure that the tyres are inflated to recommended pressures, and removing roof racks if not needed.
If towing, make sure the load in the trailer is balanced, to reduce weaving and improve fuel use and stability.
From Mobil’s stations in Invercargill in the south to Karikari in the north, Mobil Synergy Fuels are designed to give you more fuel economy, for more miles, more adventure.