I realised that train travel has many advantages over other public transport, and to me, the main advantage is certainly the convenience. Being able to travel from the centre of one city directly to the centre of another city saves the hassle of extra travel from, say, airports into the centre. These extra costs can add up quite quickly without you realising.
Trains are also efficient. They travel at high speeds and get you from one city to the next in, what feels like, no time at all. And although they may cost a little bit more than buses, I believe the extra cost is worth it for the time you save. Time is precious to most people and no one what to spend more time travelling than is necessary.
During my thinking time, I realised what I like most about train travel (well, maybe second after the convenience factor) is the observation opportunities. Being lucky enough to sit by the window, in a fairly busy train, I got to see parts of the country I would not normally see. I mean, where else am I going to see a house made from an unused train carriage? Probably nowhere. I also love to see the countryside; the unknown parts of the country. I love to be able to view whole cities and towns in one glance, the sheep roaming the fields and the secret rivers that wave through the land.
Other than the unusual things you see and the beautiful nature that many people are oblivious to, I love to see people being reconnected. Sitting in a train station, waiting on the train to start moving again, I saw two people running towards each other, arms out wide. The feeling that ran through me is hard to describe, but it was simply lovely. It looked like something from a movie.
Let me know what you like about travelling by train. Is it the scenery? The convenience? Or simply the thinking time you have while on long journeys?
What I really like on traveling by train is that it gives me time to appreciate the beauty of the place outside the window. It also gives me an opportunity to acquaint with other people, as we wait for our destination. The sense of belongingness is one of the several reasons why I always choose to travel by train.
ReplyDeleteErasmo Milsap