As I finish up the first leg of my wandering life, I’m discovering that how I travel is just as important as where I go.
Planes:
Air travel is usually the quickest – and the most frustrating – way to travel. From a pilot in Malta who tried to fix a mechanical issue on our plane (thankfully he realized he needed to call a real mechanic), to a mad dash through the Atlanta airport lugging a heavy bag and still arriving too late, to a medical emergency one row ahead of me that required that we turn around and start over, air travel is rarely boring. Annoying, stressful, and at times, downright miserable, yes, but rarely uneventful. Sometimes, though, it’s the best or the only way to get where you are going.
The funny thing is that I love planes and will happily put up with all the annoyances just to feel that rush of the lift-off.
Trains:
Trains are by far the best way to actually see a country. Its farms and mountains and small towns. You get a real feel for a country on the ground. It’s relaxing and slow and immerses you in the geography of a place.
It also eliminates a lot of the flying frustrations: you have control of your luggage, and there’s no TSA misery. Weather is much less likely to derail your plans. I used to take the Vermonter from Virginia to New Hampshire fairly frequently, and that bad boy ran even when planes were grounded.
Taking the Hogwarts Express Steam Train across the famous viaduct was so much fun, and all the trains through Scotland showed glorious scenery. And lots of sheep. So if sheep are your jam, definitely take a train through Scotland.
Let’s face it – it’s simply a more beautiful and comfortable way to travel.
Ships:
Ships are the slow-down-and-take-a-breath mode. I love being on the water, and the open ocean is so vast and awe inspiring.
I returned from the UK aboard a cruise ship. A two-week transatlantic cruise. Now for those of you turning up your noses, cruises happen to be a terrific mode of transportation. Along the way you stop at ports you might not have gone to otherwise, and yet never have to unpack. You don’t have to figure out accommodations or food or transportation – it’s all right there. For me it’s a way to unwind after a month of non-stop exploration.
One day you’re in Vigo, Spain, the next in Lisbon, then a few days at sea before arriving in Ponta Delgada. Four more sea days, then a stop in Bermuda. Another few sea days and you are back in the states.
A cruise ship gives you permission to slow down and read a book and write, which is what I did much of the time.
And it allows for some much-needed pampering. Y’all, I had a butler on this cruise, and she was nothing short of amazing! Pako remembered what I liked and made sure all of my refreshments were well-stocked every day, and she brought me room service. She showed me incredible kindness, genuinely took an interest in my life, and shared hers with me.
She even set up a disco ball and goodies in my cabin one night with a note to congratulate me on my retirement.
If you are ever on a Celebrity ship in a suite, I hope you are lucky enough to get Pako as your butler.
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After this leg of my wandering life, I’ve learned that I like a mix of all three transportation modes. Planes get me across continents. Trains let me watch them unfold. And cruise ships remind me that sometimes the journey is the destination.
I have several of all three scheduled over the next year, and I can’t wait to see the places they will take me.
