Have you ever seen someone driving on a trip abroad and wanted to do it yourself, but didn't know where to start? Well, follow me! I'm a doctor with almost 10 years of experience driving on trips to many places. I want to share my experience with my friends and family who have never tried it before, but want to start and don't know where to begin. They want to find something challenging in life... Experienced drivers don't need to read this.

The primary focus of this review is not on specific tourist destinations, which are readily available online. Instead, it aims to provide novice drivers with a foundational understanding of driving in a foreign country, enabling them to quickly progress to more advanced topics. When I first began researching this topic several years ago, it was extremely challenging to find relevant information.

Austria is a great choice for a romantic road trip. This one-week itinerary follows the footsteps of the Sound of Music, with a bonus Danube River cruise.

Ready to travel? Once your tickets, passport, and visa are in order, don't forget to obtain an international driving permit.

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The original text is in Thai and describes the process of obtaining an international driving permit in Thailand. Here's the translation:

International driving permits can be obtained at any provincial transport office in Thailand for 550 baht. They are valid for one year. To apply, bring your national ID card, two 1-inch passport photos, and…

The text then trails off, possibly due to a typo or incomplete sentence.

Next, you'll need to find a rental car. Google is a great resource for this, but I personally use Rentalcar.com. There's no particular reason for this, other than familiarity and the fact that they have a Thai-language call center for assistance in case of any problems.

Next step... set the route... I don't really know how other people do it, but my starting method is... open Google Maps, set the route, set the city to fit the number of days, and choose to drive in a circle without repeating the original path to return to the starting point... Before that, you need to find information about various cities in that country before choosing again. To match the appropriate days and routes... An example of this trip is shown in the picture.

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Please provide a sentence or phrase for me to translate.

A circular driving route that does not retrace the same path offers a more rewarding travel experience compared to a round trip on the same route.

Upon arrival and clearing immigration, proceed to the pre-arranged car rental counter. The contact details will be provided in the confirmation email received after booking online. After completing the paperwork, you will either collect the car from the airport parking lot or take a complimentary shuttle to the rental company's nearby office, typically within a 10-minute ride.

Upon receiving the vehicle, it is essential to thoroughly inspect its condition for any existing scratches or damages. This step helps to avoid disputes regarding old and new marks when returning the car. It is highly recommended to purchase comprehensive insurance, which provides peace of mind and covers potential collision damages.

You've picked up your car and are ready to drive around Europe. Before you hit the road, take some time to practice driving in the office parking lot. Get used to the car and remember to stay in the right lane. If you turn left, make sure to merge back into the right lane as soon as possible.

Now it's time to start your journey on the Romantic Road, following in the footsteps of the movie "The Sound of Music." (You can find more details about the route online.)

On the first day of your trip, you arrive in the late afternoon and check into your accommodation in the evening. Vienna can be a bit challenging to drive in, so I chose to stay in a suburb and explore the city center by train. Taking the train is easy; you can buy tickets at the station or on the train itself.

Vienna is another great city for walking. It has beautiful old churches and buildings, and many people get around by bike, although not as many as in Amsterdam.

The second day of our road trip, according to the plan, we stopped at Melk, 80 km from Vienna. This small town, which we thought wouldn't have much to offer, turned out to be one of the most beautiful places we visited on our trip. The majestic abbey perched on a cliff overlooking the charming old town below is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is one of the hidden gems we discovered while driving ourselves, a place that tour companies wouldn't normally take you to.

Observing the Danube River flowing through the city, I decided to add a river cruise to my itinerary. After searching for "Danube Cruise," I discovered a boat trip from SPITZ to MELK. The two towns are 20 kilometers apart, and the boat ride takes one hour. I booked a ticket for the next day and arranged for a taxi to pick me up in the morning and take me to the port in SPITZ. I enjoyed the scenic cruise along the Danube, returning to MELK before continuing my journey. In the morning, I arrived early, allowing me to explore the charming port town of SPITZ.

Upon returning to Melk, a majestic church stands tall on the cliff. After disembarking, the journey continues…

The 80km journey on the map led me to another small town that surprised me - Styer. This town, unknown to many Thais, is a charming old town with only two main streets, but the houses are delightful to explore. Two rivers converge in the town. In this town, I parked my car and forgot to pay the parking fee. When I returned, I found a parking ticket and had to pay a fine of 800 Thai baht at the post office. It was a funny but painful experience.

After a two-hour walk around the city, we set off for Linz, as shown on the map above, heading north for just 40 kilometers.

It only took half an hour to reach the city, just in time to check in and explore the city until nightfall. This is a charming, walkable town divided into two zones: the old town and the new town. Naturally, I opted to explore the old town, which is quite beautiful. Pedestrians and trams navigate the streets together, creating a lively and captivating atmosphere.

The next day, I spent half a day in Linz before driving 130 km to the famous city of Salzburg. Arriving in the afternoon, I found it difficult to drive and park due to the city's size. I got lost for a while, but it was actually quite enjoyable. Getting lost is a common occurrence on every trip, so don't panic if your GPS leads you astray. Just ask around, and you'll eventually find your way. Salzburg, being a famous city, needs no further explanation. Information is readily available. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea.

I spent two days in Salzburg because it is a large city with a World Heritage Site. There are many details..........

The next day, we continued our journey to another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Austria. Along the way, we stopped at the beautiful lakes of Mondsee and Gmunden before reaching the famous Hallstatt. We stayed here to take as many beautiful photos as possible, especially the evening lights, which we wouldn't have had the chance to capture if we had come with a tour group.

The next day, we set off for Graz for another night before returning to Vienna to collect our belongings.

This is a brief account of my experience, intended as a guide for those who wish to embark on a self-driven tour abroad. The experience is fundamentally different from organized tours. It allows for interactions with locals, the opportunity to confront and resolve unforeseen challenges, and a sense of adventure.

Thank you for following me, Dr. No Tour. You can comment in any case. We will meet again at my convenience. The clinic is very busy every day. Thank you again.

Dr. Anirut Saraluck