National Car Rental

Foreigners and locals return time and again to this wonderland of colour. The miracle of a parched landscape slowly evolving through the seasons into a huge carpet of wild flowers is breathtaking. The best time to view this unique floral display is from mid-August to October.

To do Namaqualand properly, one would take a leisurely drive through the fields of flowers, stopping off at the nature reserves and charming towns along the way. Bear in mind that accommodation in the region is often booked out a year in advance as more foreigners hear of these wildflowers, which are unparalleled anywhere.

To view all the different species of flowers in the region, get The Botanical Society of South Africa guides to Nieuwoudtville SA Wild Flower Guide and Namaqualand SA Wild Flower Guide 1. There’s also Freeman Patterson’s Garden of the Gods and Fynbos by Richard Cowling.

Towns Along The Way

Kamieskroon
The locals in this area are as impressive as their colourful surroundings. They are helpful and offer advice on where the best flowers are. The reasonably priced Kamieskroon Hotel, the town B&B’s and the neighbouring farms all offer splendid accommodation. Contact the Namaqualand Tourism Centre for your pick of places to stay. Roads leading out from Kamieskroon go up into the hills to the town of Leliefontein where you will find an enchanting old mission station. It’s worth travelling further afield to the rugged west coast of stormy seas and rocky outcrops at Hondeklip Bay and Groenriviermond.

The 50 000 hectare Namaqua National Park is a botanical and ecological conservancy whose friendly conservationists will gladly answer questions on the flora and fauna of the area. The reserve stretches roughly from the town of Garies northwards to the towns of Springbok and Steinkopf. The areas most visited are around the towns of Springbok and Nababeep. The Spektakel (spectacle) ridge is a must see with its profusion of flowers. The further north you travel from Kamieskroon to Springbok, the more spectacular the display of species in a good season.

Nieuwoudtville
The town of Nieuwoudtville is a geological treasure situated on the Bokkeveld escarpment. Within the surrounds of just 20 kilometres the plant life changes from fynbos, to renosterveld, to karoo. It has the richest bulb (geophyte) variety in the world. Species include the famous spring daisies, the forget-me-not family, pelargonium (with its bizarre shapes), heliophila (sun lover), vygies (little figs), and the iris and rose family.

The town has its own wild flower reserve; there is also nearby Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, a giant plain of wilderness rock formation and rock art. You can view a 90-metre high waterfall in an ancient Gondwanaland geological fault. Visiting the nearby ’secret’ forest with its kokerbome - strangely shaped trees with weird arms coming out of their trunk - makes you feel like you’re inside ‘Lord of the Rings’ territory. The private farms in the area are open to the public and often have the most spectacular array of flowers. There are a couple of farms that manage to combine commercial farming with the cultivation of floral wealth.

Tips on planning your Flower Escapade
Flowers are best viewed from 11:00 to 15:00 on a sunny day

A cool box is essential for informal, off-road picnics

Don’t forget comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, binoculars and insect repellent

Most of the flowers are so tiny that you won’t be able to see and appreciate them from a moving vehicle. It’s perfectly safe to get out the car and view close-up

Take your flower guides, so you are up-to-date with the names of flowers you are viewing

Self-drive holidays are so popular because driving in South Africa is easy, safe and exposes you to some of the greatest attractions that you would never see on a package tour. iDrive, Southern Africa car hire, has developed a range of self-drive, travel products from our many years of travel experience in South Africa and its neighbouring countries.

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Filed under: nationalcarrental.car-rental-zone.info on June 15th, 2008 | No Comments »

Renting a car is a great way to see a new place, but car rental companies are leery of hiring cars to younger people. Many rental firms will simply not provide cars at all for drivers under twenty-five, while the price rates of others are simply prohibitive. Unfortunately, there is sound logic underlying this sense of caution displayed by car rental companies, as younger people have been shown time and again to be the most likely group of drivers to be involved in car accidents - this is also reflected in the high insurance rates that are offered to younger drivers. There are however some companies that offer reasonable rental deals to drivers under twenty-one, so if you are lucky enough to get a good rental deal, then pay it forward to your peers - drive your rental car as responsibly as you can to ensure the continuation of the great price for the next young driver who comes along.

Ensure your safety by always wearing your seatbelt. This is a simple thing to do that can literally save lives. It only takes a second, but can make a huge difference in an accident.

Always keep to the speed limit. Speed has been repeatedly shown to be the single greatest cause of road accidents, so stay safe and stick to the designated speed limit for the area you are in. Most places you visit will have signage to indicate the speed limit, but err on the side of caution if you are unsure. At the very least, you don’t want to have to pay a speeding fine.

Always be vigilant when driving in an unfamiliar area - keep your eyes peeled for any road signs and always follow them! There is often construction work going on in large cities, so keep an eye out for this too. Following road signs can prevent accidents.

As you probably heard countless times when first getting into a car, drive defensively! Even if you are a careful driver, you cannot always account for others, so watch out for other drivers - let others speed and cut across you if they want, your priority is simply to stay safe.

When driving in an unfamiliar place it is extremely important to concentrate on the road. While the road might seem to be distracting you from joining in the fun, your passengers will thank you for staying safe. Keep music to a minimum and ask your friends to keep rowdy games for later - once you get to where you’re going the fun can begin with abandon! Be careful and stay safe, and do your bit to help keep rental car prices for young people as low as you can.

This article was written by Carl Spanier an avid traveler and rental car expert. You can visit his website at
Car Rental Resources

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Filed under: nationalcarrental.car-rental-zone.info on June 12th, 2008 | No Comments »

Some folks tend to always take it on the chin instead of ducking the punch. Keep your eyes open while you’re driving and even before you get in the car. Save yourself time, money and headaches.

Avoiding Paying for Previous Damages to Rental Cars

Once you’ve been given the keys to your rental car, be sure to check it over thoroughly before leaving the parking lot. You certainly don’t want to get stuck paying for damages to the car that were there before you got behind the wheel.

Have a car rental representative detail every flaw in the car, both interior and exterior, on your contract before you drive away. Ask the representative to sign with their name, not initial. This will establish the facts so that you won’t be liable for the existing damages on the car when you return it.

Having an Accident With Rental Cars

Has your fear of having an accident with a rented car kept you from renting a car in the past? When you get a car rental, you have the option of obtaining the rental company’s collision and damage waivers to protect you in the event of an accident.

Of course, if you decide to decline that coverage, make sure you have a credit card that offers coverage for car rentals in the event of an accident, or that it is covered by your own car insurance.

If you have an accident while driving a car rental, there are important steps to minimize the loss. At the scene of the accident, obtain the driver’s license number and name of every driver involved. Write down the date, the time and the location of the accident. Your insurance agent may have a form for you to carry for this purpose. Take pictures of everything including the other drivers. Be sure to notify the car rental company as soon as possible.

Allow yourself additional time when you return a car that has been in an accident. Rental cars that have been in accidents require accident reports, and it takes longer than a regular car rental return.

Losing Keys of Your Car Rental

How many times have you locked the car keys of inside your car? Have you ever lost your keys and had to use the spare set? Losing car rental’s keys does not have to be a catastrophic situation! Before you call the car rental company, be a little creative to see if you can find the missing keys or get into the car yourself.

Your car club (like AAA) may be able to help you. You will be charged tremendously if the rental company has to come out with a second set of keys.

Can’t Find Car In Parking Lot

Losing your own car in a large parking lot isn’t that hard to do. Imagine how easy it would be to lose a rental car you aren’t all that familiar with?

First, don’t panic. Look at the keychain, sometimes rental companies put a label on the key that describes the make and model of the car, as well as the license plate number. This can be helpful, but your certainly going to have fun walking up and down the rows checking license plate numbers!

The best way to avoid losing a car rental in a parking lot is to remember where you’ve parked! Before you walk away, jot down its location on a piece of paper and put it in your pocket or purse.

A simple description helps, like “row directly across from entrance”, or “next to phone booth”. Just be careful not to locate it “next to a certain car”; your neighbor may leave the parking lot before you do!

About the Author

An invaluable resource for all Car Rental matters available at
http://www.PrimeCarRental.com

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Filed under: nationalcarrental.car-rental-zone.info on June 6th, 2008 | No Comments »