What is your favourite mode of transport? I love trains. Or rather, train travel. For one reason or another I spend a lot of my time traveling by train here and there and I absolutely love it. I love how I can spend my time reading, or listening to music or even simply looking out of the window. I can work, I can watch something on my laptop, I might even get into a random conversations with someone. Occasionally I see someone I'd like to get into a conversation with and run the whole exchange in my head. Excellent. I love the insights into other lives. The snapshots of people and the snippets of their conversations. I love the waiting. I know some people hate waiting on platforms for a connection. I can understand how it might be annoying, but for me there is nothing better than the acknowledgment that the train is on its way, it is out there somewhere and will eventually arrive. Nothing I can say or do will make it travel any faster (though I *can* think of some ways to ensure it arrives slower hehe). At this point, there is no use being frustrated, I just relax. It will get here. I'll get where I am going. Relax and enjoy it. Oh, I also love travelling by motorbike too. That probably wins actually, but since mine was nicked, trains it is.
I totally agree with you about trains. I'm always using trains and I just love the way you can get absolutely everywhere with them. Plus you get a comfy seat, plenty of time to read, have your head phones on, and not answer to anyone. And you get to do all of this whilst watching the world go by outside your window. Busses are just annoying, the drivers are always rude, and the passengers always look like extras from The Hills Have Eyes. As for planes, well - I've never been on one. I'd like to one day for travelling purposes, but only 'cause it's necessary. I'm quite scared of flying, actually - i'm afraid of heights. Car's fine, but motorways are so boring, and it's always cramped. Boat is fine, but slow and boring - the view never changes, just gets closer. So...yeah, trains rock. The tube system in London is amazing no matter what anyone says - you're literally a quick tube ride away from just about every amazing attraction, town, celebrity, etc. No views, true - but you get those on other trains, for longer journeys. It's peaceful. Nothing beats a good walk though.
Are we talking transport on a day to day basis or just our favourite all time? Day to day, I'd have to say boat. Not cruise ship, powerboat. Preferably a RIB. I like them the best. Plus I have a license to drive one.
Most cities in the US dont have metros, but when I went to Paris and NYC I loved the metro. It was fast and convenient and inexpensive. I would much rather take metros and trains and buses than drive a car, and I hope I can live in a place that has an effective metro and train system when I finally grow up. I dont want car payments, insurance payments, maintanence payments, or gas payments. Plus the metro is much safer; I'm always afraid I'll crash my car. My favourite of all time is airplane though. I dont mind riding coach (although I've never flown first class anyway), and I like that you have no choice but to relax. You cant use your phone or access Internet, so you have no choice but to sit and read and listen to music and watch movies for a few hours. My flight to Paris was long, but really enjoyable. Plus, even though I hate the ear-popping sensation when you take off and touch down, I love watching the plane leave the ground behind --all the cars look like ants and when you pass over farmland it looks like you're just flying over a massive quilt. And the view of the clouds looking down is so prettty. Boat is all right too, but not my favourite, and I certainly wouldnt say I liked being on a ferry. Too crowded, too slow. Speedboats and jetskis are fun to drive, but I still prefer the relaxation of a plane.
I spend half my life on trains, so I'm not their biggest fan. Half of them run late, are overcrowded with nowhere to sit down and inevitably seem to be filled with arrogant chav toerags who need taking down a peg or two, or bitchy women determined to lord it over people. 'I'm a woman, move out of your seat and let me sit down', seems to be the common theme with them. I enjoy driving. I'm a bit unfortunate in that I never have very far to drive whenever I go anywhere (I don't drive to Newcastle or London, as that'd involve borrowing the car for days at a time, something I can't do). I'm not such a fan of being a passenger, but actually driving can be great fun, although it has to be said I don't enjoy the other drivers on the road, especially those with white vans or taxis who seemingly enjoy trying to run a lad in a Volkswagen Polo off the road. Buses: after driving for the last 2 1/2 years, why would I enjoy being on the bus? Walking: I hate walking in built-up areas. I want to walk for enjoyment in the countryside, where I'm walking on grass and between trees, not on concrete in a hurry to get somewhere. Cycling: Just no. I don't even have a bike anymore, and I personally don't fancy being on a bike while other road users launch a concerted effort to kill me driving through Ravensthorpe (if they do it to someone with a ton of steel to protect them, what'll they do to someone with just a dodgy racing helmet?).
I love trains, just so relaxing Unless they're overly crowded, in which case it can be a bit of an ordeal lol. Buses are the worst- they're uncomfortable, slow, unreliable, overpriced and I always seem to get stuck behind them on the roads when I'm driving >.>
trains, ferries and freighters... and the 'stella solaris'! i've eurailpass-ed all over europe many times, even been on the re-born 'original' orient express... us trains can't hold a candle to european ones, even in a first class 'roomette' ... but canada's transcontinental 'via' is ok... i love ferries of all kinds [especially the overnight ones, where you can doze on deck for the last couple of hours, after sitting up drinking, eating, playing cards and trading tales with locals] and have been ferried across many of the planet's watery divides... i've been on a few different 'luxury liners' in various parts of the world, but would never go willingly again on any of the floating mega-hotels that pass for ships nowadays [had to take my youngest on a fancy caribbean cruise for her 16th b'day... ugh!] and would only consider first class on the smaller, more elegant 'old ladies of the sea' [the greek sun lines' stella solaris is an exception, since i've enjoyed myself on her in both the medium-rate emerald deck cabins and a first class boat deck suite...
No, I meant hypothetically. If it was, that would be AWESOME. Non day-to-day? I'd have to say plane. I love the feeling of taking off, more than anything. Plus, I'm in love with heights. One of the main reasons I love skiing is the view.
We rode first class on our way back from our honeymoon, and aside from getting free meals and such, I didn't think it was any better than coach, to be honest. But that could be because I'm terrified of flying, so I was too busy trying not to cry when we hit turbulence to really enjoy the super awesomeness that is first class. Joel says that I should say my favorite mode of transportation is by helicopter, but as I just admitted, I'm terrified of flying...so that would obviously be a lie. I like walking. Driving in Nevada is scary, there aren't any trains, and the thought of riding the bus here skeeves me out. And walking is good for you. So walking it is.
My favorite would be an interstellar spacecraft, if that were an option. I wouldn't care if it were a cramped, smelly, and dangerous one way trip. It would be worth it. I've not travelled on an ocean vessel. It might be interesting, but doesn't sound it. I've enjoyed travel by train on occasion. The clack of the rails, the swaying of the cars as the landscape rolls past, the overall experiencs has a nostalgic feel. And the peoplewatching is great. I enjoy airline travel, for the most part. However, I don't care so much for being shoehorned in alongside sweaty surly fellow passangers. I love the feel of the plane as it responds to the changes in lift or the clight corrections by the pilot. I particularly love flying through canyons between towering cloud islands. Even more than airlines, I love flying in small planes. I'm not a pilot, but have had opportunities to take the yoke in flight. The roar of the engines, the smell of the aviation fuel and exhaust, the bumping and rocking with every air pocket, the sound of the air roaring past, and looking down at a few thousand feet of air during a steep banking turn - it's pure joy.
It depends on what you mean by 'Ocean Vessel'. If you mean a big cruise ship, it's effectively a floating hotel, and about half as interesting if you bore easily. However, smaller boats are a lot of fun, due to waves and some such.
I would love to try a deep sea submarine sometime. I know the Titanic wreck is closed off now, but by God I'd love to go there. I'm also quite interested in marine life so... win win. That'll never happen though. I enjoy air travel, and agree with lots of Cogs sentiments. I'm quite odd though in that I even enjoy the airport part, I don't think my family get me on that. I was once on an Atlantic flight, I saw the most amazing thing, really put it all in perspective. Sunrise. I could see light at one end and utter darkness at the other. It's hard to explain but it was unbelievable
I'd probably have to go with trains. I use them a lot, travelling to visit Ashleigh, and there's nothing like being able to sit back and read, write, or just watch the country go past out of the window. And I just love the fact that you can get to pretty much all parts of the country by train. I also have a special place in my heart for sailing boats. When I was younger, I used to do a bit of sailing (in toppers, lasers, etc), and there's nothing quite like it, harnessing the wind to get yourself from A to B.
I hate trains, I hate buses and I hate public transport. It's overcrowded, it's always late, it's overpriced, it's noisy, it's dirty and most of all you always get some person who smells or is overweight sitting next to you. I prefer to drive whenever possible, I can get in and go anytime to anywhere. I'm also getting into cycling, once I build up my endurance levels then I'll cycle to and from work everyday.
I walk absolutely everywhere I can. I opt to walk to and from work each and every day, making a total of two hours and thirty minutes travel time per day. I could get the bus and shave about an hour and a half off that, but it's not the same. Provided I have my iPod with me, I am more than happy to walk most places. I even went through a phase of reading whilst walking, but it posed many an issue, especially when a good twenty-minute stretch of the walk was along a busy main road. I hike a lot too. I must be one of the few people that absolutely loves cheap airline food. The smell that hits you the minute you get on, mmmmm! I used to travel a lot by rail when I was playing gigs out of town (I don't drive) and it's great when it's not busy. Some of the more crowded routes/times can be a pain. Boats irritate me. I think I'd probably enjoy a smaller boat if I was allowed to take the helm (though I'd crash it no doubt) but larger ferries I've been on just bore me. I end up tiring of the poor entertainment and realising I don't have the £650 for a small cornish pasty and blow my money on roulette or three card brag, walking away bitter and disappointed.
Oh gosh, I know. Who gave fat people the right to use public transport anyway? You should totally write a letter to the government, man.
The solar terminator. I've seen this once too on a flight back to the UK from Egypt that flew at just the right time. It's such an amazing sight, glad I got a window seat.
Have to agree with you Cogito. Not from comparative experience you understand, purely speculation. I've no Idea if it's a thunderous "WHOOOOSHE"!!, or a three week sleep. But the mind blowing expectation of the experience awaiting on arrival would do it.
I can't believe nobody has said SCOOTERS! I had a Vespa when I was a student and there was nothing quite like riding it around Edinburgh on a summer night. They really embrace scooters in Rome too so I rented one there last summer. Nothing like it.
I like planes mostly.. I am just a little afraid of flying. I know the chances of a plane crashing are much smaller than a car, for example, but in cars people can survive, it is a little more difficult in planes There are no trains here and buses are overcrowded, expensive and always late... One day I went to Sao Paulo and I got a bus and it was so full of people that a guy was literally outside the bus. The door was open and he was hanging on it, half his body out, half in LOL
I've never ridden scooters, but I have spent a fair amount of time on little 125cc bikes (scooters with gears!) and I have to agree, they are joyful to ride. Like most form of two wheeled transport, you feel connected to the vehicle and the world in a way that you don't when you're closed inside a car/train/plane etc. Plus, a mini 125 engine means you can whack the throttle around without worrying too much about being illegal or dangerous as you do on bigger bikes.
If it's the ultimate in chills and thrills you seek. And the hands down winner in short trip speed in a large, crowded, inner city. Of course a total disregard for body, especially limbs is called for. As there are no front and side air bags--only the air part. But you have the envy of all as you pick up your transport and walk around traffic jams. And gas fill-ups are almost non existent, taking you back to the days of "change back" from a few singles. Of Course!!: You've got it!!--"The ultimate motorized skateboard"!!! Cheapest, quickest, transport on the planet with roller coaster thrills thrown in!.
