Welcome, Hendrick. Having had the pleasure of visiting Down Under several
times, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how similar the two countries
are in many respects.
Your plan of flying to LA, staying a few days, then flying to Chicago are
probably the best. Rental cars in these cities are plentiful and the market is
competitive, so you could easily get a mid-sized sedan for a couple hundred
$USD a week with unlimited mileage. That would allow you to wander freely
without worry.
As for buying a car and then selling it, well, I can just imagine the pitfalls
- the main ones being establishing ownership (you're not a US citizen) and
insurance (can't register/title in most states without proof of residency and
insurance.) I think a rental is going to be the easiest and best way to go.
Look into an international driver's license now - I used to have one when I
traveled extensively for business, and it allowed me to rent a car in just
about any country.
Check your maps - LaCrosse is on the western edge of Wisconsin, and a long
day's drive from Milwaukee or Chicago. You might want to consider using
Minneapolis/St. Paul for your base of operations rather than Chicago. MSP is a
wonderful city and has a lot to see and do within a short distance. It's not
the thriving metropolis that Chicago is, but you could easily make a 2-3 day
trip to Chicago from there without a lot of effort.
Trains, while they are available, are somewhat iffy in this country. The
primary rail traffic is freight, and while there are regularly scheduled
passenger trains, their schedules are often compromised by freight traffic. If
you land in MSP, a train trip to Chicago make a lot of sense, and would be a
pleasant day trip (one way) with some very nice scenery.
Public transportation in most larger cities is cheap and easy within the city
centers. If you go to Chicago you will pay a premium for staying in the city,
but that is offset by the proximity of so many wonderful things to see and do,
not to mention the ease of getting around using public transportation.
You'll definitely need a car in LA, as the public transportation there is
pretty lousy, not to mention the logistics are so complex due to the size of
the area. You don't want to stay around LAX, as that area is pretty nasty.
Make a list of the things you want to do and see and find a place to stay based
on that. Driving in LA is a real experience and can take far longer to get
from point "A" to point "B" than you could ever imagine, due to the congestion.
While you are probably working within a budget, treat this as if it is the only
chance you will have to visit here, and make the most of it. You won't be
disappointed. Even though my trips Down Under were business, I had plenty of
leisure time and I made the most of it, and I am glad I did.
Dan
--- On Sun, 2/21/10, WILTON <wilt...@nc.rr.com> wrote:
> From: WILTON <wilt...@nc.rr.com>
> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Hendrik and Co coming to the US of A in June
> To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
> Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010, 10:39 AM
> Congratulations to all! How
> 'bout renting a car if buying is too much of a hassle?
> BTW, don't believe all that Bruce has "taught" you,
> and please promise that you'll stay to the right when
> driving. ;<))))
>
> Wilton
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