Thank you for your quick and helpful reply! Well, if I can't get the visa sorted out, I may break this into two parts, so I can do it with the standard 90-day ESTA.

Budget wise, I'm well aware that this will be an expensive trip, off the top of my head I figured around $25K for the whole 6 months (includes gas, car rental, lodging and food), I think that seems realistic (?).

Quote Originally Posted by DonnaR57 View Post
Welcome to RTA!

To start, a drive of 400-700 kms would convert to about 250 - 440 miles, which is a wonderful day drive. Typically, a 250 mile/day drive should take about 5 hours (that's WITH stops for gas, food, and rest areas) unless you are sightseeing too.

However, you do have to figure out the VISA problem *first*. You can't plan for a 6 month trip if the longest VISA you'll get is the standard 90 day visitor. The car rental will be a big expense for 3 months, and double that for 6 months. (We have seen a few who were able to get a 180 day visa, but they are few and far between.)


Donna