International Driver's Permit, Adventure Coach

 As I prepare to prepare (yes, I'm only preparing to prepare) to embark on my trip to Espana (that's Spain in Spanish,) (yes, I know I'm cheeky) I did a quick search on driving to find that there is a requirement to have an International Driver's Permit to rent a car.

Part of the actual preparation of this trip is to decide if I'm renting a car. Preparation of that prep is to get myself in good order with this permit.

AAA is the only private organization in the USA that can provide this permit. And it's only $20 plus the cost of two passport photos (which I liken to a mug shot.) No appointment is needed. So off I went! Maybe it's me but everything seems like an adventure to an Adventure Coach.

I called AAA to make sure the location I was about to drive to did indeed offer the service. The lovely associate who answered the phone in Virginia (because the Ohio AAAs have just merged with the Virginia AAAs) assured me they did. To my hometown AAA I went!

Now, I'll start by saying it's possible this lady was having a bad day, she did insist they were very, very busy that day, or maybe something affected her from home, but either way, she was not having me that day. She asked me what I was there for and when I mentioned International Drivers Permit all she said back to me was that their camera was broken. Now granted, I do my research and understand what she was implying but I am 100% certain I over-plan and over-research so many folks probably would have no idea why that would mean anything to them concerning the permit. 

This, my friends, is an example of when an adventure isn't always glorious. Right? As an Adventure Coach part of my role to support you is to ensure every detail is taken care of, but you just can't plan for people's reactions and emotions. 

After a brief exchange, she sent me on my way to another location. Luckily for me, they were pleasant and had a working camera! Curt, the Supervisor of the stores, was there and he ushered me through the process while also training an employee. While I was there I was able to pick up a road map of Spain and Portugal as well - as part of my AAA membership is was free of charge - score!

Lovely mug shots, er, I mean, passport-type photos taken and affixed to a permit concluded, payment of $20 + change (they provided my photos for free for my inconvenience, amazing, thanks Curt!) and I was out the door, ready to drive a stick shift with the wrong hand in a tiny car on the wrong side of the road...if I so choose.

To sum this adventure up into a sentence...

If you plan to drive in most foreign countries I would recommend stopping by AAA for a permit.