Always carry an International Driving Permit.

            When I was young, our family was big on road trips. By the time I was fourteen we had driven from Illinois to Philadelphia and New York a couple of times. We had taken multiple trips down along the Mississippi and into the Ozarks. With my father driving and my mother navigating we had been to Colorado, Michigan, Wisconsin,  New England and Canada.
            As a family we had ridden through a good third of the United States by Plymouth, Chevrolet, Studebaker and Ford.
            My dad liked to drive and we had a good many adventures. I was just about the only one in my grade that had been all over the East Coast and Mid-west.
            I like to drive, as well, but you cannot drive to Austria or Scotland, so I embraced the fly-drive vacation. Many of the trips for my wife and I have been long flights followed by rental car explorations. Certainly, we do a good many day trips as well as thrice yearly taking month or more vacations along the West Coast.  There are only a few states we have not visited, and we have driven in twelve different countries. Right hand drive or left hand drive it doesn't matter.
            My favorite drives have been the islands of Washington and British Columbia (aided by ferry), the Alps, and the western coasts of both Ireland and Scotland.
            Also enjoyable have been some leisurely back road travels through the Amish county of Pennsylvania and the bayou of Louisiana. I was wowed by driving along the coast of Lake Como to Bellagio.
           Why do I think these are better than a cruise or a stay at an all-inclusive resort? I don't judge people who prefer these, but I like not knowing what happens next. Honestly, a road trip is risky. It is you, your car, your map, and a general direction.
            As I have said before, we do not mind getting lost, or being surprised. Both are received as gifts.