Are we nearly there yet? It's a powerful question and loses none of its potency after many hours driving from the UK to the foothills of Tuscany, or the beaches of the French Riviera, or the forests of Germany. But how do you stop this ear-worm from infecting your brain and getting your road trip off to a less-than-exceptional start?

In a word, planning. Stocking up on child-pleasing toys, books and games can be rather pricey at motorway service stations, so it's wise to collect a few things before you go. Portable DVD players can be picked up very cheaply online and if you really want to save the pennies, consider buying a second hand one from eBay or Gumtree. Equally, you'll be able to find a whole host of great films for just a few pounds, both online and in charity shops.

We all know how short some of our offspring's attention spans can be, so make sure you have several weapons in your arsenal, as after four hours of Disney films, they're likely to be after different thrills. If you have two or more kids, a game they can play together might be ideal. For just one and if there are at least two adults onboard, make sure its a game that grown ups can enjoy playing too. If there's only one adult in the car (the driver, naturally), and a single child, then hand held computer games might be the way forward: make sure you have the required equipment to charge it up, and double check all the games are in the car.

With the all the goodies on board, and your short term European cover taken out, it's time to hit the gas and start enjoying a grizzleand complain-free trip to Europe, hopefully.