As you all know, travel plays a bit part in my life. It is something I enjoy, and something I know many of my readers love too.
Usually, I tell you about a specific place, perhaps sharing with you what to do in a particular city or country. Today, is a bit different because we are going to look at something you can potentially do wherever you travel – hiring a car.
Surprisingly, a lot of us stick to public transport when they travel. Even those who drive everywhere at home tend to shy away from driving while abroad. That is a bit of a shame, because hiring a car allows you to experience a different side of a country. To see places that are yet to be drastically changed by tourism. Driving abroad really is a great way to get more out of your holiday, or weekend break.
These days, hiring a car is easy. You can do it all online before you travel. It really does not matter where you are planning to go. These days you can hire a car in practically any country.
Using the web, you can easily find a good deal. However, opting to use the cheapest hire firm is not always the best approach.
It really is worth taking the time to do a bit of extra research. It is important to check out the reviews, and listen to what other people say about how they were treated when they used this company. Doing so, will help you to avoid being scammed, or over charged.
It is particularly important to check out the insurance. You need to understand what is covered, what is not, and what the excesses are. The last thing you need is to lose your hire car keys, and be landed with a bill of several hundred dollars to replace them because you did not realise that this eventuality was not covered by the standard insurance package offered by the car hire firm.
Learning local road signs and motoring customs
In most countries, car hire firms will ask to see your driving licence. They want to know, for insurance purposes, that you are qualified to drive on their roads. Unfortunately, the majority of car hire firms do not concern themselves with much else.
Provided you pay the bill, and have a valid licence, they will be happy. Most do not offer their customers any guidance on driving in a foreign country. They do not provide information about differences in motoring styles and rules, or explain what important local road signs mean.
If you are wise, you will do a bit of research before you travel, and familiarise yourself with the differences between the roads you normally drive on, and those you will be using while abroad. Taking an hour or two to do so really is worthwhile. It is by far the best way to make sure that you are ready to drive on roads that you are not familiar with.
The best sources of information are your local motoring organisations, ferry companies, travel blogs, and car insurance websites. If you want to learn more about preparing to drive abroad, this article will also prove helpful.
