HOW DID WE MANAGE to survive dur-ing those days when there was no air-conditioning? Inside ahouse,therules are still fairly simple—minimal move-ment, maximum liquid intake and moderate to light clothing. Cross-ventilation and skylights help, so do open spaces between two houses or apartment blocks.However, out on the road—riding a bike, hiring a three-wheeler,drivingacar or just taking a bus—the rules are different. Your well-being will depend completely on the health of the vehicle. It can roast you; at the same time it can protect you from the heat and dust. Depends on how you treat the machine.Here aresomesimplepre-cautions you absolutely must take to keep man and machine going when the mercury breaks through the LCD screen of your digital thermometer.• Increaseyourfluid andsaltintake.Some of us may need to consult a doctor before we notch up the sodium and potassium. But for the rest of us, chaat masala on fresh fruit and salt in lime juice will do very well. l Carry hand towels with you. Apart from being extremely useful to wipe off sweat, covering your head with a moist one is the best known defence against heat out on the road. This works well even inside a car, where the roof can get uncomfortably hot. If you put cologne on the towel, it works even better.• Try to get hold of those cardboard fold-outs that block the sun from turning the insides of your car into an oven when parked under the sun.Tinted windows are not of much use. Dark solarfilmis asusefulaswearing ablackoutfitin the sun.Oldbedsheetsand quiltsspreadonthe driving seat, however, works well.• Remove all your cassettes, discs, IPods and other gadgets from the car when it’s parked under the sun. Otherwise all you will get are blobs of twisted plastic. In any case, you are better advisedtokeepthe stereo off and lis-ten to the sound of the engine. Over-heating willfirstrevealit-self through sounds emanating from the engine of your car.• To treat overheated en-gines— apart from the obvi-ous— clean the air filters and grilles. A high-pressure gar- den hose aimed at the dirt blocking the free flow of air is usually enough. Please also make sure that air pressure of the tyres is fine. A de-flated tyre will tire out the vehicle and overheat it. Likewise, engine oil also needs to be fresh. Make sure it is.• While driving under conditions of intense heat, fire is a big risk. Most fires take place be- cause of overheated or short-circuited electri-cals. Please check out the fusible link as well as wiring harness integrity; also take a look at the condition of the battery fluid.• Invest in thermo-flasks or in-sulated portable water con-tainers. This way you can carry water from home and keep it cool for a considerable amount of time. Avoid like plague the tempta-tion to pick up water supplies from the roadside. If you have to drink water while on the road and have no supply of your own, then ask around for the nearest running tubewell.• Pull over and park in the nearest available shade if you feel even slightly dizzy. Splash water liberally on your head. Also call up your family, friends and let know your location and the route you’ll take.• My wife and I drive cross-country regularly during the summers as roads are empty during the day and we can do good speed.We are very careful about what we eat. Stick to vegetarian food. If you want to have something sweet, thengoforseasonal fruitsandfreshlysqueezed juice. Don’t have aereated drinks.• Finally, some basic deep breathing exercises are essential to increase oxygen levels inside your body. Nothing beats a few deep breaths to cool your frazzled brain.FIVE FOR THE ROAD COOL ITCheck out the vehicle’s entire cooling system: Radiator, coo-lant, belts, hoses, cooling fans, heater core and water pump.PACK SMARTTake only what’s necessary. Don’tpilestuff sohighthatthey block your vision. Even out your load from side to side; keepthe heaviestitemscloseto the centre of the vehicle.AVOID FATIGUEDrowsy driving is one of the leading causesofhighwayacci-dents. Switch drivers every hour or two. Frequent bath-room stops actually help lower the risk of freeway fatigue.SCENIC ROUTELife really is about the journey. Take the more picturesque side roads instead of boring, never-ending highways. They induce sleep and make the entire experience dull.ROAD RAGEYou’ll encounter fellow road-trippers. You’re tired, they’re tired, and highway driving can shorten collective fuses, result-ing in road rage. Some words of wisdom: Benice,avoidtrouble.
