TRAVELLING EASY &THEGASCHEAP…
TRAVELLING EASY &THEGASCHEAP…
Fancy travelling in the States? Its not as daunting as it
might appear and theres no language barrier, says
Geoff Ashcroft who spent 12 days in the USAs Mid-West
WHY does the last gallon of fuel in a tank last longer than all the rest? Thats the thought which went through my mind while travelling west on highway 20 through Illinois, as the fuel gauge approached empty – and I hadnt seen a filling station in the last 30 miles.
This is just one scenario which serves to remind you that America is a big place. Getting there and travelling around, is easy. And its relatively cheap, too.
I chose to travel with a farming friend who has made visiting the States something of a habit in the last few years, staying with friends from the US tractor-pulling scene. It also meant we made our own arrangements which added to the excitement of the trip.
Flying from Heathrow direct to Detroit, Michigan, the eight-hour flight soon passed and we arrived by late afternoon. No jet lag, just a prolonged day. The cost – £260 return including taxes. We chose to return from Chicago because a Swedish friend who was sharing our car hire arrangements was already booked to return from Chicago.
We booked the car in the UK. It saved time and hassle and was cheaper too, at £390 for our 12-day stay. Though an extra premium (£75) was charged because we were leaving the car in Chicago.
On arrival at Detroit, a free phone call to the car rental company had us on our way. West on highway 80 for about two hours, then south on highway 69 for a further hour and a half and we arrived at the Bultemeier family home just outside Fort Wayne, Indiana.
A word of warning. Americas highways are arrow-straight and it calls for discipline if the boredom factor is to be kept at bay. Speed limits are clearly signed and should be stuck to, if an unscheduled visit from the sheriff is to be avoided. On-the-spot-fines are the norm.
Eating out is cheap and there are plenty of places to choose from. At one of the pricier establishments, a decent T-bone steak with trimmings is yours for about $18 (about £11). If youve an idea of prices back home, its easy to compare and hunt out the real bargains – in most cases, its simply £s for $s.
After three days at the Bultemeiers we headed 200 miles south for the National Farm Machinery show at Louisville, Kentucky. It is billed as the countrys largest indoor show and covers over 1m sq ft across six halls. Entrance is free to this four-day event held each February and details about it can be found on www.kyfairexpo.org through the internet.
It was time to fuel our gas-guzzling monster. No fears for an overdraft here – fuel costs about 79c/gal (50p/gal), so filling up, ran to only $11 (about £7). Our American friends struggled with the notion that we pay six times as much -even though our gallon is slightly more generous.
In Louisville, we chose the Holiday Inn, which cost $297 for four nights (about £23.50/night) based on two people sharing. A Continental-style breakfast was included, but a short drive revealed a Shoneys roadside restaurant (similar places are two-a-penny), and a buffet-style all-you-can-eat breakfast is only $4.99 (about £3). And Visa is widely accepted if the cash reserves dont stretch.
From Louisville, we ventured back through Indiana, Illinois, then north into Wisconsin, where we found a local motel while visiting more friends. A bed-only establishment, it cost less than £10/night.
Alas, it was time to head home – only five hours back to Chicago airport, including an unscheduled stop to be nosey at a John Deere tractor dealership, and we were back in the air on a night-flight home. And the whole 12-day deal cost about a grand.