Thanks, though I'm not going until July.

The problem with planning this holiday was that the USA is just way too fuckin' big and interesting/diverse to decide where to go. Even when you narrow it down to one side or the other, not least the middle, there's still plenty of head-scratching to be done.

Ultimately, planning a month's detail (when you know almost nothing about a place) was too much, so I'm very glad I stumbled upon the aforementioned company.

Yup ..tho the middle ??? meh



When Jude and I were driving in the US I had to check with her that the 940 km to the next turn off the Interstate wasn't a typo.

Are the Smithsonians in the works?

Macdoc wrote:Yup ..tho the middle ??? meh



When Jude and I were driving in the US I had to check with her that the 940 km to the next turn off the Interstate wasn't a typo.

Are the Smithsonians in the works?

Don't knock that picture, dude, as I've never seen anywhere like that.

Oh it's fun for about 10 minutes....

As for the Smithsonians, I'll be cramming one or two in no doubt, regardless of the kids (they have to make sacrifices too!). Unsure yet about what to do anywhere.

Macdoc wrote:Oh it's fun for about 10 minutes....

Deserts can be cool. I've been to North Africa (Egypt and Tunisia). But vast plains, no matter what you fill them with (the drive across northern Europe/Germany towards Warsaw springs to mind)... yeah... boring.

Weirdest thing I found driving on some of those dead straight roads was actually keeping the damned thing straight. Sounds daft but when you're from the UK, we ain't used to driving straight for more than a few hundred yards. I found I'd keep ever so slightly drifting across the road and have to keep correcting it.

Other thing James. Make sure you nail what type of car you've hired. I've had it a couple times that what you think you've hired here doesn't directly translate when you come to pick it up, they try it on with giving you something smaller, telling you to take it up with your booking agent. So make sure your agent gives you a print out of actual models that are eligible for what you (and they) are paying for up front.

Very good advice that last bit and you really really want a mini-van or an SUV

Apparently I'm getting a '7 seater' car, even though there's just 4 of us, because I told my agent that unless he's confident that a normal 5-seater SUV would accommodate our month's luggage, he should upgrade.

I doubt whether I needed to do so, since I've obviously been on holidays in a car before in normal 5-seaters. Actually, that raises a problem I'll need to address at some point: sorting out our laundry for a month!!

The advantage with a van or SUV is the higher seating position for everyone if you are sightseeing.

You also have to remember that an agent in the north of England has absolutely no idea which particular model his customer will be fobbed off with 9 months in advance. It's just a 'general' booking, I assume. The specific car you get on the day, per type, is obviously going to be a bit of a lottery. So, I've played it safe with a 7-seater. Gawd knows what that will be, but I've driven 7.5 tonne trucks before, so I'm not worried about that. What worries me is acclimatizing to the American way of driving quickly, or else bust.

That's an important point you should really pin the vehicle but since I can't think of a 7 seater car I would guess you will get a mini-van which is fine. Make sure you take proof of that 7 passenger contract with you.....buggers are nasty at times.
Also see what your local car insurance agency has to off in the way of coverage for rental vehicles as that's a hidden cost that adds up.

What you really must have is adequate health insurance for you all....don't skimp - talk to your agent. - You only need one months worth.

I have full travel insurance via my bank account. A perk, though I’ll check the fineprint fairly soon.
As I was saying, no agent in the world can inform you of the exact car model they’re booking for you 9 months in advance via a company in a different country. If they can, I expect that this comes at a high premium.

Oi what you doing up at this time jamest? xx nice to have some more existential company

Keep It Real wrote:Oi what you doing up at this time jamest? xx nice to have some more existential company

I'm another one bird man and it's boring, obviously.

I recommend blood sports

and drum and bass...https://soundcloud.com/commercialsuicide/klute-b2b-dom-roland-ftm-stamina-sun-bass-2017

And ghost in the shell 2017...come on fam that's tons lol

And suffer..I don't at the moment because I'm stroking my ego by being the heaviest cat in the ends/block...what about everybody else though? I'm a fucking ego wanker right now....egos egos

I have full travel insurance via my bank account

Travel insurance is not medical insurance. - don't fool with this. ANY hospital stay in the US can run $10K and up - way way up.

Without health insurance, surgical treatment of a broken leg typically costs $17,000 to $35,000 or more. For example, at the Kapiolani Medical Center in Hawaii, repair of an uncomplicated leg fracture[4] costs about $16,082, while repair of a complicated leg fracture[5] costs about $33,565, not including the surgeon's fee. A typical surgeon's fee could reach $2,000 or more, according to Carolina Orthopaedic Surgery Associates[6] .

http://health.costhelper.com/broken-leg.html

http://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/ ... nce/guides

https://www.reviews.com/travel-insurance/

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic ... ravel.html

I spend about $600 a year for me alone. The plans are usually 90 days ( that's all you need ) then I top off for the rest of the year.

Australia and the UK on the other hand have crossing plans so your UK insurance covers you in Aus....but not the US. Big risk if you are not adequately covered....make sure you ask your agent.

https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcar ... tries.aspx