I AM PLANNING A 7-WEEK ROAD TRIP FROM AUGUST 31 STARTING IN VIENNA AND PASSING THROUGH HUNGARY AND DOWN THE COASTS OF SLOVENIA AND CROATIA BEFORE TURNING BACK VIA BULGARIA, ROMANIA AND POLAND. I FIND THAT MANY CAR HIRE FIRMS SPECIFY THAT THEIR VEHICLES ARE NOT TO BE TAKEN INTO FORMER EASTERN BLOC COUNTRIES. ARE THERE ANY THAT DO?
J. RITCHIE, EDGECLIFF
The real sticking points are Bulgaria and Romania. Sixt, Avis, Hertz and Budget all say "no", but Europcar (europcar.com) will allow you to drive certain of its car groups there. They'll whack on a per diem charge for those two countries and for Poland as well, which will be in the range €8-45, depending on the class of vehicle and length of hire. Europcar will not allow you to drive into Albania, which means from Croatia you would need to plot a route via either Bosnia or Montenegro then across Serbia into Bulgaria.
Romania and Bulgaria are enchanting and unique destinations but not without challenges for a self-drive holiday. However, the trip would provide you with entertaining dinner party conversation for some time to come.
Travels in a westerly direction would be far less problematic, and less daunting. For example you could drive from Vienna through Hungary and along the coast of Croatia, north-west to take in the Istrian Peninsula, Slovenia, Northern Italy, Switzerland and back into Austria. Plenty in that for mind, body and soul, without the complications.
I'M HOPING TO TAKE MY FAMILY BACK TO HAWAII FOR ROUGHLY 8-10 DAYS. WE'LL HAVE AN 11 MONTH-OLD INFANT WITH US, WOULD IT BE SAFE TO TRAVEL AT THAT AGE?
M. BUTCHER, GRIFFITH
Flight time from Sydney to Honolulu is about 10½ hours on a non-stop flight. That's long but provided your 11-month-old infant has no health problems there's no real need for concern from a safety viewpoint, but do get your child to your GP for a full medical before you travel.
You're going to need a bassinet and aircraft only carry a limited number. When they're taken, that's it, so request a bassinet when you book, and do it early. Most airlines will provide a child or baby meal but again you need to do this in advance. Many parents prefer to provide their own children's meals, since an awareness of the child's own preferences is key to happiness. Chances are your child will have a few special treats they love, and inflight is a good time to deploy them. Parents travelling with infants are still subject to the same security screening process as other passengers. You're allowed to carry a reasonable quantity of liquids, aerosols and gels, including baby milk, sterilised water, juice and baby food, subject to the discretion of security personnel. Infants often experience pain in the ears during descent in particular from changing air pressure, and sucking on a bottle during this time can help. The time difference between home and Hawaii will probably throw your child's routine out so you'll all fare better if you build in plenty of down time for the first few days of your trip.
IN JULY, TWO OF US WILL BE STAYING FOR FOUR WEEKS AT A SELF-CATERING RESORT UNIT ON FIJI'S DENARAU ISLAND. NOT PLANNING TO EAT OUT IN RESTAURANTS OFTEN, WHAT ARE OUR BEST OPTIONS FOR PURCHASING FOOD? ARE THERE BARRIERS ON TAKING IN STAPLES SUCH AS BREAKFAST OATS, AND WHAT IS THE BEST LOCAL TRANSPORT FOR SHOPPING? DO WE NEED A CAR AND IF SO SHOULD WE HIRE BEFORE WE LEAVE?
G. JACKSON, CESSNOCK
There's a Yees Xpress supermarket close to the marina at Denarau and you can buy pretty much everything you might need there, from fresh eggs to dairy products to fruit and veg and wine. This is probably going to be your best bet, and chances are you won't be staying too far away. The Bula Bus links the Denarau shopping centre with all the local resorts. Prices at the supermarket are not cheap so you might want to take in some staples. You should be OK with dried items such as breakfast oats, rice and pasta and probably tinned foods and any special condiments you might need but definitely not meats, dairy products and fruits. If you want alcohol, best buy is from one of the airport duty-free stores on the left side of the baggage claim area.
Denarau is just a few kilometres from the main town of Nadi, where shopping is cheaper, but driving and parking there is slightly chaotic – why spoil the holiday vibe? If you do want to visit Nadi, local taxis are cheap.
Whether you need a car really depends on whether you want to explore the island. Fiji certainly has plenty to offer and with four weeks on your hands, I imagine that exploration as well as relaxation might be on the cards. You can safely play it by ear, stay flexible and hire a car on the spot, when and for however long you need it.
CONVERSATION OVER TO YOU…
The question was "The selfie stick is the latest must-have travel gadget for Generation Me but to this me they're just plain annoying – how about you?"
C. Frazer writes "Being a tech-savvy 60 year-old auntie, my niece and nephews gave me a selfie stick for Christmas. I had a laugh and thought it would be one of those presents that would be put in the back of the cupboard. But to my surprise, it makes a wonderful monopod and is small enough to take on holidays."
From K. Cooke, "I was in Paris recently and all around the tourist hot spots – Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame – there was a small forest of selfie sticks. You really had to walk in a zig-zag to avoid them and even so I got poked several times. It got to be pretty annoying."
"I have to admit I might be too old for this, and I'm not crazy about having my own picture taken, but they're not for me," according to D. White. "If I want a photo with me in it I'd rather ask someone, but I'm probably a minority. I'm hoping they fall from fashion."
"Less than perfect but what's the alternative if I want a memory of me and my bestie?" writes A. Hayes. "You have to find someone who speaks English and most of the time you'll get a blurry shot with half a head. No thanks."
From P. Bennett, "I really don't have a problem with them but I was in Rome last year and a tourist was waving a selfie stick around in a circle with a GoPro on the end doing a panorama and he whacked a motorcyclist. He was pretty angry too."
Next question: What's your best holiday, ever?
Send response to tripologist@fairfaxmedia.com.au. The best response will win a guidebook.
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