I enjoyed last week's selection of great drives (Top ten road trips, May 23) but I wanted more information on how to plan a holiday to the US, which seems to have the most to offer in terms of driving holidays. Are there any companies or websites you could recommend?
There are endless opportunities for driving in the US, and I believe it's still the best way to see the country. If you are planning a non-circular route, you may find it worthwhile to fly into one city and out of another, as most car hire firms will allow you to drop the car off in another location.
Many companies offer fly-drive holidays of five to15 days, which provide you with a suggested itinerary, a car and accommodation along the route. These companies include Trailfinders (www.trailfinders.com), Travelpack (www.travelpack.co.uk) and North American Highways (www.northamericanhighways.co.uk).
However, given how easy it is to hire a car and drive in the US, I would recommend an independent trip. With a little planning you should be able to plan a rough itinerary that gives you enough flexibility to chop and change your trip to explore unexpected places. If you use chain motels such as Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) you know there will usually be a reasonable standard of accommodation within reach.
Combining a driving holiday with a camping holiday, making the most of America's excellent selection of campsites, would give you the most flexibility, although it's best to do this during the temperate summer months.
Many individual states offer details on scenic drives through their tourism websites - see www.traveloregon.com as an example - but one of the best sources of information on roads in the States is www.byways.org, which gives a very comprehensive round-up of the thousands of spectacular drives available around the country. It has an interactive map which allows you to click on the part of the US you want to visit or simply browse through its A to Z list of routes.
Each section comes complete with photographs and information on points of interest; there are also features on the history of particular areas and additional seasonal features such as "swimming, surfing and sailing on America's byways". The interactive part of the site includes traveller's tales, a podcast and news items.
Do you have any questions related to travel? If so, e-mail them to us at travel@thenational.ae
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Honeymoonish
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The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
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Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Brief scores:
QPR 0
Watford 1
Capoue 45' 1
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
Results:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 (PA) | Group 1 US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
Winner: Goshawke, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) | Listed $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Silva, Oisin Murphy, Pia Brendt
7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) | Conditions $100,000 (Turf) | 1,400m
Winner: Golden Jaguar, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash
8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) | Group 3 $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Sandeep Jadhav
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
Winner: Oasis Charm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Escalator, Christopher Hayes, Charlie Fellowes
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
'Nope'
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Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
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The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Racecard
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