EqualOpp

rent a car more often. It makes a world of a difference in what you can see & learn.

Not to say I never did - fair share of places / countries, I just didn't rent a car as much as I do now. Talking about non-USA travel. As USA travel has always been with a car of my own or rental car.

Just back from a 1 month Europe trip - I rented a car in 6 places. Pre-planned. 2 were only for 1 day [Greek island of Paros, and Athens -- went to Delphi].

Most of my foreign trips in last 6 years or so have involved frequent use of rental cars - Western Europe, South America mostly, but also Asia - Taiwan. Japan - likely next year.

The cost of renting a car / fuel is vastly overwhelmed by how much you see in a certain time frame and what you see / experience beyond just using public transport. Now, if one is just sticking to major Europe or Asian cities for example - no need for a rental car...but if one wants to see beyond this....get a car, and bring good maps ahead of time, and/or make sure you have a GPS installed...but best not to rely on GPS.

What's your one piece of advice?

GUWonder

Package more work trips with vacation time, and pull in family and friends onto more such trips as the opportunity presents itself. And use those miles/points as fast as possible.

There is a lot to admire off the beaten track, and for that there is often no good substitute to driving (or being driven).

EqualOpp

Make sure you have auto company status....I got upgraded by Europcar - 2x and Sixt. Others were smaller local outfits.

I'll just add "being driven" one can turn off their brain more. Like it was for me ~20 years ago in Sri Lanka when I hired a driver for 5 days. I saw a lot more then what I would have been able to drive on my own though....I dictated where to go.

Nothing beats - being a driver (and/or navigator - spouse/child) where you have to pay attention to where you are going. Inevitable mistakes and backtracking are part of it. GPS or not.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

Advice given to me via the Lonely Planet authors, Maureen and Tony Wheeler - something to the affect of "don't worry just get there." This summer, for once I basically did that. Had a ticket and planned a few days with my cousins in France after that, it depended on the weather. Ended up renting a car and spent a week in the Dolomites hiking/climbing. Saw other friends from when I lived in France. Finally just in time train to London for work. Most everything was last minute planning.

The other advice given to me via a good friend who I have traveled with on multiple occasions, when you arrive somewhere immediately go for a walk-about. That is immerse yourself. Best experience was arriving into Cairo early one evening after flying over the pyramids as the sun set. Got my hotel, dumped my bags and went out into the city. It was day after Ramadan ended so everyone was out.

So I will pass on the same "don't worry just get there" and when you do "immediately go for a walk-about."

aroundtheworld76

Mine would almost be the opposite of the OP. Skip the rental car. At least for kidless travel. It isolates you from the communities and culture that are such an important part of travel. Yeah, it takes longer, but if the residents of a country typically get from A to B on a twice daily bus, do that, and be prepared for a richer experience. Save the rental cars for when you're traveling with a family on your annual weeks vacation.

EqualOpp

At some point there is nothing left to learn from studying "CULTure" .....it's all the same around the world, so to speak. ...slices of nature, and specific (Important) sights beyond cities or suburbia are harder to reach.
So you went to the Philippines, you rode a fancy looking (Customized) bus with portraits of Jesus...who cares, it's a glorified bus. But it does tell you something about Philippines culture/ people. You rode a small jeepney...yeah, that's more unique. How often you need to do that?

Big cities, medium sized cities -- often all the same (In a region).

I've lived in various foreign countries.....Colombia for 5 years was the longest. Took the bus many times. I've taken local buses / transport countless times all over the world...so that colors my view. But for someone who never has....yeah...absolutely do that.
On my first trip to Dubai - I stayed at the YOUTH HOSTEL for a few nights...which is like in an office (looking) building. Or was - in 2004. [looks like it still is]

About Us - UAE Youth Hostels Association

I took the bus with all the Indian workers to the Burj Al Arab (entrance), and malls, beaches, etc... In 2010 -- I took the new metro on my 2 night stop or so. If I were ever to go to Dubai again (No desire, just a concrete artificial fake jungle)...I would rent a car, like I did in Doha also in 2004.

If you were a (mega) (wealthy) person / family and went everywhere by private transport / guided transport, 5-star lodging, cruise ships w/ canned tours, etc...I'd follow your advice -- yeah, take public transport, BUT also DRIVE MYSELF in a rental car. I'd also give advice for this person to stay in YOUTH HOSTELS from time to time. Which isn't a local thing per se...but good experience. Yes, on a trip you can mix up youth hostels, 5 star hotels, 3 stars, 1 stars. That's how I traveled a lot before. Don't do hostels now though. And even camping, if you're really good. I'll be doing the latter soon overseas. Mostly camping (own gear) and at times, a multi-star hotel. While driving in a rental car.

Not sure where you're from but hey...if you follow this --> go take Amtrak and Greyhound. I've done both as well. Love those Amtrak delays on the West Coast...freight train priority! Love being switched to Greyhound for certain parts of the trip! Yeah -- Amtrak efficiency!

The most "local" thing I remember was somewhere in Laos to Luang Prabang (I think). Sitting in the back of a small covered pickup for many hours...tight seating. with some chickens on top or what not. Many hours...yet perhaps many Laotians have not done that if they just lived in Vientiane. Ride their scooter or travel by bus / taxi. Or maybe it was in Colombia when visiting Guatape (No big deal - I lived in Medellin) and riding a shared transport (Kind of mini jeep)...except I HUNG ON the back of the vehicle - standing up. SOME "locals" did that... that's all there was room for and I chose not to wait for the next ride. This of course would never be allowed in America or Europe, or even Asia. And it is quasi-dangerous. If I were to have lost my grip and fall backwards....now this jeep doesn't go super fast -- but it does fast enough. Would I do it again --> NO.

something like this...(just found on net)...vehicle was a little bigger I think. Not sure if anyone rode on the roof when I went.



In my 5 years of living in Colombia -- I never rented a car. Didn't own a car. (Wow...I feel so environmental....balancing out my business class tickets these days - ha) Taxi/bus everywhere. 2020 re-visit to MDE, no car, though was driven around by friends. But next time I visit other parts of Colombia....you bet I'm going to rent a car!


Lots of folks use cars (Obviously)...just depends on where you go to visit. City / suburb / rural divide...experience all.

On my recent 1 month trip - I had rental cars in 6 places (Greece / UK)...but in Paris and Frankfurt I strictly used public transport. Including suburban trains / buses to Versailles, and much smaller towns you haven't heard of - where I stayed. This was nice....as my last and only visit to Paris in this life (1998) was just Paris (And Fontainebleau). A prior trip to France a few years ago I rented a car in Geneva, drove across border and was in Rhone-Alpes area, all by rental car. Even got an automated camera speeding ticket later sent to me by Sixt....I'm a local! Would it have been possible by bus only...some of the remote places - quite unlikely, but maybe. It would have taken super long though. To truly get off the "beaten track" - track used by tourists or locals...you need your own wheels.

In Athens I took public transport (metro), but I also rented a car (from the airport - easy, would not drive myself in Athens city) and drove to Delphi - and that was very eye-opening, both the sight and the drive. "Locals" do that too...lots of locals. Let me tell you about the traffic at the toll booths...here's a photo of folks parking at the sight. There were some tour buses (foreign Tourists) as well..I think in this case to "be like a local" would be driving yourself. Though certainly some foreign tourists drove rental cars too. I wasn't the only one by any means.




I'd been to Paris, Frankfurt, and Athens before....so they were nothing new, so to speak. No shock value. I have been to other parts of Greece before Peloponese. renting a car out of Nafplio, but buses elsewhere.

Mix it up......


How much risk do you want to take?...should one ride on top of a train like they do in India (Or migrants from Mexico)? Never done that...would I try it if the circumstances required it....maybe. But I doubt my circumstances will ever require that.

LtKernelPanic

Just get on the plane and go somewhere. As a kid I was very afraid of flying probably from when I almost fell off the roof of the house while helping my dad with something leading me to loathe heights to this day. Probably also didn't help back then I got motion sickness fairly easily too. When I finally flew in my mid-20s I realized it wasn't that bad and have taken many flights since.

DenverBrian

Sign up for frequent flyer programs as early as possible.

If you can afford it, get a lifetime club membership.

planesquid

Take a camera and lots of film. Don't worry about the cost of developing it, you'll earn enough money later in life.

Probably of little use to people who are currently their younger selves though...

lhrsfo

Don�t waste holiday time on trivial things and try to do a city break at least every other month.

lamphs

Ditto on renting a car or driving in general; and lots of walking.

Save momentos of unique trips. My very first time on an airplane was in high school, JFK->Moscow on Aeroflot. I wished I still had the boarding passes, etc. I took my youngest nephew to Europe this past June. I encouraged him to save boarding passes, amenity kit, etc. He had no interest.

obscure2k

When young, don't save up for your travel until retirement age. .My husband and I married young, had children and made travel a priority. It was a great decision. We traveled and then introduced our children to the world and they are curious travelers. We consider our love of travel such a fine legacy

sethweinstein

Take more pictures. I took lots of them (slide film!) until I reached college, and I realized I was worrying about getting the right shots and losing the enjoyment of living in the moment. So for about 12 years I didn't take any photos at all. Now I wish I had some photos from my trips during those years.

Rebuttal: Those years were before phones had good cameras, so taking pictures meant bringing a camera and film and possibly extra lenses. That would have run counter to the other thing I'd have told myself: Bring along a heck of a lot less stuff.

Seth

EqualOpp

which reminds me...I once went on 4 month RTW trip (2010) and I did not take a camera at all. I used my eyes and memory....but I had practiced by going on shorter trips before I took the plunge. You see things differently when not constantly or subconsciously seeking out "photo opportunities."
You remember places differently.

On earlier trips when I did bring a camera I would often reserve a day or two every couple of weeks or what not to not take any photos. For example - if I was in xxx city/region I might have taken some initial photos...but I would take a day off and travel without a camera while visiting other parts or the area.

But to go totally without a camera is a different thing altogether.

Are you traveling in the present, or are you traveling for the future? Are you traveling to show photos to others or for yourself? Who are you trying to impress?

Taking photos can rob you of the moment. It was a good idea. And I kept at it for a few years (Not RTW trips - but still multi-week trips or in a couple of cases - stay in one place for a few months and rent an apartment. Those weren't sightseeing trips per se. More snow bird kind of trips.)...
I started taking photos and videos again in 2014/15 ish....but in a few years (Or sooner) I will leave that behind and go back to no more photos nor videos.

Younger generations now can't go 5 minutes without holding their phone. It's really quite pathetic. Lots of people have bad memories -- because of technology damaging their brains.

sethweinstein

Exactly my thoughts. After about 12 years, I borrowed my brother's digital camera in 2008 to go to Iceland. I decided I had to have photos from that trip.

Then I always had a camera because I always had a phone. I do sometimes refer to photos to remember specific things. But I also like to have long stretches when I just walk and don't worry about capturing the moment digitally.

Seth