5 Lessons Learned from Renting a Car in 5 Countries

Usually I hate to rent a car and I avoid it like old family that can’t pronounce my name during the holidays. Hm… probably explains why they can’t pronounce my name.

Anyway, when traveling so often there’s a lot of planning and details to figure out, and a car only adds more complexity to the mix. I also avoid having a car at home, and rely on public transportation for similar reasons. A car is a huge up front financial expense, a lofty recurring expense, and a ton of risk. There are plenty of advantages in sticking to public transportation, and it can make life and traveling a lot easier. However…

Under certain circumstances, renting a car when traveling is absolutely recommended if you do it right.

If it’s in your budget, the high risk is worth the high reward when you get out of the cities and explore.

Here’s 5 important lessons I learned from the last 5 months traveling through 5 countries! (Coincidentally 100% true)*High Five*

1) Have a Plan, but Don’t

Los Angeles and the Pacific Coast

Los Angeles was a huge city that required a car. I was genuinely surprised when I would glance at a map of the city, smirk, and casually assume I could get from Long Beach to Korea Town in 20 minutes. (For those of you that live in LA, please clean the coffee you just spit all over your monitor while scoffing)

We decided to travel up the Pacific Coastal highway, knew the time we’d leave, and the way we’d come back, but we didn’t pick destinations. With a full tank of gas, we just drove up and enjoyed the famous drive. Having a plan means we had pre-planned the road and times. Not having a plan means letting ourselves enjoy the moment and check out exciting looking places on a whim.

2) Skipping Details Can Cost You

Ireland

I may just get idiot-of-the-year-award for this one. Story:

Two days in, and I’m massively enjoying Ireland’s gorgeous countryside, having left Dublin, Killarney, and Cork in my wake. Next morning I depart for the Ring of Kerry and notice I’m running low on gas. At the station, I’m confused by the types of gas (was born and spent close to 1/3 of my life in Europe, yet don’t know how to fill a tank). Asking a local for help, he quickly grabs the pump and does it for me. Not realizing (or even able to recognize) that he put in the wrong type of gas, I drive off. Three minutes later my car is on the side of a major highway, and I’m freaking out about the cost of a tow, draining the tank at a mechanic, adding another tank of gas, and a lost day. Total damage = ~$300 Euros + no ring of Kerry. Ouch.

PRO TIP: Make sure you understand the details of your car as you will be using it, your agreement with the company, and take photos of the entire car before leaving. These small ignorances can cost you severely.

3) Find Friends, Find a Discount

Mallorca

On a trip to Mallorca, natives, transplants, and tourists alike kept raving about the drive up the west coast. “Oh, zoo moost go” the older German visitors would urge daily at the hostel I was crashing in at the time.

When traveling alone, the strongest advice I can give is to suck it up and stay in a hostel for at least some of the time(the one I had in Mallorca was private and amazing). When staying, make it your mission to approach and connect with others that are staying. It has so many ancillary benefits. One of them is splitting a car.

I asked the hostel manager (now a friend in India), to ask any guests if they’d be interested in joining me for a day with the car as they checked in. Sure enough, we got two committed shipmates on the boat, and reduced the cost. Two wins: one for not being lonely, the other for paying 1/3 gas and rental cost.

4) Get Naughty by Nature

Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe is a butterfly shaped island in the Caribbean that is entirely a jungle rainforest with a volcano on the left wing, and a flat, beach laden land sprawling with plantations on the right wing. Public transportation is almost non-existent, so a car is generally required to really enjoy your stay.

What is not required, is all of the detours you can take to get intimate with nature. Opportunities were abound here, and we took them at every chance. It honestly created my most amazing photos, memories, and impressions of the island. When there is natural beauty in a destination, a car, as opposed to a bus tour, can allow you to venture out on your own terms and have these private moments you’ll never forget.

5) Be Data Driven

Israel/Palestine

Israel is an amazing mishmash of art, language, historical significance, nature — you name it. A beautiful country that has a unique cultural climate and location which makes driving there exciting but challenging.

Having a data plan, GPS, or map is critical to understanding the nuances of which roads to take and which not to. As an American tourist right now, I’ve been advised sensitivities can be high in certain areas and you would not want to get lost in the Gaza strip or West Bank. It may not be outright dangerous, but the risk of an unpleasant encounter increases due to political sensitivities.

Apps like Waze (founded in Israel) and Google Maps are crucial in situations where you really do not want to get lost because of hostility or even the simpler reason of just not wasting time on your trip.

Consider these lessons and tips when renting your next car — it’s a wonderful experience when the opportunity affords it!