USA

Where do we start with this one?

We tried to combine both our passion for the great outdoor with the bustling of the big cities making sure we include some of America greatest highlights and we come up with this trip starting from Los Angeles, through San Diego crossing quickly the boarder to get some Mexican burritos and faijtas in Tijuana and back to the track towards some great national parks: The Grand Canyon, Death National Valley, Sequoia National Park and the Yosemite National Park.

We could not missed obviously along the way Las Vegas for a couple of nights of madness trying our fortune, finger x!

We will then travel to San Francisco and then heading back to LA through the highway 1 and "savoure" the California’s coastline, the last thing we want is to gulped all, back to LA all this in a month or so, too much? Roughly 3,800 km.

We thought about to squeeze in also the Yellowstone N.P. but I think our itinerary will be then too packed also beacuse we have just some little question marks which will be needed to sort first: how we will do that with no car and on our tight budget?

But at least I got the answer to this question...

Visit California - Watch more amazing videos here

"When can you start?" ... now!

What about a coast to coast in the USA? Yes like Easy Rider, the two “hippie” bikers along with their choppers that set off for a trip from Los Angeles to New Orleans.



We have two months to explore the USA.

Originally we though to embark the same route through some of the most scenic roads across this enormous country including the mythical 66 routes but we realise that this would have probably be a tremendously huge trip that would have make us go bust.

Rent a car would probably coast us $160-$300 per week, excluding vat, and accordingly to the Lonely Planet “The biggest costs are transportation, accommodations, food, drink and sightseeing” therefore everything!

At least $50 for lodging, $10-30 per meal + sightseeing” ...we will be definitely go over budget in this way! Way over budget!

So we decide to skip the coast to coast and flying from LA to New York and possible make our own way down to Miami where we will catch a plane back to London.

So now we have to figure it out what to do in each stop...

I heard rumours of car companies that need to move vehicles to the other side of the States and will let individuals do it and all you have to do is pay for the petrol, cool!

I came across also once to an article about this auto driveaway in the USA, can’t remember even where but I Know I have been enthralled since then by this idea to do a coast to coast in a charming vintage car for free.

Well, the option does exist but is not as thrilling as it sounds or depends "what is your cup of tea", sorry Life Is Not A Bowl Of Cherries!

So what is it? Car owners will pay a fee to these companies, the best known Auto Driveaway, in order to get their car move between two cities. Great if this is the starting point of your trip and the destination you want to reach but here are the upside downs and what you should take into account:

- the car is for free and sometimes also a gas/petrol allowance but you have to pay for the gas/petrol you will spend...well still a great deal, isn’it.... (go on reading.. )

- you have to take the car to the designed destination in the most efficient way therefore no time for tourist trip along the road;

- you will be limited to interstate highways as you will have a strict mileage and time limits sometimes like 6 hours drive per day which will leave you at the end exhausted and no much time for any sightseeing;

- possibly you will drive through not the most scenic routes but just boring highways;

- unfortunately you can’t book it ahead so if you have tight scheduling on your trip I wouldn’t rely much on this unless you have already a plan B;

- you will have to pay a deposit, something around $300, which in case you exceed their conditions of contract like on mileage allowance or time of deliver they will deduct it from;

- it is used apparently for long distances only.

Bearing this in mind we would like still to try our luck and see if we could catch one to make our way down from New York to Miami or anyway along this route and on a win-win situation we could save a good bunch of money instead of renting one or pay for the train...I like gamble and the adventurous’ feel so I will let you know once I will be there in NY probably wondering around how the hell to go to Miami...

hei that’s why I am taking my girlfriend with me..she will have for sure a plan B!

Here somebody that manage to do so http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2000/dec/30/unitedstates.road.trips?page=2