←→Don’t Fly

Posted Thursday, February 15th, 2007 · Permalink

Did the title catch your attention? It shouldn’t be taken too literally. If you’re going backpacking in Asia or Africa, or wherever far-away, great! And, yes, you should probably fly there because it’s quick and not that expensive, but once you’re there, stay grounded.

This is partly due to the debate surrounding the damage air travel causes to the environment. But besides that, it’s also going to give you a far better experience to travel by land, especially through countries that are radically different than your own.

I have heard so many people explain their plans to “fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap.” This does save a lot of time and hence is for some an unavoidable fact of traveling. But if you have the time, why not take the train from Bangkok up to the Cambodian border, and then the bus the rest of the way? It takes a full day but it was an unforgettable trip full of new experiences that I will never forget.

When traveling by means of regular transportation, you’ll also meet regular people; the people that live in the country you’re visiting. It presents a fantastic opportunity. You experience a culture and a way of life.

My personal opinion is that trains are the most experience-rich means of transportation. Not only are they full of people with nothing better to do than to talk with others, but they often go through beautiful areas, far nicer than where roads go through. The downside is that they are sometimes more expensive than the alternatives.

Filed under Travel Tips.