Driving

(Third of three parts)

In this issue I will continue last month’s discussion of overseas car rentals and leases.

Picking up the car

I read the article on seniors and car rentals in the July ’05 “Discerning Traveler” column. Another car rental agency on the European continent is Sixt GmbH & Co. (Zugspitzstr. 1, 82049 Pullach, Germany; phone 888/749-8227, 877/474-2566 or +49 [0] 89 7 44
44 0 or visit www.e-sixt.com).

When we motored Portugal for two weeks in 2002, our travel agent recommended Sixt because they would have no problem with our driving. My wife was 73 at the time and the driver, while I was 77 and navigator and alternate driver.

For a November ’04 trip in Italy (July ’05, pg. 55), we short-leased (this is different from a rental) a brand-new Peugeot 407 from Auto France (Wood-Ridge, NJ; 800/572-9655 or www.autofrance.net) for a total cost of $1,329 for 18 days, and that cost was comparable to a straight rental. The cost would have been $310 less had we picked up the car in France, but it included all insurance and all the warranties that we would have gotten with a rental.

(Second of three parts)

Last month I talked about the upper age limit invoked by car rental suppliers. This month I would like to discuss other automobile rental and lease-related factors.

Many visitors who in their home country drive on the right-hand side of the road can find driving on the left in Britain a daunting task, but with a little insider information, and by following a few golden rules, they usually get by unscathed.

It’s worth mentioning that, surprisingly, more people in the world drive on the left than on the right. We are often asked in fun, “Why don’t you change over to make life easier,” but the reply is always, “Why don’t you change over to conform with the majority?!”

(First of three parts)

For a first-time visitor to France, a tour may be the best bet. A single traveler will do well with a railpass, but for two or more persons who want to explore France more thoroughly, a car is best.

By Jack C. Ogg, part 2 of 3 on the Balkans

The aqua-blue waters of the Adriatic, the coves and beaches of the Dalmatian coast, medieval walled cities, imperial Roman ruins, mountain lakes and the forests and vineyards of the interior make Croatia a modern-day Shangri-la.

Have you ever wondered if you really got a full tank of gas when you left the airport rental car parking area? Our recent experience with Avis at Milan, Italy’s, Malpensa airport is a classic case in point.

For a trip to Kangaroo Island, Australia, in October ’03, I rented a car for three days from Hertz. Booked for pickup on Oct. 4 and dropped off on Oct. 6, it was part of a package deal with Emu Airways (General Aviation Terminal, Kel Barclay Ave., Adelaide Airport, S.A. 5950, Australia; phone 08-8234-3711 or visit www.emuair.com.au).