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If you need to get away but want something a little bit different, why not think about a Fly-Drive holiday? It’s a great way to experience a country at its best, and see some amazing scenery that may not otherwise be accessible.
A Fly-Drive holiday is generally suited to the more adventurous, and above all confident drivers. It takes a lot of guts to drive on what you perceive as the wrong side of the road! Add to that the unknown quantity of foreign driving, and it can be a nerve-wracking experience.
But if you feel you can cope with all this, then a Fly-Drive may well be an ideal holiday for you. You have the freedom and independence of being able to go wherever you wish, and really explore the country of your choosing.
With it’s wide-open highways and beautiful scenery, America is one of the most popular destinations for a driving holiday. Car hire is relatively cheap, as is the price of gasoline, and there are plenty of motels and roadside diners scattered along any given route.
When choosing a car rental firm, bear in mind that if you’re planning on driving great distances and covering a lot of the country, it would be easier to find a company that allows you to drop off at a different location than your pick-up point. If you pick up in Texas and plan on driving up to Oregon, you don’t want to have to cut your holiday short and double back on yourself in order to return the car in Texas.
But car hire isn’t the only thing to consider in a driving holiday. If you are planning on a cross country trek, you’ll need to book flights in and out of different airports. Remember to familiarise yourself with the local road signs, which you can do on the internet, and also any road rules which differ from the ones in Britain.
There are some companies which can organise a complete fly-drive package for you, which will include the cost of flights and car hire, and any particular stops along the way. However, these usually follow a set itinerary which may not suit your tastes, so you could even book the whole holiday yourself, making it a truly unique getaway.
For the active tourist Iceland is the ideal place to hire a car and explore what has been described as a moonscape. Sitting on the mid-Atlantic ridge it is a volcanic island that is still active today; in fact there are 15 active volcanoes present on the island and 800 naturally hot springs. To visit as many as possible the use of a car hire service is essential, as public transport and the wilderness of much of the island makes travel difficult without a vehicle.
The capital Reykjavik is located, as many of the towns are, on the coast; it is the most northerly capital in the world although due to the warm Atlantic currents has a winter temperature close to that of New York.
Using a hire car to tour the many fjords surrounding the city makes a brilliant day trip. For naturalists Iceland offers the unique opportunity to see an unspoiled landscape. Mainly due to the limits of living inland, and also the energy industry on the island being dependent upon geo-thermal resources.
When touring Iceland in your hire car, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for ‘Huldufolk’, translated as ‘hidden people.’ The inhabitants of Iceland widely hold the belief that elves and gnomes live in the islands interior, it is believed almost 80percent of Icelanders believe in their existence. These beliefs are so strong that the highways agency of Iceland has a consultant who plans roads in areas where the least damage will be done to the ‘hidden people.’
One event that is not to be missed in Iceland is ‘Beer Day’ on March 1st. Held in commemoration of the ending of 75 years of prohibition on the island it is festival for inhabitants and tourists alike. Just don’t jump in your hire car after too many hours celebrating. Other celebrations occur during the summer months when perpetual daylight creates a carnival atmosphere across the island.
Driving your hire car across the interior has been described as setting foot on another planet; this was true for the astronauts of the first Apollo mission who used Iceland to train for eventually setting foot on the moon.
Skiing holidays are common in Iceland and offer the perfect chance to hire a car, head to the mountains and ski to your heart’s content. The winters in Iceland are hard, the interior of the island is mostly uninhabited but in winter, journeys anywhere but along the coast are mostly abandoned. It may seem like an adventure, but trying to explain to the car hire company that the car is trapped in a snow drift is not advisable.
The Viking heritage of Iceland is unmistakable; the resemblance to Scandinavia is clearly visible. The language is debatably one of the oldest in existence. Icelanders today could read the sagas written a thousand years ago and still comfortably converse with tourists in English. The first Europeans to discover America are believed to have left Iceland and built a settlement in Newfoundland 500 years before Columbus made the journey.
The spas of Iceland are a fundamental part of any visit. The mineral rich waters are good for the senses while the mud of spa resorts is extremely beneficial to the skin; a must for those wishing to come back from Iceland looking refreshed and rejuvenated.
Visiting Iceland and using a car hire service is the best way to sample all this unique culture has to offer. The striking alien landscape will astound visitors while the warm and friendly islanders will have tourists joining in the choruses of Viking songs. A trip to Iceland is a worthwhile experience that will be enjoyable for all the family.
Hannover is the ninth largest airport in the whole of Germany and it has the unique Airport code HAJ. Hannover international airport has been operational since the 1950’s.
Hannover international airport is also called Langenhagen Airport as it is situated near to a town known as Langenhagen.
Hannover international airport is open 24 hours a day though in actual fact you will not find many flights operating between the hours of 1 am and 4 am.
Hannover international airport is also only a short drive way (11 kilometres) from the town of Hannover which is capital of the German state of Lower Saxony.
The terminals at Hannover international airport have become renowned architecturally in Germany for their excellent modern design. So good was the design that it inspired the plan for an airport in Moscow, Russia.
Hannover international airport has four terminals, terminal A, terminal B, terminal C and terminal D.
Terminal A has a number of domestic and international flights.
For instance you can fly to Copenhagen in Denmark with Scandinavian Airlines system, Amsterdam in Holland with KLM cityhopper and Riga in Latvia with Air Baltic.
In terms of flights within Germany there are routes to major cities such as Berlin and Frankfurt with the German air carrier Lufthansa. While Lufthansa handles a huge number of flights at Hannover international airport, the aviation company TUI fly is also a very well used carrier.
Some of the many airlines to fly from terminal B in
Hannover international airport are the Russian carrier Aeroflot, Croatia airlines, Flybe, Hamburg international airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Eurocypria airlines. These companies offer a number of flights throughout exciting European destinations. Flybe in particular has cheap flights to Britain.
From terminal C in Hannover international airport (which was opened in 1998 as the airport tried to accommodate more and more passengers) it is possible to fly to Alicante in Spain, Sharm El Sheik in Egypt, Palma de Mallorca in Mallorca, Fuerteventura and Tenerife south in the Canary Islands and Milan Bergamo in Italy as well as many, many others. When terminal C was added, eight more gates were built at Hannover international airport.
Terminals A to C of Hannover international airport have sizeable runways and can all hold big planes such as a Boeing 747.
The only air traffic to fly from terminal D are Royal Air Force troops going from Britain to Germany and Omni Air International flights.
To start with most flights from Hannover international airport were directed through Frankfurt international airport. This is no longer the case and you can get plenty of direct flights to world wide destinations. Hannover international airport is second only to Frankfurt international airport in terms of air traffic to countries in Eastern Europe.
However, though they were trial runs for flights to Canada and the United States of America, not enough passengers took these up.
Up until 1990 Hannover international airport hosted Germany’s largest air show, the Internationale Luft und Raumfahrtausstellung. However an accident with a helicopter in 1988 caused injury to some of the people involved and the show is now in Berlin.
Travelling on from Hannover international airport you can rent one from a large fleet of vehicles. Rhino can provide compact, small and large models, economy, standard, intermediate, large, multi purpose, convertible, luxury, executive and prestige cars for every type of customer and our friendly staff can meet you as soon as you step off the plane.
It is also possible to catch the S Bahn from Hannover international airport.
An essential past of any wedding is to get the right car for arriving at and departing from the church, as well as the trip to the airport for the honeymoon. Combining elegance and style is the primary concern for any wedding planner, however in recent years increasing numbers of couples have opted for more original forms of transport on their special day.
In London the choices available for those wishing to hire a wedding car are almost limitless. Of course there are the usual suspects like Rolls Royce, Bentley and Jaguar that make up the majority of the wedding car market. These cars can be seen as the classic choice of wedding car for their large size and style, however with more weddings today abandoning tradition a large number of companies have started hiring more unique choices of wedding car.
A great choice for a wedding car is a Morris Minor or VW Beetle; although planners may be put off by the size of the cars, their appeal and character is hard to dispute. The ‘Herbie’ like beetle is a must for a VW nut although getting in and out in a flowing wedding dress may not be the easiest of tasks. The Morris Minors on the other hand come in a variety of models and the convertible is ideal; offering style without being brash this choice of wedding car will surely suit those planning an original wedding.
An increasing number of couples have hired an American classic for their wedding day; this is a great alternative to the usual luxury cars available for hire while not compromising on size. A pink Cadillac is the perfect choice; complete with fins it brings a slice of 1950s America to your wedding. If pink is a little loud for a wedding car a 1959 Cadillac in white is an awesome choice for a wedding car.
The use of Hummer four by four’s have increasingly been used by wedding car companies due to their comfort and large size; adorned in ribbons they can even look quite festive. An added bonus of using a Hummer is that the bride can step down from the car, making the transition from vehicle to church easier.
With such a huge worldwide following there is little wonder VW Camper Vans have become increasingly popular as wedding cars. This cult classic is held in high regard amongst its followers and for Camper Van fanatics there is no other choice for a wedding car. Once again using a VW Camper Van does not compromise on size, although speed is certainly reduced.
The wedding car market is becoming evermore flooded with vehicles from pop culture; a great example of this is the K.I.T.T. car from the eighties TV show ‘Knight Rider.’ Complete with flashing lights at the front this black Pontiac Trans Am will surely be hit for the groom, if not the bride.
Another popular car from culture that is available for hire as a wedding car is the Delorean from ‘Back to the Future.’ Although time travel is out of the question the ‘gull wing’ doors will ensure the groom fulfils a boyhood dream on his wedding day; after all it is not just about the bride.
Of course many will still go with the a more uniform wedding car for their special day, the elegance of a classic Rolls Royce or a 1930s black cab is something that cannot be doubted. As more couples abandon convention however the tradition of having a classic saloon for your wedding car will diminish. In the modern world the creative edge is always sought, the wide choice of wedding cars available for hire stands testament to this.
Whether it is the cute VW Beetle or the sporty Trans Am from a cult classic TV show there is now a host of cars that will surely fulfil any couple’s transport requirements on their wedding day. Whether the groom will want to be seen leaving the church in a pink Cadillac however remains to be seen.
Dusseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine Westphalia and Dusseldorf international airport is the third largest airport in the country after Frankfurt international airport and Munich international airport.
Because Dusseldorf international airport (airport code DUS) is located almost 10 kilometres outside of the city of Dusseldorf, you will most likely want to hire a car to complete your journey when leaving the terminal.
Cheap Rhino car hire can be booked in advance and there are great vehicles of all makes and models available through providers such as Hertz, Avis, Holiday Autos, Auto Europe and Sixt. Whether you are going through Dusseldorf international airport on business or for a holiday we have the right vehicle for you.
Last year more than 18 million passengers used Dusseldorf international airport, a large portion of them taking Air Berlin and Lufthansa flights.
The total airport traffic has risen steadily since 2002 when 14.75 million passengers used Dusseldorf international airport. However, the airport is still not at full capacity as the main terminals are capable of holding 22 million passengers every year.
Air Berlin has a whole A-Z of world wide cities which it flies to from Dusseldorf international airport.
These include Alicante, Bangkok – Suvarnabhumi, Copenhagen, Dresden, Faro, Helsinki, Ibiza, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Milan-Malpensa, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Rome – Fiumicino, Sharm el -Sheikh, Tenerife – North, Venice – Marco Polo, Westerland – Sylt and Zürich among many others.
There are also a large number of Air Berlin flights to seasonal European destinations such as Jersey, Reykjavik – Kevlavik, Rhodes, Kos and Minorca. There are also flights to various inter Atlantic destinations like John F Kennedy New York airport and Los Angeles airport.
With Lufthansa you can fly to the German airports of Berlin-Tegel, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Munich.
Other flights go to Chicago – O’Hare, London – Heathrow, Moscow -Domodedovo, Newark, Palma de Mallorca, Paris – Charles de Gaulle, and Vienna.
Some of the seasonal destinations are to Miami airport in America and Toronto-Pearson airport in Canada. Towards the end of the year a route from Dusseldorf international airport to Dubai airport with Lufthansa will start up as well.
Other airlines which fly from Dusseldorf international airport are Austrian Airlines, Egypt Air, Croatia Airlines, Lot Polish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines System and Swiss International Air lines from terminal A.
From terminal B you can get flights with Aegean Airlines, Air Baltic, Air Europa, Air France, Delta Air lines, Czech Airlines KLM and many others.
If you are flying with Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Blue Wings, Flybe, Ghana International Airlines, Jet 2, TUI Fly, Turkish Airlines and many others, you will depart from terminal C.
For the latest information on all the routes and airlines at Dusseldorf international airport as well as current news you can pick up a copy of Das Magazin at news stands there for free.
The other airport in the Dusseldorf area is airport Weeze (airport code NRN) which is located some 80 kilometres away from Dusseldorf and has various low cost flights.
Ryanair has the most international flights from airport Weeze to destinations such as Palma de Mallorca and Alicante in Spain and Bologna in Italy. The German airline Hamburg International flies from Dusseldorf airport Weeze to places in the Middle East such as Sharm El Sheik and Tel Aviv too.
Although Dusseldorf airport Weeze only had one and a half million passengers last year, this was such a massive increase on previous years that it is one of Europe’s fastest growing airports.
Situated on the Burrard Peninsula, Vancouver is by far one of the most amazingly beautiful places in all of North America. The city is home to magnificent natural scenery and nestled alongside the coast mountain range. It is the largest city in British Columbia. In Vancouver, you can’t afford to sit ideal, but there are a lot of activities to choose from like strolling around in parks, participating in adventure activities, riding a bike around the seawall. Here you are the master of your own whims and fancies in discovering Vancouver. Then why not take the services of Car Hire Vancouver and drive around and explore the various attractions of the place? Vancouver is a favourite venue for the corporate as this destination hosts several international conferences and seminars all the year round. With Vancouver car hire you can visit the following top five attractions of the place:
1. Jericho Beach – Drive towards the North ends of Wallace and Discovery streets and you will come across the natural sandy beaches along with copses and ponds. There are various sections of the beach like the eastern side caters to swimmers the western side has sailboats and windsurfers.
2. Stanley Park – With Vancouver car hire drive towards this 1000 acres park, which is one of the greatest parks in Vancouver. The park is known around the globe because of its supreme beauty. The beauty of the park is due to the presence of hemlock and fir trees, the back drop of majestic cedar would convenience one and all. The park also features wildlife and plant lovers will simply love this place.
3. Queen Elizabeth Park – This is also one of the admired parks in Vancouver offering recreational activities ranging from golf, disc golf, tennis etc. which you can reach via Vancouver car hire. One of the best attractions not to be overlooked is outdoor arboretum and the indoor Bloedel Floral Conservatory. Visitors can also see the seasonal plants different trees and shrubs.
4. Vancouver Museum of Anthropology - Drive towards the Point Grey cliffs, from here you can see the Museum of Anthropology. The place contains fabulous displays of Northwest Coast First nation’s art. The museum showcases Haida, Coast Salish, Nisga’a and other Northwest Coast people inside the soaring glass.
5. Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation – If you love anything related to aviation, this museum is for you. The museum is dedicated to restoration, preservation, recovery and education related to aviation history of Canada.
America is known as a cultural ‘melting pot’ because so many people of different colours and creeds have gravitated to this large continent over the last century.
Among the immigrants who call America home are Hispanics from Cuba and Latin American as well as a Muslim and Jewish population.
A collection of 50 states (not including the capital of Washington D.C where the President lives), North America is known as the United States of America, or just ‘The States’ for short.
The largest of those states is Alaska, most of which is an icy wilderness and a superb place to go fishing and enjoy nature.
Texas is also a massive state, almost a country in itself and home to huge cities such as Houston and Dallas.
California on the west coast of America has long been thought of as a promised land because of its bounteous terrain which includes mountains, rainforests and a spectacular coastline.
Even further west are the gorgeous Hawaiian Islands which are renowned for having beautiful beaches, azure waters and world class surfing. Hawaii is home to amazing animals such as albatross birds and whales.
The Pacific north west states of Washington and Oregon have fantastic forests and trendy cities such as Seattle and Portland.
The eastern seaboard states are known as New England, the area where the pilgrims first landed at America. They are Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
Below them, leaning towards the tropics, is the state of Florida which has many well known cities including Miami and Tampa and is home to Disney World and other big theme parks.
The Mid Atlantic states of America are New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York with the latter having one of the world’s most culturally diverse and intensely populated cities.
Within the middle of America there are a number of states whose geography is defined by the massive Rocky Mountains range. They are Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and Montana, and these states are all wonderful places to experience the great outdoors in various national parks.
Conversely there are five Great Plains states and Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota are mostly flat with extensive prairies and forest land.
Another major area of America is known as the Midwest and includes the states of Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. Car hire Chicago is the best way to see the Midwest.
The largest grouping of states is probably the southern states of Arkansas, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Memphis, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. The southern states produced some of the world’s most recognised musicians such as Elvis Presley and B.B King and have also given rise to their own unique kitchen.
The states of the south west of America such as Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada have also influenced American culture because they are home to large population of Mexican Americans. The state of Utah is most famous for being the home of people of the Mormon religious faith.
Rhino car hire USA is the cheapest and most enjoyable way to do a road trip across this huge country.
Nobody walks in LA. In “la la land” a car is a necessity, not a luxury. Renting a car in LA allows you to see all of the city’s sights, soak up the unique atmosphere and shop ’til you drop. The following is a guide to LA and the best way to spend your time here.
LAX Mini Guide:
Los Angeles International Airport is located 24km to the southwest of Los Angeles. The airport offers a good range of passenger services and facilities including shops, restaurants and banking facilities.
Things To See/Do in LA:
Think LA and Hollywood is one of the first places that springs to mind. ‘Hollyweird’ may be a more accurate description of the town where everything is bigger and better-from the 50ft high white letters welcoming visitors, to the mile-long ‘walk of fame’ that invites you to follow in the footsteps of glittering movie stars. Having caught the stardust in the air, you’ll be eager to make your way to West Hollywood to check out the homes of the rich and famous. After all that stargazing, a bit of R n R is called for. A trip to the beach is a must. Take your pick from the miles upon miles of sandy beaches along the Pacific Ocean. Malibu is one of the most popular beachside resorts for celebrities looking for peace and tranquillity. If you’re looking to get some retail therapy while you’re out and about, you’ll find Third Street promenade offers a lively pedestrian mall, brimming with buskers and street artists. For more of the same, get yourself down to Venice Beach. Here you’ll discover the clichéd images of the city in all their glory. Jugglers, artists, musicians and joggers are all to be found, as well as roller-bladers, cruising their way to Muscle Beach, the home of the world’s most famous outdoor gym.
Eating Out in LA:
LA boasts fantastic choice in terms of restaurants. With LA car hire, you’re free to drive from eatery to eatery, checking out the best menus along the way. Whether you’re craving elegant French cuisine, tasty Italian or good old-fashioned American fast food, you’ll be spoilt for choice when hunger strikes in this city.
Day Trips/Events in LA:
Los Angeles s a fantastic base from which to explore America’s west coast. Feeling a bit down in the mouth? Pack up the car and take a drive to “The Happiest Place on Earth”, aka-Disneyland. Disneyland isn’t the only theme park worth visiting though. One of Los Angeles’ most popular attractions is Universal Studios, where’ll find yourself transported to real-life film sets and colourful back-drops.
Los Angeles plays host to some of the world’s most colourful and exciting events. The city’s New Year’s Day parade features a fantastic spectacle of marching bands and flower powered floats. September’s Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival is one for the foodies, offering live entertainment and fun lobster-themed events. It may be Mexico’s National holiday, but Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with a bang in Los Angeles. The day marks the Mexican victory over the French in the battle of Puebla in 1862. Traditional dancing and merriment is to be found at special venues all over the city.
When you consider the option of car hire there are many things to look into, particularly if you are going to be travelling out of your normal area.
You must familiarise yourself with all your responsibilities towards the hire firm and be sure of their responsibilities towards you. A thorough check of the car before leaving the car hire company is essential to safeguard any claims they may try to make later on.
However, there is one thing that many people do not check and that is the driving laws of the county or country they will be travelling through. They assume that if they follow the standard laws of the road, and they are all careful drivers of course, then they will be ok.
This is not necessarily so as laws vary and many, even the antiquated ones, are still very much enforceable.
Many of the laws wouldn’t cross most people’s mind but you can never have too much knowledge. Not many drivers would consider driving blindfolded in Alabama, just as well as it is illegal. If you were driving near a place that sold cold drinks and food after 9pm in Arkansas and honked the horn of your hired car, you could very well be arrested.
When you use car hire to drive through California, be careful to never leave your vehicle unattended, as no vehicle without a driver is permitted to travel at speeds exceeding 60 mph. And it’s always useful to know that if you are driving through San Francisco and your car windshield becomes dirty, it is illegal to wipe any part of your car with used underwear.
That is, of course, if you have a windshield, because Luxembourg law does not insist you have a windshield but does insist you have windshield wipers.
If you intend to spit out of the window in Georgia, make sure you do it from a truck and not from a bus or car as this will get you a fine.
Some road traffic laws make good common sense that you hope nobody needs telling such as the law in Ohio that makes it illegal to travel on the roof of a taxi cab, Tennessee law that states you must not drive whilst asleep or in Denmark where you should check for small children beneath your car before you set off.
If you do decide on car hire through America and you happen to pass through Texas, steer well clear of all alcohol. It is illegal to drive within an arms length of alcohol – even that which may be in somebody else’s bloodstream.
One traffic law I wish was in place when my children were babies was the one set in Iowa where the ice cream man and his truck are banned.
Before cars where as popular as they are now, animals were used for transport. However, in Washington it is illegal to ride an ugly horse but who defines ugly? And if you choose an elephant instead of a car in Florida and tie it to a parking meter, you must still feed the meter as if it were a car.
Massachusetts law bans gorilla’s from travelling in the back seat of a car – makes you wonder how many times they have had to enforce this law. It must have been at least once for them to come up with that law in the first place.
If you chose car hire in Oklahoma it pays to know that the molestation of a vehicle is illegal.
Let’s hope you never find out if they still enforce this law but it is always wise to check on the laws of the country you are travelling to.
Thousands of people go on holiday per year and want to break away from the herd of tourist sheep and find their own way around; hence they hire a car and go off the beaten path in search of unspoiled views and nature. Hiring a car means that you can go anywhere whether it’s to another town or to a secluded beach with no sun loungers and parasols littering the sand.
The trouble is that many of the tourist resorts have many car hire companies and it becomes hard to decide which one to take, do you go for the expensive chain company or the dubious local car dealer? In situations like this there’s a good chance you will make an uninformed decision and get the first car that caught your eye.
This is dangerous due to not knowing the safety record of the car hire company and the car itself, but with the kids begging to go to the water park and wanting to get away from the crowds for some peace and quiet you may feel rushed to make a decision which could prove to be the bad choice.
In most cases the stress of this task can be eliminated by being well prepared, many Car Hire companies can be pre-booked back home in the UK prior to your holiday. By doing this you can turn up at the reputable Car Rental company when you arrive with your booking and license in hand to pick up the keys straight away.
Booking your car hire online can mean you make good savings since you can compare the differing deals on car categories suited to your needs, have you got a large family? Then you can search for people carriers for your little army! Want to drive with the wind in your hair then look up convertibles or if you really want to make a splash then perhaps you may want to fork out that little extra to get a prestige or luxury car, after all you’re on holiday and you’ve worked hard for that week or two in the sun!
Cheap Car Hire companies are often located in major holiday resorts and countries common for holidays like the Balearic Island, France and the United States of America. If you’re going on a fly-drive holiday some of these companies allow you to pick up their cars in one city and return it in another city where they have offices. So in future when planning your holiday consider booking your car hire too to save yourself some money and time when on holiday.
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