Sheldon Cooper of the Big Bang Theory is one of my favourite TV characters. He has many quarks, one of which is a near insufferable obsession with trains.
I share his sentiment, only without the craziness of Sheldon.
Train is my favourite method of travel. It's more spacious than car, faster than boat, and you don't have to arrive hours ahead of time to clear security and customs. Not to mention the stations are often located in city centres as opposed to remote airports.
I remember taking the train through China with my parents when I was a kid - the stations were dirty, the trains were dirtier. The rides were bumpy and if we ever took an overnight train, my parents would spend most of their time worried about their belongings being stolen. Thankfully, train travel has come a long way since then. Now, most railways are well-connected and the train cabins are well-furnished. These days I look forward to train travel as a treat.
My love for traveling by train was one of the many things I discovered in Europe. During my 8 months there, I purchased a 2 month Eurail pass and used it every chance I could. Taking the train allowed me to enjoy the scenery whenever I travelled. The crowds at the stations and the whistling of the trains also added a nostalgic touch of industrialism to my time abroad. In fact, I love train travel so much that I have a Train Travel Bucket List. One of the many things on that list is to take "the Canadian" from Toronto to Vancouver, traveling through Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Jasper along the way. This train ride is perfect for me since I've been splitting my time between Toronto and Vancouver for the last 2 years.
I highly recommend train travel to anyone who wants to indulge in a comfortable and relaxing travel experience. Now I'm hoping we can indulge in some dialogue, what is your preferred method of travel and why?
15 comments
Train is the best means of transporstation. It belongs lots of stories in people different lives.It also witnesses many things among people.I love it!
ReplyDeleteThere should be more maglev trains built around the world. It's way better than a traditional train in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteFirst off; I have never been on a train (unless you count Calgary's c-train), but I love them as well. And second; I am so glad you were freshly pressed, because I love finding photo blogs (congrats by the way)! I love travel photography and it is something I have been dreaming of for a long time now. Unfortunately, the only travel I seem to do is the same old trip from Saskatoon to Calgary. To be honest I feel a bit jealous, as you are a year younger than me and have accomplished so much already. And still I want to thank you, because coming across your blog has inspired me to push myself harder and -if it is even possible- dream bigger. ^-^
ReplyDeleteI alway travelling by train in Taiwan
ReplyDeleteI love your pic, what's the camera u used?
Trains are DEFINITELY the best means of travel in every sense!! If you honestly have an obsession with trains, you HAVE TO travel in Indian trains!! I can tell you this for a fact.. :) No other place can give you the experience you get if you travel in a train in India.. and by that I mean economy class.
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you plan on going to India, maybe I can show you around!?! :)
~Ali
http://eyeofali.viewbook.com/
true Indian trains are such a good experience, but if you want to have an awesome experience you should get in the trains of Ukraine, Russia and Poland you can share a cabin with people speaking different language while sharing a good bottle of vodka or food. Good pictures!!
ReplyDeleteHi there. I just nominated you for a Versatile Blogger award. Happy 2012. More here http://shortandfun.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/versatile-blogger-award-you-like-me-you-really-like-me/
ReplyDeleteTrain is the best transportation. Okay, I can't drive, but even if, I still would go by train. Not just because of the ecologic aspect, but just because I like it ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Tracy! I nominated you for The Versatile Blogger Award. I hope you accept it. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, got excited and hit submit to soon. :)
ReplyDeletehttps://pullingitupbythebootstraps.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/the-versatile-blogger-award/
Beyond a scenic coal train ride in Colorado, I've never traveled by train, but would really love to. I've flown to a fair amount of destinations, but usually end up driving. I always say that I'm going to make it a point to stop and take photos of things that catch my eye, but in the end, I always end up pushing through to get to my destination. I think a train ride would make traveling so much more about the trip and the adventure, and not the destination. I can only imagine the photo ops!
ReplyDeleteI can't really say that I prefer flying to driving, or vice vera. Both are fun if you have good company. Flying allows you to enjoy your destination sooner, and longer, but security and layovers can really suck the enjoyment out of flying.
P.S. Your "My gear" link is broken.
ReplyDeleteWoo thanks for that! The page actually doesn't exist yet - I've decided to write about my gear in a post for later this month instead!
ReplyDeleteNo problem. I look forward to the write-up!
ReplyDeleteWow! I just realized you have been nominated twice in one week. Congratulations!
ReplyDelete