Exploring New Zealand by road is very popular, either by hire car or motor home, allowing you the luxury of exploring this beautiful country at a leisurely pace.
 
Make sure you leave plenty of time to drive around New Zealand as the country is larger than the UK, the roads often winding and most of the highways outside of the cities consisting of just one lane in each direction. There are many small islands sprinkled around New Zealand, which compromise of two main islands; “North Island” and “South Island”. 

Driving in New Zealand couldn’t be easier – they drive on the left!  Like in the UK, when the traffic lights are red, you must stop, and give way to the right.  The speed limits however, are kilometers per hour. The minimum age to rent a car is 21 years and seat belts must be worn in the front and back of vehicles.

To combine stunning white beaches and dense forests, take a tour of the north of the North Island. Start in Auckland, and visit the Bay of Islands region, a beautiful area made up of 144 islands and quiet bays where you may go marlin fishing or seek whales, penguins or dolphins. The beauty of the Coromandel is just 90 minutes from Auckland, rich in history, rainforests and long pristine beaches. To enjoy a little Maori culture and European history, head to Roturua.

The South Island is best known for its glorious Alps and Fjords. Start in the capital of Christchurch, and take the TranzAlpine train to Greymouth, one of the world’s most scenic routes. From here you could then drive along the west coast to the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers.  Inland is the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand’s highest mountain. Enjoy the exhilaration of a Shotover Jet ride speeding down the Shotover River or the normality of historic Arrowtown.

Florida is the number one location for Brits travelling within the USA and hiring a rental car. It’s simple to do (hiring the car with easyCar), the roads are well sign posted and directions easy to navigate. There is also so much to do and see in Florida that with a hire car, you could be surfing at West Palm Beach on the Atlantic Ocean one day and bathing on the Gulf of Mexico in Clearwater the next – followed by a trip to the coral reefs of Key Largo and dolphin swimming in Orlando!

There are just a few points that will help you understand driving in Florida.
Drive on the right. If you are turning right and the traffic lights are red, provided there is no sign telling you to the contrary and of course, no traffic coming, you can turn right. Passengers in the front of cars in Florida must wear seat belts, and all passengers under 18 years old must wear a seat belt or child restraint device (front and back).

Do not drink and drive. The Florida drinking laws and limits are stricter than nearly every other USA state.

Like the UK, speed limits are in miles per hour (MPH). Around schools, the speed limit in Florida is 20 mph, residential and business areas 30 mph, with rural interstate and limited access highways a maximum of 70 mph; however, watch and adhere to all speed limits posted as they do vary often. In 2002, Florida passed a “Mover over Act” which means that when approaching emergency vehicles e.g. ambulance, police, fire service etc, that drivers move into the next lane or slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit.

If you approach a Stop sign, make sure you totally stop and don’t just slow down. You can be fined for not completing the stop manoeuvre. No one has the right of way, and the law states you must yield the right of way, so do everything possible to prevent a crash.

When driving on the Florida Turnpike and other toll roads, make sure you carry cash. You are able to purchase rolls of quatres which is the preferred tender although other coins are accepted, and these can be bought at the toll plaza with the green “Change Given” lane. If you have a SunPass, do not stop as you travel through the relevant automated lane at the toll plaza as other drivers behind you will not (white/yellow sign)! Between some of the rural locations, rather than a coin system, you will be given a ticket showing point of entry onto the toll and time of exit.

A USA Fly Drive holiday is the perfect way to explore the States, either by staying in one location and discovering the surrounding area, or by booking hotels and motels in multiple towns and venturing through the American countryside and exploring the many sights and attractions.

If driving in the USA for the first time, it is important to understand that the country’s states are vast in size and may take many hours or even days just to drive from one side to the other. To drive from New York on the east coast (Atlantic) to Los Angeles on the west coast (Pacific) will take a minimum of five days with stops.  Drive on the right and be aware that in many US states, you can turn right at a red traffic light, unless otherwise stated.  Also be aware that road laws can differ from state to state.

Fly into your chosen US airport and make your way to the car hire desks where you will be asked for your car rental booking details, full valid driving licence and a credit card for a deposit.

The most popular USA fly drive location for Brits travelling abroad is Florida which is one of the smaller states. Fly drive into Orlando and you are only 85 miles from Tampa but fly drive Miami, and Tampa is about 250 miles away.

A very scenic journey is fly drive California between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Travel for speed along the I-5 (green route) or for a slightly more interesting route travel for 430 mile on the US101 or black route.  However, by far the most beautiful of routes is driving your hire car down the blue Coastal Route along the Pacific which can take about 10 hours and can only really be enjoyed by stopping off over night on the way.

When on a USA Fly Drive holiday do consider how far you are travelling when choosing which model of hire car to book. If you are travelling for hours at a time along straight empty roads, look at hiring a car with cruise control so that you can set the speed and take your foot off the accelerator (do check you know how to turn it off!). Otherwise, choose a car with enough baggage space.  For shorter journeys, for example if collecting a hire car at Orlando airport and driving to your accommodation and then onto the theme parks, then you just have to consider space for the passengers and baggage between to and from the airport.

London King’s Cross train station or “Kings Cross” opened in the early 1850’s in London N1 and was named after the area it was built.  Today King’s Cross is the London terminus for the east coast main line with trains run by National Express East Coast and First Capital Connect to destinations such as King’s Lynn, Letchworth, Doncaster, Hull, Leeds, York, Harrogate, Newcastle, Glasgow and northern Scotland. Thameslink trains no longer journey through the station.

The London Underground, otherwise known as “The Tube”, also runs through King’s Cross St Pancras Station via the Circle line, Hammersmith & City line, Metropolitan line, Northern line, Piccadilly line and Victoria line.  St Pancras station neighbours King’s Cross and it is here that the Eurostar train service runs directly to France and Belgium under the English Channel.

Kings Cross car hire is simple to arrange with easyCar and can either be collected from the station if booked in advance or from one of the car hire offices in close proximity to the station.

The actual locale of King’s Cross station is on the Euston Road, postcode N1 9AL, and it falls in both the London Boroughs of Camden and Islington. The British Library is just 5 minutes walk from King’s Cross, with Regent’s Park a short bus journey away.  The area of Bloomsbury next to Russell Square is to the south with all the delights of central London just a hop away!

The closest motorways to King’s Cross are the start of the M1 in Brent Cross, north west London and the beginning of the M11 in South Woodford (to the north east).  If heading to the west of England or Wales, then you will head to the M4 entry which is near Chiswick in west London.

King’s Cross and Euston are located on the edge of the Congestion Charging zone in London, and no fee will be required to pay as long as you stay north of Euston Road or Pentonville Road. Should you drive through the Congestion Zone the current fee is £8.00 per day if paid before or on the day of travel (£10 charge on the first charging day after travel – fines thereafter). There is no charge for vehicles driven in the charging zone between 1800 and 0700 Monday to Friday, or at weekends or during English public holidays.

With the Apuan Alps as your back drop and an endless beautiful sandy Blue Flag beach to the fore with the Tyrrhenian and Mediterranean waves gently lapping the shore, the only place you could be is on one of the Tuscany beaches on the north west coast of Italy.

Many think that Tuscany only has an offering of stunning countryside dotted with authentic rural cottages, and striking historic cities such as Pisa (20 km from Viareggio), Florence (80 km), Sienna (130km) and Lucca, but add the Tuscan beaches and you’ll realise that this Italian region offers the full package!

The area to the north of Tuscany boasting the most famous stretch of beaches is the Riviera Versilia, which incorporates the chic seaside towns of Forte dei Marmi, popular Viareggio, as well as Marina di Pietrasanta and Lido di Camiore.

The quickest way to reach the beaches of Tuscany is to fly to Pisa airport and collect your prebooked hire car. Remember, there has been much press lately about the lack of cars available to hire this summer in Italy, so don’t arrive expecting a huge choice of vehicles if any at all – unless car hire has been pre arranged!

Many airlines fly from London to Pisa including an assortment of low cost carriers, charter airlines and scheduled carriers such as British Airways. There are also flights to Pisa from Bristol, Birmingham, Bournemouth, East Midlands, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds – and many other UK airports.

The journey from Pisa airport to the Tuscan beach resort of Viareggio by road is easy and well sign posted, taking about 30 to 40 minutes to drive. Viareggio to Forte dei Marmi takes a further 20 to 25 minutes by car, travelling through Lido di Camaiore and Marina di Pietrasanta.

The Tuscan Riviera resort of Viareggio (the nearest beach to Florence) is situated in the centre of Versilia within the Province of Lucca and has been named the “Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea”.  Ten kilometres of soft sand line the Viareggio coast with nearly two thirds of the area managed by private resorts and hotels. A promenade complete with cafes, shops, galleries and entertainment areas follows the beach which shelves gently into the sea, making Viareggio the perfect location for a family holiday in Italy. Nightlife is plentiful and there is an excellent choice of good restaurants in Viareggio too. Whilst on holiday in Viareggio why not hire a bike and ride into the hills and explore the medieval villages or sail on the lake in Torre del Lago, or if you are lucky, enjoy a Puccini opera in the open-air theatre?

Meaning “Fort of the marbles” and the home of singer Andrea Bocelli, the seaside town of Forte dei Marmi is situated between Marinas of Ronci and Pietrasanta. Well known for its sandy beaches and bathing establishments, many hotels from three to five stars line the coast; a resort popular with wealthy Italians. When on holiday in Forte dei Marmi do take a boat trip to the island of Elba or Portofino!