20 Reasons to Travel by Train (by Kim Mance).
Kim provides 20 good reasons to travel by train
instead of by air in this post on Gadling.
Here are just five compelling reasons:
- Downtown to Downtown – Saving on cab fare, rental cars or time spent commuting from airports on the outskirts of a city is a definite train travel perk.
- Leg Room – Tall people sometimes have to pay extra to bring their legs along while traveling. In contrast, regular economy class on a train comes with space for my legs to happily accompany me at no extra cost.
- Unrestricted Tech and Comfort – Smart phones, iPods, laptops, DVD players and other electronic devices are unrestricted from the time you step foot on a train until you get off.
- Private Cabins – On a long train it's splendid to curl up in bed and sleep like you mean it... Plus, it's fun for a little hanky panky ... and much easier to deal with than the logistics of joining the Mile High Club.
- More Luggage, Less Fees – You'd have to bring a startling amount of luggage to be charged extra for it on a train, while fees for even one checked bag has become the norm for most airlines.
The Grand Canyon: How To Get The Most From A Short Trip
(by Andy Murdock, Lonely Planet Author).
Sadly, most visitors to the Grand Canyon only spend a few
hours at this magnificent wonder of the world. On my visit there in 2010 I was
able to stay two nights on the South Rim but even that was no where near enough
time to appreciate this magical place.
Lonely Planet author, Andy Murdock also acknowledges that he
did not allow enough time for his first trip to the Grand Canyon. In this
piece, he outlines a number of suggestions for making the most of your trip to
the canyon. These tips include arrival routes, short hiking suggestions, the
best time to visit to avoid the crowds, mule rides, the best viewing points,
Park Ranger-led hikes and interpretive talks and more. Read more... >
How To Travel Outside Your Comfort Zone (by Daniel
Noll and Audrey Scott).
I recently wrote a piece called Listen To Your Inner Adventurer which makes the point for breaking out of your comfort zone while travelling.
Daniel Zoll and Audrey Scott have also written on the same topic and I like their particular take so much that I am happy to include their suggestions for making your travels more memorable here. Their tips:
- Strike out on your own
- Ask questions like a kid
- Walk, even if it involves long distances
- Stay open to getting lost
- Don’t judge a book by its cover
- Be courageous in foreign language environments
- Visit the fresh market.
-o0o-
