Favorite Mode of Travel

The prompt this morning was "what is your favorite mode of travel - plane, car, boat, train?" And what do you do when you are traveling - assuming you aren't driving?

Each of the 4 modes have their advantages and disadvantages - and I like all 4. Now how's that for wishy-washy????

Airplanes get me where I want to go and in most cases, quickly. When I go to Atlanta, I definitely prefer to fly over drive because it's at least a 12 hour drive (when I have very few stops) and usually a 13-14 hour drive. It's a 2 hour flight, so I don't lose 2 whole days of my vacation just getting there and back. I can fly to Atlanta for a long weekend as well. I also have friends in Washington, D.C. and driving would take too long to see them. When I fly, I usually read.

I haven't been to Europe in a few years, but flying is about the only option to get there.

Cars are for short trips and for when enjoying the scenery is part of the plan. It would take as long, if not longer, to go to the airport at least an hour early, fly to Austin, get picked up and drive to Marble Falls as it does to just drive the whole way. And certain times of the year, I would much rather drive because of the scenery. Springtime in Texas is beautiful with all the wildflowers!!!

We took the trip in December to New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. I spent most of my time "oohing" and "ahhing" over the scenery. It was my first time in New Mexico and that part of Utah. New Mexico, especially, was not what I expected. I was expecting barren and cactus everywhere. There was a lot of grassland and the mountains were everywhere!!! In Utah, I never expected to see so many shades of red and orange. It took my breath away. And I have always loved the majesty of the mountains of Colorado!!!

A lot of times while in the car, if I'm not driving of course, I will read. Whether driving or not, a lot of times I will pass the time with audio books. But this last trip, I played with the GPS system I had loaded on my laptop and enjoyed the changing scenery. I don't think I read a single page of a book while in the car - well except maybe for excerpts from the travel guides I had.

I love traveling by boat, but haven't done but one cruise. And that was 25 years ago. I keep saying I want to take another cruise, but I just haven't done it. And I love riding on a sailboat. There is nothing like it, especially if you have to motor out of a channel before lifting your sails. As soon as the sails catch the wind, and you can turn off the motor - heavenly bliss on earth!!! My family had a sailboat for about 10 years and I would love to have another one - if I didn't have to worry about things like slip rent and the upkeep and maintenance.

I have an aunt and uncle that used to do the cruises where you rent a sailboat and sail through the Carribean Islands - I would love to do something like that someday as well!!!

And the only time I've been on a train lately has been a tourist train - of course then, you want to look at the scenery - that's usually the reason for the tourist train. We rode the Durango and Silverton in December and I really enjoyed it for that reason alone - well, and the fact we were being pulled by a steam engine.

Trains are the preferred method of travel in Europe and I have taken advantage of the trains every time I have been over there. Again, when traveling by train, I may read, but I will also be admiring the scenery.

Have you noticed a repeating theme here - I think I'm a scenery junkie!!!