If you're going to Australia for vacation it's likely that you'll be there for more than just a day or two, for an effective holiday halfway around the world you'll need at least a week or more to have the full experience after you've recovered from the exceedingly long journey. Odds are, if you're there for a week or ten days that you'll have plenty of plans for fun things to do during your stay, most of which will probably require further travel of some variety.
Taxis are an expensive way to get around while you're on vacation, especially if you're going to be there for a while - if the event of a longer vacation it will save you a pretty substantial amount of money to rent a car and drive yourself where you need to get, but will you legally be able to rent a car in Australia, or any other country for that matter, without a valid drivers license in that country? Not many people know the answer to this question, but it could be crucial information to the overall success of your vacation to another country.
Some people think that simply having a valid driver's license from anywhere in the US will be enough to allow them to rent a car and drive in a foreign country, but the truth is that many foreign countries don't recognize a US driver's license. If you thought that simply having a valid license in the US was going to be enough, don't despair - just having a valid license in good standing may be enough to get you the documentation that you need to be able to drive and rent automobiles in Australia as well as in other countries.
In order to be able to drive in Australia you need what is known as an International Driver's Permit, or an IDP. An IDP will give you the legal ability to operate a motor vehicle in more than one hundred and fifty foreign nations, of which Australia is one. You can get all of the information that you need regarding the application process and actually obtaining your IDP from either AAA or the American Automobile Touring Alliance, both of which are designated as authorized issuers by the US State Department.
Though obtaining an IDP is relatively easy, you do need to have a valid US driver's license to obtain one and an IDP will not replace your US driver's license - it will merely act as a supplement that allows you to operate a motor vehicle in another country.
If you are a frequent traveler or if you just want to maximize the experience you have during the times that you do travel, looking for a taxi is not always the best or most economical option. Having a rental car that you can freely and legally operate whenever you need to for whatever reason is the epitome of convenience and in many countries the only way to be able to operate a motor vehicle is by having an International Driver's Permit.
Going through the simple process of obtaining your IDP at one of the many local offices of AAA or the American Automobile Touring alliance is much easier and more convenient than having to try and fight for a taxi every time you want to travel farther than what is considered a safe walking distance in many foreign countries. If you love to travel, it makes perfect sense to obtain an IDP before you leave on your journey - even if you aren't sure that you'll be renting a car when you arrive a your destination just having the security of knowing that you can if you need to will make going through the very simple process of obtaining one worth it.
As he is a bright young person who has demonstrated himself to have a keen eye on details and on always finding a good pick, whether it is in buying things as simple and as ordinary as entertainment books for night reading, or buying the right replacement tools for a lawn mower in need of repairs, I jumped on the opportunity to see how he would finalise his choice of selecting and buying his car.
Would he be looking at factors relating to safety of the car, or would he be looking at esthetics or affordability?
Just how would he approach the selection of a car?
The first factor he looked at was the affordability. He was only keen to spend anything less than $20,000 on a new car. Over a period of 5 years, he would be looking at a repayment of $400 a month, so that the total cost of the purchase would only be around $18,000.00
With that amount, paying for the car would no longer be an issue, and would not affect future plans such as paying for a new house as well, as repayment of a house would conservatively be tagged at 30% of a working person's income.
Secondly as he is an IT consultant, he will be looking at the issue of carrying capacity both in terms of passengers and also of goods.
In other words, the car would be useful in carrying the usual 5 persons to their destination with sufficient leg space and comfort, and yet with some possible adjustments in the seats or the boot, will be able to allow the transport of goods, such as his computer diagnostic tools, repair spare parts, computer equipment such as widescreen digital monitors, central processing units and the computer casings and so on.
But how on earth can one get a car at below $18,000 and yet possess the carrying passenger capacity of 5 persons( including driver ) and yet allow the transportation of goods?
The moment this requirement was raised, I could sense the bright young man's eyes brightened up.
"Dad, there is this feature called 'Magic seats' in this type of cars!".
"Magic seats?", I asked incredulously.
"Yes, you can fold these seats up when they are not occupied, and they open up a lot of space, so that there is always more than enough space to fetch anything. And best of all, you can leave behind just one passenger seat, so that a professional man working on the field can go anywhere with one assistant accompanying him, and be able to carry his goods around as well".
Flipping through the internet webpages of the new Honda Jazz, Vincent showed me the attractive images of these magic seats from the Honda Australia Homepage.
"Wow," I thought silently to myself." These magic seats could even be converted into reclining bed for that much needed nap whenever you are travelling extra long distances overnight, and can pull over into a caravan park or a place where you can quietly park your car safely."
I could only be impressed by the way the younger people of today would make their decisions in an orderly and well thought out way.
I could see how the factors of affordability and functionality would be considered in the selection of a suitable car for purchase by a young person just starting out on his first job. No doubt, this would be Vincent's first car, and there would be more upgrades and purchases of other bigger and better cars as he grows his business.
Both Amy Nutt & Angie Kim are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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