planes, trains, and automobiles.

last week i had my first american train ride experience.  i took the amtrak from LA down to san diego in california and it was pretty similar to every train ride i've ever taken in europe (minus a particularly offensive smell).  the ease of travel by train in europe was always one of my favorite parts of living there and i wish that a comparable system existed here in the states but it just doesn't.  although there are trains running between many major cities, it's still often necessary to have a car ride to the actual train station.  in my opinion, this somewhat defeats the purpose of having efficient train transport.

we all know that i like to travel (see: my life).  however, in the past few months when it has been the main focus of all of my days, i have begun to especially enjoy the process of getting from point A to point B instead of only the destination.  you know what emerson said, life is a journey, not a destination.

view from the amtrak in california

my favorite mode of travel, i think, are train rides.   i don't get motion sick and can spend time doing the things i might not get around to doing during the chaos of each day (reading, writing, listening to music).  another thing i love is the scenery; we all know i love a good view.  in italy, the train tracks seem to cut right through many of the most beautiful places; i always enjoyed looking out the window at the olive farms and the endless rows of grapes waiting to become wine... i also remember thinking the same about the english countryside while taking the national rail in the UK.  it's so relaxing to sit and be transported while taking in views of countryside you might not otherwise be exposed to.  one of my favorite memories from my time in siena during the spring of 2008 was seeing the beautiful tuscan countryside with it's rolling hills and copius fields of sunflowers during a trip to or from my quaint medieval home.  i was happy to discover that the same is true of the amtrak in california; the view of the beach as i rode to and from LA was pretty hard to beat.

train rides are especially fun with a group of people such as my carnevale train ride in march.  it's logistically nice when you can travel in a group and no one has the responsibility or driving or navigating.  it's more relaxing when no one has to worry about getting lost or being on time.    

i also have an unusual obsession with train stations.  the efficiency of the system amazes me, especially in italy which is an incredibly inefficient country; the trains are the only thing around that don't seem to be on 'italian time'.  the tracks weave in and out and overtop of each other so much that a crash seems like it should be inevitable - and what about the intertwined wires running above the tracks?! what do they do?! who controls which trains arrive where?!  and all the lines and repetition are totally cool looking.  

i have never particularly looked forward to plane rides.  this may be beacuse i have taken them for granted for the past 24 years... obviously i enjoy the airplane as a means of transport but the actual ride and airport time involves a lot of waiting around and it often makes me wish i could teleport.  i am often immediately put to sleep when sitting on a plane which yes, makes the ride go faster, but it also makes me feel like i'm wasting time and then at the end of it all i'm groggy and my neck hurts.  

one thing i do love about plane rides are the unique bella vistas; what can beat the view from take off and landing?  the chance to see an entire city (and often the surrounding suburbs and countryside) is one that isn't possible from a train, you can only get that view from the air. 

view of san francisco from the sky

in a car ride, you have the most freedom; you choose the speed, the direction, the route, and everything involved with travel companions and entertainment during the journey.  i missed driving while living abroad but i didn't feel like i needed a car to travel in europe which was great.  in the states, however, there are few cities in which it's easy to live without a car.  and even while it may be easy to live in a big city without a car by using public transportation, it's often hard to leave the city without a car.  the thought of being stuck somewhere terrifies me.  

really, i'd just like a good one of these:

x!