Do you have a travel query you need help with? Email it to been.there@guardian.co.uk, or try our travel talkboard.


June 27:

I would like to take my husband to the Sacred Music Festival in Fes next year for his 60th birthday, but I can't find much information about it, apart from the fact that everyone says it's fantastic! I really need help with the practicalities, such as flight information, accommodation, tickets for concerts etc. Hope someone out there can help - it will be much appreciated.
Stella Thomas


The Cafe Clock site has information about concerts at the cafe, and the proprietor Michael Richardson may be able to assist with queries about the festival - you can email him at cafe.clock01@gmail.com.
Information supplied by Manuel


There's a good online guide (in English) for this year's festival that will help you to plan for next year's - it has information on how to buy tickets, and photos from previous events as well as information on the history of the festival. It also has a contact form where you could send a message asking any questions you have about the 2009 festival. Try Cheapflights or Travelsupermarket for a starting point for flight deals.
CharlieH


We are a couple (both aged 20) and have long had plans to work and travel in the US immediately after graduating in June 2009. We've found a huge variety of summer work and travel programmes, but these seem almost exclusively aimed at students on summer holidays and it is often a prerequisite of the visa that you must be returning to university in the UK in September, which we will not be doing. There seem to be opportunities to work in theme parks/ski resorts which would be fine, but the visa requires that you return to the UK immediately after your employment finishes. Does anyone know of any opportunities to work and travel in the US which would allow similar freedom to the Australian working holiday visa?
Amy and Joe

Unfortunately the US do not offer a similar scheme to the Working Holiday Visa to Australia. However you would be eligible for Bunac’s Work America programme as it’s open to final year students. If you graduate (from full-time degree level courses) in June 2009 you could go to the US to work for up to four months during the summer. The J1 visa is only valid for four months during the summer so to make the most of it you should go as soon as your course finishes in June. If you wanted to work for longer than just the summer you may want to consider our Work Canada programme - this allows you to work for up to 12 months, so you could easily work in a ski resort. You do not need a pre-arranged job for either programme. The only programme in the US for non-students is Summer Camp USA - again this is during the summer months only. Full details are on our website and information on our 2009 programmes will be available in September. If you take part in Work America then you could travel after working. As the visa is valid for four months or until October 10 (whichever is sooner), you would then have 30-day grace period which would allow you to travel in the US for another month but no longer.
Jill Tabuteau
Senior Manager, Bunac

My advice to anyone considering this would be that you need to contact
the US Embassy in the UK directly as there are too many variables
involved for a cut-and-dried response. For example, are you looking for a company in the US to sponsor you, do you both hold full British passports, etc. The number for these type of enquiries at the Embassy is 0904 2450 100, or you can visit the website.
Maddy Morgan
California Tourism


We are looking for ideas for a ‘last family holiday’, during the next 12 months before our eldest son starts work. The boys will be 22, 20 and 18, all three excellent dinghy sailors, and would be game to try out other forms of ‘active’ holiday. We (the parents) are keen walkers, but my husband is registered blind, although we go snow walking every winter so we are gregarious and not unwilling to try things. I am a keen swimmer.

We think a July holiday would probably fit the timetable best. We would prefer short haul, but not too hot, three of us speak some German so northern Europe would be a possibility - Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria etc. We are quite independent but would prefer to be based in one place for say a week or 10 days, with lots of flexible possibilities.
Any ideas? There is a reasonable budget as it will be a special trip but we would like it to be memorable.
Deborah Richards

What about Alto Adige/Südtirol in the German-speaking part of Italy? If you go to the Dolomites area, the scenery is fantastic and there's excellent service, great food, plenty of culture and loads of different activites to try, including rafting, paragliding, horseriding, vie ferrate etc. More information can be found here.

My favourite area is Alpe di Siusi/Seiseralm - a good starting point would be the Castelrotto/Kastelruth village. Another useful link is suedtirolerland.it.
Tobia

Have you thought of the Spanish Pyrenees? It would be hot during the day, but not too hot, and cooler at night. There are lots of things to do for active people, cycling for the sons, and trekking in the mountains. Panticosa is a beautiful place to spend 7 to 10 days, and there are plenty of places to visit from there. If you are going in July, there's even a music festival nearby. Try looking at sites such as The Pyrenees Experience or pirinios-sur.es. Hope this is helpful
Ana Meléndez


June 20:

My partner and I want to drive across America, taking at least a couple of months to do it so that we have the opportunity to linger in places that we like. We want to either start or finish in Los Angeles, and apart from that the only places we really want to include are the Grand Canyon and New Orleans. Can anyone recommend a good route and the best time of year to do it? We want to do it fairly cheaply - staying in motels, and perhaps doing a bit of camping - but with a little extra money that we can use to stay somewhere nice now and again. It's difficult to figure out a rough cost for it all though - any ideas? And one more thing - is it best to hire or buy a car?
Many thanks
Emma

After law school I took seven weeks off and drove across the States with a few mates. We swiftly discovered in the planning stage that the problem with driving coast-to-coast is that there is a big block of nothingness in the middle. So what we did is two weeks from Memphis (Graceland, Sun Records etc) down through the deep south (lots of interesting plantation homes, witness the voluntary segregation, civil war monuments) to New Orleans (one of our high points, we spent a couple of days in and around Canal St) before returning to Memphis via the other side of the Mississippi.

Then we flew to Denver and spent 4 1/2 weeks doing a big tour of the west; the trip went via Aspen, Bute, general cowboy land (and cowboy towns) and lots of national parks (including some camping) to Portland. From there we took the long and immensely scenic coastal highway down to Los Angeles via San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Carmen, Hirst Castle etc. From Los Angeles we headed directly west to Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion and eventually back to Denver. The trip ended with a flight to New York and a few days of cultural acclimatisation before hopping back to Blighty. A fantastic seven weeks.
JWhite

I'm currently in my final two weeks of such a trip. I started in April in New York and took the train to Niagara Falls and back. I then took the train down to Miami - this is where I hired my car and then drove to, among others, Key Largo, New Orleans, Memphis, Chicago, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

My experience is that hiring a car is easy, so why bother buying and registering and all that for little or no saving? If you really want to save money, go camping - campgrounds apparently have a very social atmosphere.

Otherwise, chain hotels and motels are really quite cheap. It depends how comfortable you want to be. I wanted internet access, so I've generally stuck to chain hotels; the prices vary from $40-$100 a night. Also, remember that tax will be added and it varies from state to state. Obviously big cities are more expensive and it pays to use the web to find decent deals.

Fuel is expensive - it's getting all the headlines here! It's similar to UK prices, so not unmanageable. Depending on what car you hire, you may have to fill up a lot. I've covered 9,000 miles so far and I really don't want to work out how much I have spent on fuel!

Apparently, I chanced upon a good time of year to go. It's almost summer, but not the holiday season, so I've been lucky with getting around and getting into places with no queues to speak of.

It's a fantastic way to see the country. I've seen as many interesting sights along the way, as I have when reaching the Grand Canyon, Big Sur, etc.
I've also learnt a lot about the country and myself, but you need to see my blog for that.
Dave Phillips

There is a very good site called Road Trip USA which covers all major routes. I did such a trip about three years ago. The site covers the routes in great detail and tells you about all the towns and villages on the way including a choice of accommodation, restaurants, museums, and places to visit in each town that you pass through. I started my trip in Los Angeles and followed US Highway 80 across all the southern states to finish in Savannah in Georgia, staying in motels all the way. I rented a car as I as did the trip in about three weeks. It was great and I will definitely do another one soon.
Tony

We hired a car from Carhire 3000 in the UK, who were agents for dollar car rentals in the US. They have a low-cost one-way policy that meant we rented a car in San Francisco, spent a month driving down the coast, through the south and then left the van at the airport in New York, for a very reasonable one-way fee.
Hirsty

Many years ago I travelled across the USA on Greyhound buses, taking in New Orleans, the Grand Canyon and Los Angeles in around seven weeks. Don’t go on Greyhound buses unless you want to write a comic travel book, and don’t discount hostels (both YHA and independent ones). I went in September and enjoyed good weather all the way.

Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington are all worth a visit. I then made a very long-haul trip down to New Orleans, stopping only in Birmingham, Alabama. I don’t particularly recommend that long a haul in one go or Birmingham! I’m told the Carolinas are lovely (good coast) and there have to be better places than Birmingham.

Not sure what New Orleans will be like now, but it was fantastic when I was there. In my opinion, the south-west is the best part of the USA, so I wouldn’t dwell too long in Texas, although San Antonio was great and I’m told Austin suits us Guardianistas. But get into Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona: Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Zion and, of course, the Grand Canyon are all wonderful. Accommodation is not abundant so book asap. Check out Gouldings Lodge at Monument Valley. You’ll need to book well in advance if you want to stay at the Grand Canyon. Flagstaff and Sedona make good bases. I liked Tucson too, but Phoenix has little to recommend it. Avoid Vegas at all costs.

Into California: Los Angeles is OK, but San Francisco and San Diego are much nicer cities. If you want to stay in LA, there was a fantastic YHA hostel in Santa Monica, two blocks from the beach. Highway 101 is as good a drive as they say it is. It will be beginning to get cooler up in San Francisco come October/November, but Yosemite ranks alongside the Grand Canyon in my opinion (again, accommodation is very scarce so book asap) if you want to check it out. Not sure I’d bother with Sequoia national park again – if you’ve seen 130,000 big trees, you’ve seen them all.

The mistake I made was staying in New York for too long (so easy to get to anytime) and Los Angeles for too long. The south-west really is the best area and I would advise spending at least two weeks down there. Remember distances are very, very long out there; so get a decent car with air conditioning and cruise control. And bring lots of music and play the number plates game (spot one from every state). Alcohol can be hard to get in the south-west (restricted by Mormons and hard to get in territories owned by native Americans) so stock a few bottles in your boot if you want to enjoy a glass of wine while watching the sun set on Monument Valley.
Rob Barklamb

Try car delivery from major city to major city. You're given a set number of days to deliver - we did New York to San Francisco in eight days (but were given 10, picking up Route 66 at St Louis and heading north after we'd taken a brief diversion to Vegas. You, of course, would head straight to Santa Monica pier. Quite what you do for the remainder of the two months is up to you.
Guy

I would rent a car from a company that offers cheap long-term rental rates. That would probably be better than buying one. I would travel in the spring (eg early April). If it’s two months, begin in New England and drive south enjoying the eastern US. You would love camping all through the Skyline Drive and Blueridge Parkway areas of Virginia and North Carolina. Go all the way down the east coast visiting Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia - all beautiful places. End your east coast trip in St. Augustine, Florida and camp near the beach - another beautiful little town.

Go west on I-10 and you’ll be in New Orleans within a day. If you time it right, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is held during the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May. That is worth it, even if you just want to enjoy the city with fun people. Then travel north visiting plantations, Natchez, Mississippi (a beautiful town of the old south) and Memphis for great food and music. Head west on I-40 (the Arkansas Ozark mountains are very beautiful for camping and river rafting) and visit the old western towns of Oklahoma and/or Kansas (there are many beautiful state parks and natural areas). From there, drive to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to enjoy some real south-western culture, and then to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. If possible, leave yourself enough time to visit Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks in Utah. They are worth the time. Zion is a desert version of Yosemite. You could stop in Las Vegas if you want, or just go all the way to Los Angeles.
Michael

Buy a car, we did - USD$2000 for a Ford Escort station wagon. Fly to New York, take route 90 all along the coast up to route one. It’s a fabulous adventure and everything you want to see is there. Get some books about great US driving routes.
Cbailey

I’ve just returned from a three-month road trip in the US from San Francisco to Washington DC including all the hot spots you mention on your mini list. We went via California, Oregon, Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and then DC.

We had a fabulous time managing to steer clear of boring interstates and taking far more interesting and beautiful byways and highways. All quirky, crazy and beautiful distractions were provided from talking to locals and these three invaluable books; 'Road Trip USA' by Jamie Jenson, and 'Eccentric America' (Brandt publications) as well as 'The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips', worth every penny for the stunning routes it took us on, steering us away from the grey drudgery of suburban malls and interstates.

We did it all. Rodeo, drag race, roller derby, drive-in movies, national parks, gospel sermon (given by Bishop Al Green no less), Graceland etc. and even visiting the Creation Evidence Museum in Texas and the L. Ron Hubbard life exhibition in Los Angeles, bourbon distilleries and Shaker villages.

Be sure to go to the national parks in southern Utah (Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands and Moab) - they were far and away the highlight of the trip. If you do visit a lot of parks buy the national parks pass.

We bought a car, it worked out cheaper for us but my boyfriend is a US citizen. I am not sure how difficult it is for foreigners to register and buy a car. Better to buy on the east coast and then head west, as car prices are higher on the west coast and you'll lose less money reselling it than if you did it in reverse. For quick reselling of the car at the end of the trip you can always go to Carmax.

We stayed with friends, in cheapy motels (usually from $50-80 a night) and did a lot of camping as well ($20-25 a night). It is good to have a tent for the beautiful national parks, when all motels are full and to save money too. Campgrounds are abundant with great facilities for laundry, internet and even pools, and there is, of course, more backcountry camping too. Total cost for us including buying car, food, gas and lodgings was $6000 each for three months.
Pippa

Here are my suggestions (as an American): America is a huge country and even driving around for several months you will miss a lot. From what I know buying a decent used car and selling it after you are done will probably be cheaper than renting one. For good deals check out Craigslist. I would suggest heading north from Los Angeles on the Highway 101 or Highway One. Highway One hugs the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington with clifftop, dramatic views of the pacific ocean. Besides being on the coast the One and 101 also go through the giant redwood forests (some of the trees are more than 2000 years old and as the name suggests just staggeringly huge). Once you finish with the coast you could stop off in Seattle, Washington, before turning east for the next big leg of your trip. Seattle makes a natural resting spot and if you want to get a counterpoint to the US experience Vancouver in Canada is just a few short hours away.

From Seattle you could take the 90 Freeway due east to Rapid City. Along this route you will pass through expansive countryside and go right by some amazing sights like Mount Rushmore, Custer National Forest, Devils Tower, and Badlands National Park. From Rapid City you can take the 83 highway down to Austin Texas. This route is sometimes called the 'route to nowhere' as it passes though no major cities. It is gorgeous country and is a part of the country that most Americans don't get to see, let alone tourists. Austin is a nice spot for a little layover, as it is considered by most Americans to be a bastion of culture in the middle of Texas (every spring Austin hosts the SXSW festival which is the best music festival in the US). From Austin it is an easy drive to New Orleans. From New Orleans (remember to pronounce it with a thick southern accent: "Narlins"), you can start heading west again, along the 10 which goes through southern Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Again, if you are fed up with the US at this point you can always hop over the border to Mexico which is just a day trip off the 10.

When you get to Phoenix, Arizona, head north immediately, and stay in Flagstaff (I have never found much interesting in Phoenix) or go directly to the Grand Canyon. There is plenty of camping around the Grand Canyon, but remember that even though Arizona conjures up ideas of the desert, the winter is bitterly cold and it may be unpleasant camping. From the Grand Canyon you have a choice. You could backtrack to Phoenix and take the 10 back to Los Angeles or you could cross one of the hottest places on earth, the Mojave Desert, with a day trip out to Las Vegas. Finally you will arrive back in Los Angeles having seen some wonderful countryside and almost all the major spots west of the Mississippi. Here is a basic map of my suggested route.
Hope this helps.
Timm

My suggestion is to take as much of Route 66 as possible, which used to run from Chicago to Los Angeles. No longer an official US highway, many stretches are still in use as secondary roads or even frontage roads paralleling the US Interstates. Due to the interest from nostalgia buffs, many states are re-marking the old highway as Historic Route 66. Route 66 coarsely follows the path drawn today by Interstate 55 from Chicago to St. Louis, then on Interstate 44 to Oklahoma City, and then on Interstate 40 to southern California. Assuming you are heading west from New Orleans, consider picking up Route 66 no further west than Oklahoma City, as there are many drivable miles in Oklahoma and more than a few old attractions, including motels and diners: El Reno is a good example. Purchase a book on Route 66 in advance (there are several), which will help you plan your route, guide your way and identify roadside attractions. Within just a few score miles of traveling the old route, you will become experts at identifying the original pink-hued concrete, narrow lanes, and quarter-round integrally-cast curbs. This skill will help you choose the right road out of these small towns, within which old US 66 often took bends and changed alignments that are now unidentifiable in the middle of town due to several decades of infrastructure improvements.

Since you have plenty of time, I suggest a detour in New Mexico. From Roswell (of UFO fame), follow US 285 to Carlsbad, then US 62 to the Texas border. The southern portion of this route follows the Guadalupe mountain range, which gradually escalates in height over the highway, abruptly ending at El Capitan just across the Texas border (not the famous one in Yosemite National Park in California, but equally impressive). There are many interesting stops along this route, including the Living Desert State Park (an informative display of life on the Chihuahuan Desert), Carlsbad Caverns National Park (one of the largest caves in the US), and the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. A manageable hike takes you to the top of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas, just behind and overlooking El Capitan. Looking out over the West Texas landscape, you would think you were on a different planet. There is nowhere to stay overnight and few places for provisions, so plan carefully.

The Grand Canyon deserves a few days' visit, even a week. For a little rustic luxury, stay at the El Tovar on the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, complete with a huge lobby, bellhops, and fine dining. And I do mean literally on the southern rim - the dining room provides a view partially down into the canyon, it’s so close.

And finally, be sure to pick up a copy of the Roadfood guide by Jane and Michael Stern. Written for road trippers, there is no better single source for finding truly American food while avoiding the mediocre and forgettable. Their paperback book is a compilation of mouth-watering reviews of several hundred of the best local restaurants from most States across the US. In the south-west, with long distances between populated communities, you will find a meal at one of these places particularly restorative. The Sterns have scoured the nation for the best inexpensive meals at local establishments (such as diners) with a few formal restaurants mixed in. Sign up online as a Roadfood Insider member and you can get online restaurant reviews and driving directions to each restaurant. When you are in Los Angeles, be sure to have a hot dog at Pink’s in West Hollywood, one of the book’s recommendations. It’s worth the wait in line, and no, that line does not get any shorter by coming back some other time.
Happy travels,
M Oneby

My wife and I travelled across the country last year, and it was a fantastic experience. We spent only about three weeks to get from New York to California and back, and it felt like no time at all. A couple of months would make the trip that much more rewarding. We tried to cram in as much in those three weeks as we could, and a few things really shone (note: national parks do cost money to enter, but your ticket lasts you a few days, so if you camp or stay nearby, you can spend multiple days exploring.)

Iowa State Fair usually runs for a week and a half in mid August, and this weird piece of Americana was actually pretty fun. There is a ton of livestock, entertainment, more food than you could ever need, and a cow made out of butter (when we went last year, they also had a complete Harry Potter scene made out of butter). It's a nice summary of the mid-west.

In Badlands National Park, South Dakota, one of the most memorable parts of our trip was a trail ride we took at sunset. We camped at Badlands Ranch and Resort. We had heard how busy the Grand Canyon was during the time of year we went, so we opted for nearby Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, instead. It was well worth it. The rock formations were fantastic, and we camped in nearby Dixie National Forest. It got quite cold at night and the toilet was basically a hole in the ground, but I have never seen stars at night like I did in Dixie.

At Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, we camped right in the park itself, though don't let that fool you. The camp is so large, we did have quite a bit of driving to do to get from our site to hikes and trails, but the views were fantastic. Mesa Verde is a site with many preserved archaeological Native American cliff dwellings. You can take ranger-led hikes to some of the dwellings, and get up close with the history.

If you are afraid of heights, I wouldn't suggest taking Big Sur/Pacific Coast Highway/Route One. The road takes you along the coast of California, with little more than a mound of dirt between you and the cliff - but the views here are amazing. There are many pull-off points where you can take photos, and there are even campgrounds in the forest right off the coast. If you plan on camping here though, don't let the first come first serve sites fool you! Especially in mid August, these sites are hard to come by - people will claim a site early in the week and pay the extra money for days they won't be there just to make sure they have it for the weekend. We attempted to get a site on a Wednesday, but they were all already booked, and instead of paying $20 dollars a night for a few nights of camping, we had to pay more than $300 for one night in nearby Carmel-by-the-Sea.

A few other ideas: the Chesapeake Bay area in Maryland offers many recreational activities (like crabbing) and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
The Adirondacks in New York offer terrific hiking, boating, and camping experiences. The local village of Lake George has fireworks on Thursdays during the summer - there is something beautiful about hearing the echo off the mountains and seeing the reflection on the lake. There are also some terrific nearby restaurants, like Davidson Bros. microbrewery in Glens Falls and (our favorite) O.P.Fredericks in Chestertown, New York.
StefanS

Back in April, a friend and I did almost that exact road trip across America. It was absolutely brilliant. Starting in San Francisco, we went slightly inland to Yosemite National Park (a must if you can) before touring down the Californian coast to Los Angeles (Highway One is another must - mountains on one side, Pacific Ocean on the other). Then Los Angeles to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, cutting down through some great cinematic scenery in Arizona to Tucson, then across to New Mexico to traipse around in the magnificent White Sands and very cool Carlsbad Caverns. Then we drove across the desert plains of south-west Texas (probably the blandest part of the journey) to the fun cities of San Antonio and Austin and finally through the swamplands of Louisiana to New Orleans (everything you think it’s going to be), in time for the Jazz and Heritage festival.

We blitzed six states and 4600 miles in about 3 1/2 weeks but would have loved to spend a couple of months getting to know some places better. You definitely have to take the smaller highways instead of the big interstate freeways where you can. Our rental car, a mid-size ‘Dodge Avenger’, cost about $1600-1700 US for the 3 1/2 weeks and petrol was about $600 US all up. As you’re going for a while, buying a second-hand car would probably be a cheaper option but then again, you wouldn’t have the shiny newness (and reliability) of a rental. On the road, motels are the only way to go in a lot of towns and we generally paid between $60 and $80 US for a twin bed room. Getting a cheap camper van might be something to think about to save on accommodation. Foodwise, diners are a fairly inexpensive option with good meals from around USD$10. Portions are large and quality is mostly a step above the many, many fast food franchises you’ll drive by. Have fun!
Winyu

Get a copy of “Blue Highways” by William Least Heat-Moon, a get-lost-on-the-back-roads odyssey by a professor at an Iowa college. Even if you don’t follow his routes, it will get you in the mood and gives you a wonderful feel for the back roads of the US. Also, buy yourself a US road atlas, say, Rand McNally’s for USD$5-$8.

Some suggestions: you could take Interstate 80 and take California 89 down the west side of Lake Tahoe. Lovely, views, winding roads, mountains. The bigger towns along Lake Tahoe are touristy, the more remote areas much less so (Meeks Bay is lovely). I’d wind my way over to US 395 in Nevada and head south toward Yosemite National Park, the John Muir Wilderness area, King’s Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park. These and the places to stay near them can be crowded in peak season (June to August).

From that general area, head for the Grand Canyon on Interstate 40. Most people would go north on Arizona 64 but there are other alternatives. After the Grand Canyon, I’d head for Canyon De Chelly (Indian ruins - extensive and interesting. Indian-led tours are available) in Arizona. By the way, Indian reservations are somewhat of a law unto themselves with power to arrest and fine for speeding, etc. Photography is sometimes a sensitive issue on reservations, so make sure you ask.

If you choose to go through the Rocky Mountains north of New Mexico in Colorado, my favorite route is via US 40 east of Craig, then east on Colorado 14 through the Poudre River Valley into Fort Collins, home of Colorado State
University, an interesting college town.

Some folks find Midwestern farm country boring. I disagree, there’s something soothing about, say, Iowa, Illinois or Wisconsin farm country. Take a route like US 20 from Sioux City Iowa to Chicago, Illinois and enjoy the farm country and historic towns like Galena and Illinois.

There is plenty to see elsewhere; keep a wandering, adventurous spirit. Follow the little roads, the ‘blue highways’. Happy travelling!
Munn

We recently completed a trip from Los Angeles to the Florida Keys and back in about three weeks. The route to Florida was though the southern states and the route back slightly higher, taking in a bit more of the country. I would recommend this route - we often camped; national parks are great for that, not to mention beautiful. Buy a car, it can often works out cheaper. Also just think of the photos - imagine a nice retro American classic sitting outside that diner rather than a plastic 2008 Dodge! Also don't forget, "if it's not a V8, it's not a road trip." My photos of the trip are here
Ben


With my 40th coming up next year, I would like to plan a weekend away for about 20 people, possibly more if kids come too. It needs to beself-catering, reasonably priced and within four hours' drive of London. Any ideas?
Georgia

I can thoroughly recommend the Dower House at Knowlton in Kent, where I had my 30th and 31st birthday parties. The house and garden are beautiful but the furnishings not so precious that one need worry too much about the kids or otherwise putting on a thoroughly enjoyable bash. There are other properties on the estate if your numbers escalate.
Richard

Have you thought of hiring a narrowboat or two? A slow amble along the canals of middle England would be fewer than four hours’ drive from London. You can even hire skippered boats if you don't fancy DIY. Large 72ft boats can take up to 12 people - and there are some 'broad-beamed' boats available too. There are also so called 'hotel' boats that feed and pamper you - but they don't accommodate your numbers. Try the British Waterways Waterscape website, and web search for 'narrowboat hire'.
TBowyer


June 13:

I'm 23 and have about £400, a backpack, and a week in August to go travelling in. I'm going to be on my own, and really want to do something interesting in Europe (including options in the UK). I've been InterRailing and seen a lot of the big capitals, so would like to do something a bit different to all that... any recommendations?
JAllinson

In 2006 I set off on a 4 month tour of Europe. The intensity and variety in such a relatively small area still amazes me and makes it a good choice for a short journey. My one unscheduled stop was in L'viv, Western Ukraine. I still expect it to spring up on an Easyjet billboard dubbed as the 'New Prague". Quite simply, it was a charming little city and was as astoundingly cheap as it was off the tourist radar. A tram ride cost just 5p. However, it's one to be avoided if you're intimidated by the idea of only a few people speaking English. But this, for me, helped it to be one of the most memorable stops.
Onward travel is possible to Budapest via overnight train. A stop there would also surely disappoint no-one.
Chris

You should travel by overnight trains in Europe as they are cheap, or you should look up Couchsurfing.com and join the organisation which has members all over the world - I'm sure you'll find a couch wherever you're travelling. You might end up spending very little! Have fun.
Neil

I would give two suggestions:

Norway
There is a briliant activitiy centre close to a small town/village called Evje. The centre is called Troll Aktiv and is run by an English expat. The surrounding area is extremely beautiful and perfect if you're searching for more of a quiet holiday (quiet in the sense of noise, nightclubs etc.). There are plenty of activities on offer (whitewater rafting, climbing, hiking, biking, axe-throwing), health and safety are excellent and service great. You can fly to Kristiansand or to Stavanger and then take public transport, which is quite OK in Norway - at least, much more reliable than in Britain. Kristiansand is an hour's drive away from Troll and worth a visit. It also has a beach which is nice.

Croatia
Pula is in northern Croatia and perfect for young people up to 30. I can highly recommend the youth hostel - great people, great service, fantastic location at the end of a bay directly on the beach. Clear water, great campsite but also beds available indoors. You can meet people from all over the world. Pula itself is beautiful, with a Roman amphitheatre and harbour. You can go surfing or diving and many agencies there offer rafting tours, biking, etc. You can fly straight to Pula or Rijeka and take the bus from there.
Good luck!
Sven Krause

You should walk the trail of Santiago across northern Spain and top it off with a few exciting nights in Santiago or hop over to Barcelona - interesting, sporting, hot, spiritual, an experience!
Rebecca Cassar

Under similar time and budget restrictions, I once did a live-in watercolour painting course (in Cornwall) that was excellent - though they may not all be.
Many folk festivals will be on, mostly (not all) modestly priced, but to stop over you're very likely to need a tent. If you want to get right away from it all, try an extended hike or walking stay in the North Pennines or Northumberland.
MTill

Don’t head for Mediterranean countries - it’s hot, expensive and overcrowded at that time of year. Ireland, perhaps? Not the cheapest of countries but plenty of opportunities for backpacking, fab scenery and long beaches. I would favour west and north, possibly including Ulster (ie the North Antrim Coast), too.Enjoy.
Lorenza, Switzerland


I’d like to take a bike touring holiday, touring either New Zealand or Canada. I'm particularly interested in suggestions of what equipment I need to take, or any specific planning I should consider on this sort of trip. I own both a road bike and a mountain bike but am not sure which would be best. I'm also interested in hearing readers' experiences of how easy it is to transport bikes on planes, or if I should just purchase a bike when I arrive in the country.
James McHugh

In my experience travelling by air with a bike can be a bit of a lottery - either no problems at all or hassles with excess. It really depends on your carrier's policy and the person you deal with at the check-in desk - arrive early and try some charm, it usually helps!

Packing your bike for air travel requires a bit of thought. Your options are to use a suitable cardboard box (usually available free from your local bike shop) or a specialist bike bag or plastic box. The latter two options offer your bike a bit more protection but the bag/box will need to be stored whilst you're away pedalling. The cardboard box option, if it's packed properly, is a pretty good second best and it can be disposed of/recycled when you arrive in-country.

Buying a bike in-country is another workable option but do some internet research in advance to see what's available and strike up a relationship with a good bike shop wherever you plan to go well in advance of your departure to make sure they'll have the bike you want in the size you need as well as the accessories you need. A lack of advance planning could lead to delays in getting on the road.

You don't say what length of time you plan on touring for which would affect the route/s that would be suitable for you. The planning phase can be a big part of the fun in arranging any trip but, if your time is limited, you might want to look at travelling as part of a group with an experienced bike tour operator so as to spend more time riding and less time worrying about with the map. KE Adventure Travel offer a range of fully supported global biking adventures both on- and off-road, and operate trips in both New Zealand and North America. I've always found their groups to be fun and friendly and their trips well planned using input from local bikers.

Travelling as part of a group means that your luggage is transported as well, meaning you can enjoy riding on a light bike unencumbered with panniers. Should you go it solo, good waterproof panniers such as Ortleib are a must along with good quality pannier racks. For extended touring I'm a big fan of BobYak trailers, especially in hot climates where their additional carrying capabilities come in handy for carrying extra water supplies as well as everything else you'll need to travel unsupported.
Gav

Though I've not been to Canada, I have cycle toured with Canadians in New Zealand, who commented that New Zealand reminded them of home. I suspect the time of year you want to travel will be one of the biggest determinants of which you should ride, if budgetary constraints haven't already made that decision for you.

Most people touring (my estimate would be as much as 80%) in New Zealand seemed to be on mountainbikes. Though I was on a hybrid touring bike, some of the best roads were unsealed, meaning that I had occassional puncture problems. The strength of the frame and wheels seems to provide more benefit than being able to ride a little faster, particularly when you're likely to be carrying camping gear, spares, food and water. Quite a few people touring took along two sets of tyres, one set of slicks and the other set being fairly knobbly, which seemed to work well and provide some nice options and resilience to deal with whatever occurs.

Most people touring in New Zealand seemed to be foreigners, more than half of whom brought their bikes with them. Adventure Cycles in Auckland are well known for being helpful (and perhaps a little quirky), and good for bike rental and bike buy-back. Alternatively there is a locally assembled brand called Avanti that in my experience are better finish qualitiy that the likes of Trek and Kona and tend to be pretty hard to beat (The Avanti people are also hold the rights for Specialised in New Zealand), particularly if spending a strong Europen currency.

Camping in New Zealand is very much the norm when cycle touring, though I have met a couple who were travelling extremely light, with little more than the clothes they were wearing and a credit card. This didn't appear to limit their choices too much as they were covering much larger distances, though they were in the small group of people who are genuine elite level cyclists. So unless you're a regional or national level representative, probably best to plan on taking some gear, particularly as there is a tendency to get four seasons in one day.

I did come across a couple of organised cycle touring groups. One smaller group of perhaps a dozen 40-50+-year-olds who stayed in very nice hotel style accommodation, had nice restaurant meals, rode with a support/picnic van and had to carry only what they needed for a couple of hours.

The other group I came across was a bus load of 18-35s, who were on more of a budget, but also seemed to be having a pretty social (though not drunken) time of it. In the evenings they caught up to their bus at one of the camping grounds, where in a relatively organised manner they pitched tents and cooked. It seemed well organised, there was plenty of food and a driver who was very adept at keeping the bikes maintained.

The benefit of both of these seemed to be that they could avoid carrying approx 15-20kg of gear (less if riding with others), could avoid some of the less appealing stretches of road and maximise their time riding interesting sections, whilst having some support in the event of injury to either rider or bike.

There are parts of New Zealand that are fairly remote, so knowing how far it is between settlements and attractions is particularly helpful - for this there are at least a couple of good books. If you haven't done a reasonable amount (ie at least several five-day rides) of cycle touring previously, the Lonely Planet 'Cycling New Zealand' guide has good sections on what to take and what know-how you need to develop. 'Peddlers Paradise' by Nigel Rushton is also a very useful riding guide for the South Island and a bit lighter too. A couple of months (or more) touring in New Zealand is a very nice alternative to Northern Hemisphere's winter and for me provides many happy memories.
Jon Knox

Which bike you take ultimately depends on what style of touring you intend to do. For off-road with a loaded bike (presuming you have a hard tail), take your mountain bike. If you attach a trailer you can carry a tent etc. and detach it for those trails. Or go lightweight touring on your road bike, staying in hostels, or using a bivvy bag and panniers (a lightweight road bike's easier to chuck on a bus at the bottom of the mountain). I've toured on my road bike and would do the same again, just keep it light. Decent bike hire was too expensive when I was in New Zealand, but the roads and scenery are superb. Local shops will supply you with a cardboard bike box wherever you are for planes - pick one up a few hours before you fly. Major hint? Spend your money on having a good time once you're there, not on the latest gear or a fancy bike. Have fun.
Will

I have travelled round New Zealand (not by bike), and one of the notable things is how unsafe the roads are for cyclists. This is mainly due to logging
trucks zooming past with minimal clearance, and the poor standard of
driving (particularly among young, new drivers). It's not uncommon for
people to spit, and throw items at poor cyclists (for a joke).

New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places on earth and well worth
visiting, and you would expect travelling by bike to be ideal. However,
you could be in for a nasty surprise regarding the attitude to cyclists and 'rules of the road'. The travel writer, Josie Dew, wrote a book called 'Long Cloud Ride' which details her experiences, and gives a complete breakdown of what equipment she took. You'll find this a valuable guide to what to expect. I would also consider this book to be a fair-and-balanced account.
Ewan Watt

If you're heading to New Zealand I'd go with the bike that allows you the fattest tyres, as the seal of the road here is a lot coarser than in the UK or Europe, and fatter tyres will make a full day of riding significantly more comfortable. I did 4000km of biking around Europe a couple of years back on thick Schwalbe Marathon tyres - these would be ideal for the conditions here. The tyre clearance on your road bike probably won't be able to accommodate broader wheels, but it is worth checking. Also - mudguards and decent wet weather gear are essential (even in summer!), as, unlike Europe or Canada, the weather can change in 15 minutes, and even on the main state highways you can be remote and exposed. Finally, if you do decide to visit New Zealand, the ride down the west coast of the South Island is unmissable. Wild scenery and the roads are fairly quiet!
Matthew Plummer

I live in Auckland, New Zealand and am a keen recreational cyclist with one trip to France (taking bike) under my belt and another (not taking bike) planned for September 2008. Whilst I've not toured New Zealand by bicycle, I know a lot of people do it. My own experiences are limited to riding a bike to work daily in the centre of Auckland, and doing training rides around the city and environs.

Some New Zealanders are lousy drivers, with very little respect for, and in fact animosity against, cyclists. Consequently, it is advisable to do what I call 'defensive cycling' - always presume that the driver who might pull out in front of you, will do so. New Zealand is bigger than a lot of tourists expect. Yes, we have a small population, but the country is (I think) as big as the British Isles. To find out anything about cycling in New Zealand, I'd suggest contacting some bike shops - easy enough to Google them, but one good place to try is Cyco, who are always helpful:

Now to the question of whether to take your bike with you. I researched this carefully before my trip to France last year, and took my touring bike, in a bag (dismantled). A bike box is an option, in which you can carry the bike 'made-up' as long as it is within the airline's prescribed dimensions. I discounted this mainly because I wanted to travel by TGV in France and they won't carry made-up bikes. I found out later that boxes provide less protection against damage en route, but there's not much in it, as even with the padding in the bag, my bike received some damage - not major, fortunately.

My bike in its bag weighed 25kg. This means that not only are you possibly liable for an overweight charge (I was only about 4kg over after the airline applied its 'discretionary' extended weight, but it cost me $NZD350), but also you have to carry it wherever you go. It's like having a small child with you! And there are times when you have to carry the whole lot up and down steps - just imagine carrying your normal luggage, and then pop an extra 25kg on your shoulder. It's 'doable', but on balance I've decided that in future I will hire or buy a bike when I go to France.
Alan


June 6:


I am a student (have nearly finished my A-levels) and I am planning to go to France in the summer. I speak French and I was hoping to find a job in a pub or restaurant mid-July-ish. I wondered if you could recommend a good town or area to visit in France? I hoped to find somewhere with a buzzing young vibe to it and preferably near the sea. Would it be reasonably easy to find summer work in France if I just went out there with CV and a friendly smile?
Ella

When you look for a summer job in France, you will be in competition with young French students looking for summer jobs but with the advantage of being an English speaker. You should be able to find jobs in tourism all along France's coast but competition will be highest on the Côte d'Azur. If you are available in the late summer, like meeting new people and enjoy hard work, you can work your way from the south of France up to the Champagne area (August/September) by doing the 'vendanges' or grape-picking as the grapes ripen in different French wine regions. Though far from the sea, prosperous French speaking Luxembourg can be a good place to earn some money, too.
JAndrews

Before graduating in French and Italian last year, I spent three months in Séte working in the Auberge de Jeunesse. I found this through a program called Boost Your French. A woman called Catherine Foucher (I believe she is French) has contacts all over France with various farms, schools, restaurants and so forth and she can help you to find a placement. She asks for around 250 euros for 1-2 months' placement 350 euros for longer placements (although prices may have changed in the last year). She will send you a form to fill out about where you might like to go in France, your level of French and what you might like to do. I had a great time in Séte, even if I was only washing plates and doing a bit of reception work. The experience is what you make of it. The placements usually provide lodging and food - it's worth a look.
Victoria Blackshaw


I've recently separated from my wife and so, in my very early 30s, face my first solo holiday since being a traveller back in the last millennium. Ideally, I'd like to go somewhere in Europe - sociable, hot, with decent restaurants and nightlife, but where I'm not at risk of being steamrollered by a Club 18-30 party. My perfect holiday would be Thailand but for the fact that it's currently the rainy season (and I'd rather get away before the end of July to beat school holidays).
John

Greece ticks all the boxes, and the rowdy places are few. I'd spend time over a Rough Guide type of book about the country, especially the islands, finding out which places to avoid and which you might enjoy, and what to expect there. Visitors from the English-speaking world abound in the holiday destinations and staff are used to communicating in English, naturally not expecting many tourists to know the local language.

I haven't been to Cyprus or Mediterranean Turkey, but I imagine the above applies to them also.
Nick

We have been on trips with The Adventure Company and found a real mix of (mostly) singles and (some) couples, from a variety of age groups and sometimes other countries (our trip in Nepal had three Australians, two Belgians and six English). The groups are smallish, usually 15-18 people, and whilst you tour together you also get the opportunity to go off on your own if you want to. They do a real mixture of destinations and types of holidays but always try to use smaller, locally-owned hotels and interact with the local community if possible. You could go to Thailand with them; they also do Sri Lanka which looks amazing and Vietnam, which we did last year and thought it was brilliant.
David Mitchell

I'd recommend Morocco, as you can visit the beach, do desert tours, see the sights, shop, soak up culture and atmosphere, ski (in winter!) and socialise, and the nightlife in Marrakesh is brilliant. So there's something for everyone.
I went by myself in December, flying in to Marrakesh, travelling by train up to Fez, then over to Rabat, then back to Marrakesh for the flight home. Regarding accommodation, I went for budget backpacker, but there are also some beautiful riads if money isn't too much of an issue. Some friends have booked through Naturally Morocco, and others through Intrepid Travel. The first organise more custom-made holidays for singles or pairs, while the second is like group backpacking so there's always someone to socialise with. I usually travel by myself, with a Lonely Planet guidebook.
Good luck and enjoy!
Jessica


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