When putting together a travel plan for our clients we at Connections by Avra will offer many options based of your personal wants and needs. A large part of the planning is transportation and specifically the type of transportation. Some may prefer traveling by plane, train, car, or by bus. Each mode of transportation has its pros and cons that may or may not benefit you.
Traveling by car has always been a popular way to travel. When you see those amazing pictures on Instagram of a small village along the Black Forest in Germany or a hidden port town along the Amalfi Coast in Italy, you may daydream of jumping right to where that picture was taken. Traveling by car can be a very unique experience and provides flexibility. Here are some of the advantages of traveling by car.
Flexibility-
When you take a car it allows you the ultimate flexibility. You get to decide when and where to go. You get to go at your pace and you don't have a bag limit so no need to worry about packing too much! You're not rushed to check into a ticket counter or make sure you allow yourself enough time to go through security. If you have a pet or a child the flexibility of a car allows you to manage much better than on a plane or train. When time is all you have, a car can be the best way to relieve your stress by avoiding tight timelines that other modes of transportation requires.
Stop and smell the roses-
This is probably the best benefit when traveling by car. You are able to experience what you wouldn't be able to when traveling by car as compared to traveling by plane or train. Connections by Avra recently traveled to Switzerland and as you can see from the pictures above, had the opportunity to witness breathtaking views that was a site that is never to be forgotten. The only way we were able to get there was by car and rolling through the small Swiss mountain villages on the way up was just as exciting.
Traveling by car will give you the option to stop and pull over to take a picture or just sit and take in the views. You can stop in small towns along the way and enjoy local foods, music and conversations. Food can be a big advantage. Planes and trains usually do not offer the best menus. Finding a local restaurant along the way can be a much better experience. Discover those hidden secrets that not even a google search would be able to find for you. You can make it 'your' trip that no one else has ever done.
*Travel lesson moment*
Connections by Avra was invited to ride along with another traveler to see the Swiss Alps. We met at the airport rental agency and planned to drive from Paris, into Germany, and then into Switzerland. I met the fellow traveler at the pick up counter to discover that the rental reservation was canceled and in order to get a car it would cost us more than double than what the reservation was originally priced at. So what happened? My fellow traveler book the car through an online travel agency (OTA). Expedia, and Booking.com are examples. The car was reserved to be picked up at 8am. Generally, when you reserve a car you have 12 hour grace period based on when the pick up time was requested . This is because delays in flights or other travel issues may occur. But when you reserve through an OTA in some cases they will cancel your reservation after just two hours which is not made clear when you book your reservation. My fellow traveler arrived to pick up the rental at 10:10 am. 10 minutes after the two hour mark from when the reservation was set. Therefore, our car was canceled and we were stuck to pay a premium price. A travel lesson learned! Many believe that booking through OTA's you will save time and money which Connections by Avra will post another blog on this topic soon. When you book through Connections by Avra we read the fine print for you. We minimize situations like this by working directly with the rental companies and negotiate prices that fit your budget.
Memories-
Road trips usually have a much more positive memory than the memories you have while traveling by plane. The "bumps along the road" that you and your travel companion may encounter is a part of the journey. Like navigating a foreign country with road signs you can't read or gas pumps you can't figure out how to operate. When you travel by plane or train they are designed to make the trip as smooth as possible, which is great and it should be this way. But when you have finished your trip and you're finally home, you're going to laugh and talk about the unexpected moments and not your smooth plane flight.
The pictures above are of a road trip that clients of Connections by Avra recently took to Brittany, France. Our Travel agents recommended to rent a car and our clients drove from town to town and eventually stopped to see Mont-Saint-Michel. Without a car the experience for our clients had would not of been possible.
This type of travel is not for everyone. As your travel agent we know that and we have the pleasure to listening to your specific wants and needs which allows us to design an itinerary that suits you. For those that love this type of travel we have plenty of experience that we can offer you from every corner of the world. When you travel by car, or by any other mode of transportation, no matter where you are a Connections by Avra travel agent will be available to you 24/7.
Our travel agents look forward to discussing your next trip with you.
Happy Travels,
Connections by Avra