Recommendation for renting a GPS for driving in Ireland? Is it worth what we would pay (around $90) for the peace of mind? This car rental is getting so expensive, but I want to have a good time and not stress out about getting in an accident (excess CDW coverage---cha ching!) or getting lost. We are only in Ireland for 6 days. Thanks so much.
Posted by
OP
Snohomish, WA, USA
15 posts
Yes, all these costs we are figuring out as we go along are all part of making our trip successful. It is still amazing to me that we are even going on this trip, I have wanted to do it for so long. I don't want to skimp on what's important, so whether I am paying for extra fees on a budget flight, or shipping things home, there is still money spent. Which way is more comfortable I am sure is up to the individual. Thank you so much for your input.
Posted by
Richardson, TX, USA
153 posts
A couple of points:
GPS is only as good as the maps it has stored within it. We used a hand-held GPS (Tom-Tom) in Ireland, which was fairly new, but it didn't have all the roads on it. It had all the N roads, but not all the R roads and smaller roads.
It is very easy to get lost in Ireland. The roads are poorly signed, and the signs are sometimes a bit whimsical. So, if you decide not to spring for the GPS, or even if you do, just be sure to get a good map, such as the road atlas from AA (Auto Association, not Alcoholics Anonymous), which can be a tremendous help.
In some ways Ireland is a good place for GPS because it's not so built up and your GPS will get a good view of the satellites.
Posted by
OP
Snohomish, WA, USA
15 posts
I think the idea about the GPS is that it is a good investment in de-stressing what could be the hardest part of traveling in a foreign country. This is my first trip abroad, nevermind driving on the other side of the road, so the advice I am hearing helps me so much. thanks to you all, the GPS should get us where we need to go (it's our job to get us there in one piece.....)
Posted by
Portland, OR, USA
389 posts
Just a slightly different perspective. I've been to Ireland twice, both with a car, and we often enjoyed the detour (read "lost") as much as the destination. That isn't always true, but we have a great map, one drives, one navigates, and once we learned the tricks and decided to willingly ask whenever we felt out of our element, we had a great time. I like getting help from the locals––it gives me a reason to begin conversations. We are planning a third trip in 2010, and I will save the GPS money for a stop at a pub to chat up the locals and get their directions.