Fancy
exploring the world at your own pace, with your sound system providing
your own personal soundtrack, the windows open, stopping wherever and
whenever you want to? Then a driving trip sounds like just your thing!
When you have your own set of wheels, the world truly is your oyster.
Whether it`s by car, motorbike or campervan, a road trip can give you a
grass-roots flavour of a country like no other holiday can.
Take
the famous Route 66
in the USA.
At over 2400 miles it stretches from Los Angeles
in the West to Chicago
in the East, taking a diagonal tour of the USA.
Immortalised in music and film culture, it offers the visitor a chance
to pass through towns that would otherwise be missed if travelling on
the Interstate, some rural, some taking full advantage of their infamy,
with cone-shaped motels, frozen custard stands and the first ever
MacDonald`s. In contrast, the road passes through the un-missable,
startling colours of the Painted
Desert in Northern Arizona. Meteor
Crater and the Grand Canyon
are other awe-inspiring popular stops along Route 66.
The divergence of these roadside attractions and natural wonders give
the traveller a microcosm of American culture, in all its dimensions.
Alternatively
Africa
boasts a whole different road trip experience. The quality of the roads
is extremely variable and can take you deep into the real heart of the
continent. Whichever countries you choose to travel through, you can be
sure of a unique insight into life, plus opportunities for stop-offs to
enjoy local delicacies and experience true African adventures. For
example in North Africa,
crossing the High Atlas in Morocco, camping
in a bivouac at Merzouga,
buggy riding through the dunes or riding camels in
the Sahara. In East Africa in
the Masaai Mara
of Kenya
you can visit the spectacular Great
Rift Valley and witness wildlife such as leopards, rhinoceros
and hippos in their natural habitat.
Driving
around the world can be an experience of a lifetime. But
don`t fall into the trap of thinking that roads are the same the world
over. It is extremely prudent to look carefully at the rules and
regulations of the country or countries you are visiting well before
your trip. Simple rules such as stop signs, parking, rights of way,
using lights or the horn may vary markedly between countries. Indeed
there can be some downright weird rules, for instance some of Bangkok`s
one way roads change their direction at certain times of day. Good
preparation will ensure a safe, legal and enjoyable journey.
Things
to check:- Local speed limits? What side of the road do they drive on?
Does your insurance fully cover you for your journey? Do you have
breakdown cover for the whole of your trip? Do you comply with all the
driving requirements of the countries you will be visiting (e.g. do you
need a first aid kit, fluorescent jacket, warning triangle)?
Wherever
you visit, you will need a GB sticker clearly visible on the rear of
your vehicle and if the country drives on the right hand side of the
roads you will need headlamp deflectors if your car is right hand
drive. It is best always to err on the side of caution, for example in
wearing seat belts, not using a mobile whilst driving, not driving
aggressively. It`s worth investing in maps and guides
to the area before you go, unless you are fluent in the languages of
the countries you are visiting. Remember the internet can be invaluable
for downloading information. From a security point of view it is
recommended to check with the embassy of the countries you will pass
through ( this can be done online ) as foreigners are susceptible to
entering dangerous areas because of their lack of local knowledge.
Finally
it`s always worth considering that if you are hiring
a vehicle abroad such as a motorbike or campervan you may
need cheap
car rental Heathrow on your return to this country. End your
trip with as many good memories as the rest of your trip and you`ll be
reminiscing on your exhilarating drive-of-a-lifetime for ever.
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