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We were impressed by driving conditions in South Africa and found that it was an easy and enjoyable way to travel, even over long distances. Driving is on the left, which makes it convenient for drivers from the UK.
We'd been warned that there were quite a few instances of roadworks to encounter and although we did see several excavations and bollards on our journeys, we were only held up once by traffic lights ('robots' in S Africa) and that was on the hill-top road between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek where there seems to be quite a bit of road-widening taking place (Dec 2009).
Overall, we were impressed by the quality of the roads we encountered (around Cape Town, and then on to Port Elizabeth via Franschhoek and Swellendam). Most take the form of 'two-lane black-tops', usually with wide hard shoulders. Initially we thought the latter a bit of a luxury, then we realised that it's polite to pull over onto the hard shoulder to let overtaking cars pass by.
Speed limits out of towns are generally 120 kph (75 mph) which means that you have to keep a careful eye not only on overtaking cars coming the other way, but also on your mirror for the 4x4s pounding up behind you. A disconcerting aspect of driving on these roads is that closing speeds can be upwards of 240 kph (150 mph) without any central divider. We didn't see any accidents on our holiday, but I imagine that if collisions occur, they could be horrendous.
Petrol is cheap (about 60p/litre), so driving is a relatively minor part of your holiday costs. Also, at petrol stations there are staff there to fill up your car, clean windscreens and check oil, which is something that you don't see in the UK too often. We weren't sure whether to tip or not initially, but we gathered later that it's usual to hand over R3-4 for the privilege.
Something we saw quite a lot of was people trying sell you items (shopping bags, flowers, you name it) whilst we were queueing at traffic lights. We didn't have any problems with this (we always kept our doors shut whilst driving), but it's an extra hazard to negotiate, especially if you're turning right at a junction.
Another issue is that in towns of any size, parking (either by the side of the road or in designated car parks) leads you to encounter characters who appear from nowhere to help you to negotiate your vehicle into a space and then offer 'to look after your car' whilst you're away. Some of these 'helpers' seem to be official (wearing high-visibility vests etc), whilst others seem to be punters trying to earn a daily wage. Anyway, it seems it's the done thing to give these guys R3-4 when you get back to your car (for obvious reasons). The only place where we could park without being hassled for money was in Franschhoek where there were notices street-side advising drivers not to hand over money "to prevent our citizens becoming beggars" (sic).
Regarding hire cars, make sure that you establish with your car rental company precisely what they mean by their 'Group A', 'Group B' categorisations etc before you leave the UK (or wherever). We thought that we'd rented a 'Ford Focus equivalent' for the 18 days we were away, only to be given a Toyota Yaris on arrival at Cape Town airport. Nothing wrong with a Yaris, of course, but it wasn't as big a car as we thought we'd rented. We ended up covering over 1200 miles, so you might want to make sure that you get a car that's going be comfortable enough for your needs.
The best way of seeing the desert around Alice Springs is by self-drive and bush-camping.
Camp n Drive in Alice hires out 4WD with all the equipment you need for camping.
We had no equipment of our own. Hired the car from Camp n Drive and drove out to Ruby Gap in the East McDonnell ranges. There was no one around. We set up camp by a ghost gum tree, lit a campfire, rolled our swag on the earth and spent a wonderful night in the desert under countless stars.
Camp n Drive is situated in Alice -48 Gap Road, Alice Springs, NT. 0870, Australia, 08 89520099. www.alicecampndrive.com/index.html
Ruby Gap is in the eastern MacDonnell ranges - easy to find. Follow the Ross highway from Alice, follow the signs to Arltunga and you will see signs for Ruby Gap. It's a 4WD road only after the Ross Highway.
Successfully avoided the car hire shortage by booking in advance online. Easycar website - easy to use - car ready and waiting on arrival at Nice Airport. Tres bien!
Renting a classic car is a great way to explore Tuscany's countryside and beautiful wine roads.
Whether you blast down the A26 from Calais to Reims in approximately two and half hours, or take the scenic route, you should stop by the old pits on the Circuit de Gueux, just outside of Reims and once home to the French Grand prix.
These buildings rise out of the ground in testament to past glories, the pits and grandstand are in various stages of being restored and it’s easy to imagine the roar of the crowd and engines as the cars raced through.
It is possible, if a little precarious to venture into the stands, but be sure to pick up a leaflet for the friends of the circuit and help them restore this piece of racing history.
So much less the tourist-clogged path of its neighbouring tour, the Ring of Kerry, the trip from Cork City to Dingle in Kerry, by the south coast road (N25) across the toes of Ireland is an opportunity to dip into unpolished, but majestical Ireland.
Bypassing the standard stops such as Kinsale, pitch up for the night in towns such as Clonakilty (home of Jimi Hendrix's bass player Noel Redding - his guitars hang in De Barra's pub), Rosscarbery (a gem of a town hidden by a causeway and a bypass many years ago) and head past Skibbereen to Cape Clear islands for a day trip.
Along the way gather random information off locals to such places as the most bizarre and hidden archaeological museum in the world near Union Hall, or simply point the car towards to coast and get a little lost.
Continue at your own pace along sheep strewn roads to the Dingle peninsula stopping short for a night or two in tiny Annascaul. There, you can revel in the cosiest bars in the world. Take in the story of the local explorer legend Tom Crean in the South Pole Inn too. Dingle itself then, a gem of Atlantic perfection like a well deserved pint at the end of a journey.
South West of Cork City, right there by the Atlantic ocean.
The Grand Ridge Road is one of the best drives in Australia. Not really well known out of Victoria, the Grand Ridge is a drive that goes through the rolling hills of East Gippland and the Strezlecki ranges and extends into the Latrobe Valley.
It passes thru one of our states national parks and in the middle is the quaintly named, Mirboo North. Singed by the recent fires, Mirboo North is an ideal place to take a break while motoring along the Grand Ridge Road. A word of warning ... the views along the road are distracting but the road requires concentration from drivers and care and skill to navigate in parts.
East Gippsland
www.promcountry.com.au/grand-ridge-road
Google map: tinyurl.com/pggv2l
Other towns nearby which are especially interesting include Riverside (winding streets, interesting home architecture), Oak Park (many Frank Lloyd Wright and other interesting homes), Evanston (home of Northwestern University) and the North Shore in general (take a drive up Sheridan Road after you do the Outer Drive northbound trip in Chicago).
If you only have a few days and are starting in New York City, I might suggest following US 1, a highway which goes from Maine to Florida Where available, you can choose to take US 1A (also known as Alternate US 1 - it's not a contiguous highway) for a more scenic coastal route. From New York, you can head north into New England (cool days, chilly nights in April). Or, for warm weather, head south from New York along the Mid-Atlantic coast into the South and all the way to Key West, if time permits.
Some of the best American regional cuisine is located along the East Coast. Most of the seasonal diners, crab shacks and lobster pounds will be open by April, but not yet crowded. My personal favorites include: the Maine Diner in Wells, Maine; Essex Seafood in Essex, Massachusetts; Durgin Park in Boston, Massachusetts; Mrs. Wilke's Dining Room in Savannah, Georgia; the Dixie Crossroads in Titusville, Florida; and Wolfie Cohen's Rascal House in Miami Beach, Florida. There are simply too many to list; you need to get the Roadfood book or see their website. Happy travels and happy eating.
The west of America has some of the most awe-inspiring scenery I've ever seen. If time is very limited, fly into Vegas and drive down to the Grand Canyon, north rim, via Bryce Canyon or Zion National Park. Not only will you get a taste of life on the road here, I guarantee you'll be blown away by the landscape. You can find motels or lodges on National Park land for little money ($50 (£25) a night will get you a decent place) and all the crappy diner food you could ever want.
It's tough to beat driving up the Pacific Coast highway from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Stop in Big Sur on the way and glory in the scenery. Otherwise, if you want to stay on the Eastern edge, it's worth a trip down at least part of the Blue Ridge parkway. The actual parkway has a 30 mph speed limit (if I remember correctly), so it gives you time to take it easy and enjoy your classic car!
One thing I would definitely recommend is the book (and website) Roadfood by Jane and Michael Stern. They're a husband and wife team who specialise in writing about food and travel. They also file regular reports for the radio show 'The Splendid Table' broadcast by Los Angeles-based public radio station KCRW (which you can podcast from kcrw.com). They're constantly in search of wonderful holes-in-the-wall, diners, shacks or anywhere else that serves good American "classics" - from clam chowder to hot dogs to meatloaf to pecan pie, and everything in-between. The book is organised geographically, so wherever you end up driving, it's likely that they'll have covered the area and will offer some good choices.
Travelodge now charge for parking but don't inform you. We had booked to stay near Stansted airport at Great Dunmow - no mention on the booking confirmation - and when we arrived late at night there were no signs and reception didn't mention it. Next morning we found a parking ticket for £20 slapped on the windscreen. Complaints to customer services just received the brush-off reply that the parking area is nothing to do with Travelodge and run by a separate company. This makes for an expensive stay. Beware!!
The plane in from Queenstown is spectacular, but the drive from Te Anau is easily its equal. The books say allow two hours for the 120km drive but to be honest, give yourself three and enjoy the spectacular journey. Best place to view keas (alpine parrots) is at the entrance to the Homer Tunnel.
They run the funniest little business in town! The Iconic Fiat 500 is finally available to hire.
I have always pointed them out to my husband and sighed longingly at their charm, (there is something almost 'expensive accessory must-have' about them, like the latest pair of Marc Jacobs).
This trip to Tuscany we got behind the wheel and did a convoy tour in one! Absolutely hilarious!
"Again again again!" I wanted to squeal like an over-indulged child as we said goodbye to Paola (our little red head-turner) at the end of the glorious trip.
If you're flying to New York, head to Pennsylvania, widely acknowledged as the diner capital of the US. You can do day hikes in the mountains, see some pleasant if not beautiful cities (Philly and Pittsburgh) and eat classic diner food (scrapple, cheesesteaks, mounds of pancakes). Not too far to drive, and also home of the birth of the American interstate. Also much cheaper than staying anywhere near New York.
A great scenic drive. I recommend heading south on the ocean side. Allow LOTS OF TIME. We took a week from San Francisco to LA and we could have taken a year. There are lots of very good and cheap motels along the way so no need to bother about booking ahead.
Just make EARLY STARTS and make the stopovers by mid afternoon for the best choices. We never spent as much as $100 per double per night including breakfast and inclusive of all taxes for often quite luxurious accommodation. Driving in USA can be a pleasure rather than a chore and on Hwy 1 very few people are in a hurry.
Check www.broadjam.com/delton and listen to "Looking For America - Land Of The Free" for the full story.
You can get free maps, useful illustrated leaflets and small books at the GNTO offices in Athens at 26 Amalias Street. You can also download free maps of Greece from several interesting websites.
www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=805&langID=2
www.in2greece.com/english/maps/maps.htm
Sitting at the foot of the Mohawk Trail and pitched nicely between Northampton and Brattleboro (Vt.) just off I-91, Greenfield is a great, if little-known town.
It has the feel of a place past its heyday but ready to make a comeback: lovely 19th century homes, a farmers' market and a walkable downtown.
It has some excellent eateries, including the People's Pint pub and restaurant, the Hope and Olive restaurant, Blue Thai Ginger and Mirling's bakery. Koko's Cafe for coffee and sandwiches on Main Street.
The surrounding countryside is lovely and varied. Apple orchards abound and in the autumn you can 'pick your own' or sample the delights of sweet apple cider. Maple syrup is everywhere.
Situated as it is, Greenfield is a gateway to the beautiful Berkshire Hills. From here, you can wind your way along Rte. 2 to groovy North Adams; or, leave Rte. 2 at the small-but-perfectly-formed Shelburne Falls and head north on Rte. 112 up through Colrain to southern Vermont for outstanding views of quintessential New England landscapes. Oh, did I mention Fall foliage? It's happening right now. Brilliant.
Western Massachusetts, the north-west corner.
Head north into northern New Hampshire or Maine.
Get a car and drive up I93, keep going up towards Franconia Notch or deviate and head for the 'Lakes'.
Titlon and Conway have shopping outlets (NH has no sales tax) and there is the Conway Scenic Railroad which will provide you with a steam rail trip through the autumal colours.
Alternatively, head up I 95, stopping for lunch in Portsmouth NH, and up into Maine. Head north to the mountains.
Both are beautiful, inexpensive (especially with the current exchange rate) and away from the usual UK tourist spots.
www.conwayscenic.com/
www.santasvillage.com/
www.franconianotchstatepark.com/
www.maine.gov/doc/foliage/
www.visitmaine.com/package/3387/leaf_peeping_at_one_of_maines_gems_-_moosehead_lake/
www.lakesregion.org/Activities/FallHappenings/FoliageLeafPeeping/tabid/95/Default.aspx
My wife and I went on a 2CV (you know that old typical French car you see in the movies) car ride and I strongly recommend it to everyone. The driver was an authentic Parisian (except he was actually really friendly ahah) who told us random stories about the city and France in general.
They stopped in front of every main monument to let us take pictures or sometimes even took the pictures for us and the view was just breathtaking. We could stand up (even though the car is so cosy you don't feel like standing up) to take advantage of the view on the Champs Elysees etc... I mean it was such a great typical experience we actually decided to do it again.
So the next time they picked us up from the restaurant and drove us around (Moulin Rouge, the foot of the Eiffel tower, Notre Dame). There was literally no traffic, and we definitely appreciated that bottle of champagne they let us take in the car.
Finally they drove us around Montmartre in some tiny streets and places only locals know so I won't hop on any of those touristy buses ever again.
PS: The name of their website is parisauthentic.com but don't trust the website's bad quality, it doesn't reflect the quality of the service.
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