The May 2017 issue contained an article on self-driving in Bulgaria (page 6). As I knew that a lot of roads there have only Cyrillic road signs, I emailed the private Bulgarian guide Patrick Peneff (www.guide-bg.com), who advertises in ITN, and asked about driving in that country.
(On several occasions, my late wife, Flory, and I had engaged Patrick as a guide, even paying him a deposit, but then had to cancel for medical reasons.)
This past June, my husband, Fred, and I rented a car and drove through Bulgaria and the Transylvania region of Romania. As I planned the trip, I discovered the monastic history of both countries and their numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Beginning in Bulgaria
My travel agent worked out the arrangements for me for a wonderful drive to the famous sites of Iceland, June 8-15, 2016. The morning after my arrival in Reykjavik, I was taken to Thrifty Car Rental (www.thrifty.is) to pick up the car I’d be driving ALONE for the entire trip. The rental agent gave me a new, full-size car with automatic transmission and all the bells and whistles.
Dear Globetrotter:
Welcome to the 490th issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine.
This is where you will find travelers’ candid appraisals of tours, cruises, flights, etc., to destinations outside of the United States.
With Volvo’s Overseas Delivery Program, buying a car in Sweden becomes a vacation.
After picking up your car at the Volvo Factory Delivery Center in Gothenburg, including a factory tour, lunch and an introduction to your car by the English-speaking staff, you are free to embark on one of the Volvo travel agency’s suggested self-drive tours of Sweden.
Itineraries include a 3-day food tour that visits the city of Smögen, a 3-day cultural-history tour that includes Marstrand and Gunnebo House, and a 6-day circular “Roadtrip” to northernmost Sweden and Stockholm.
Escaping the dry, browning Central Valley of California was a perfect excuse for my wife, Betty, and me to schedule a return visit to the lush gardens and green hills of England.
