I'm going on a 53-day Seabourn cruise in less than two months. My previous Regent Seven Seas cruise from Dubai to Singapore sort of warned me that I am more a landlubber than seaman. But at least because I wasn't all that comfortable on a ship, I slept a lot, still enjoyed all the drinking and dining, and still did not gain much weight.
However, what about a trip on land? I can't drive much anymore, so that's out. What about trains?
- I've been on Eurail pass, twice, and found them mostly convenient and easy to use. One problem was that in those days (and still yet, plus this) there were strikes. A big pain, for sometimes they come without warning. Here is a great site that tells you everything about this option. Best train advice article I've ever read. Cost? A one-month global pass in first class allowing 5 train trips for the 30-day period is around $664, plus there additional fees for certain trains. Seniors get around a 10% discount.
My wife and I took Amtrak around the USA once.- Good experience, but slow.
- Here is a recent article that indicates Amtrak is offering a USA Rail Pass at a cost of $299, $200 off the regular price of $499, but only good until January 20. 10 rides in a 30-day period.
- There are 500 stations in the U.S.
- Can't use Acela, etc.
- Only for coach class. No first-class available at the time.
- You can work in, within certain limits:
- Coast Starlight, a 35-hour journey from Seattle to Los Angeles that has been hailed as the most beautiful train ride in the United States
- California Zephyr from Chicago to Northern California
- Lake Shore Limited from either New York City or Boston to Chicago
- Empire Builder, which travels between Portland and Chicago
- Sunset Limited from New Orleans to Los Angeles
- Southwest Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles.
Then there is my favorite, Japan Rail Pass.- Cheapest mode of travel in Japan.
- There are no strikes in Japan, and trains are on time, all the time.
- I've had a least ten one-, two- and three-week journeys, all in the Green Car, which is sort of like business class. There is first class travel travel, too, but with only rare legs, and they are expensive.
- Details.
- The national train system was only privatized in the late 1980's. The JR Group trains are the only ones you can catch for free with the pass, but these run on 65% of the railway lines. Plus, the pass can be used on some ferries, buses and monorails. Also, discounts at JR hotels.
However, they do run through municipalities, and for more specific stations, it is easy to transfer, and not expensive at all.- Only available for non-citizens.
Therefore, carry your passport when traveling.- If you plan to go long distances, the cost is much, much cheaper on this pass.
Of course you can use their bullet train, or Shinkansen, but not the the ones (Nozomi and Mizuho) that move the fastest and are the most frequent. I hate this.
- A bullet train seat usually costs more than $100. The entire one-week Japan Rail Pass costs around $300. More specifically:
- Standard Car
- 7 days $231
- 14 days $368
- 21 days $471
- Green Car
- 7 days $310
- 14 days $500
- 21 days $624
- I'd recommend going Green Car.
What I do when I go to Japan is to bring a large suitcase and smaller rolling piece of luggage. I first check into a regular hotel, and leave my suitcase there and travel lighter.- Typically, I purchase a bento lunch with sake and beer, and enjoy them on the longer legs.
I usually buy the 2-week version and find my way south from Tokyo to Miyazaki (545 miles) way down south, and zoom north all the way to Sapporo (1074 miles), then back to Tokyo (518 miles), stopping in Kyoto/Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Nagoya, Sendai and other cities, depending on festivals and fall/spring colors.
Tokyo hotels are expensive. They cost half or a third of the price near stations in most cities.- I have tended to stay at the Tokyo Westin, and love the Marriott Associa at the Nagoya train station. Platinum members have access to a lounge that serves incredible breakfasts and expanded drinks/food in the evenings.
I usually go when the fall colors or sakura blooms are at peak, knowing that colors change later in Tokyo than Sapporo, but earlier for cherry blossoms. You can thus be at peak during the entire two or three week period.
Paul Theroux, who lives part-time in Hawaii had two travel books I have read. While he is also known for books like Mosquito Coast. The New York Times Book Review indicated: dark and sharply focused snapshots from the world that Theroux has observed–and invented.”
The first one was in 1975, The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia.
- Four month journey starting in London, through Europe, the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. He returned via the Trans-Siberian Railway.
- He explored colonialism, American imperialism, poverty and ignorance.
- Won't read much about his travels. He mostly quotes people like James Joyce and Charles Dickens.
His second, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star was released in 2008.
- London through Europe on the Orient Express, all the way to Vietnam and Japan, before returning again on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
- Was 33 on that first travel book, and double that age in #2.
- This time there was more oppression and poverty.
- He incidentally repeated this series in Africa.
- He is a year younger than me and was in one of the very first Peace Corp tours, and spent time in Malawai, then taught English in Uganda. Having spent so much time there, it's interesting to note that:
Theroux has criticized celebrity activists like Bono, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as "mythomaniacs, people who wish to convince the world of their worth."[26] He has said that "the impression that Africa is fatally troubled and can be saved only by outside help—not to mention celebrities and charity concerts—is a destructive and misleading conceit".[26]
- Anyway, what I remember about these two travel books is that they are grimy and all too real. I like my train trips to be secure, delightful and gratifying.
Perhaps, then, I should look into the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow to Vladivostok, said to be the world's greatest railway by private train between those two stations. Except for one problem. A two-week journey costs $22,000/person (if two) in silver class and $44,000/person in gold class. No amount of caviar, vodka and tundra can convince me to start in Moscow for that price, and end up in Vladivostok. Especially today.
I'll close with Condé Nast's top 20 train trips in the world.
- #17-#19, three of these in India. But I'm never ever going back there, so I'll write them off.
- #16: Inca Rail, South America...gets you to Machu Picchu. Hmm, something to consider for perhaps it'll get me away from the too high Cuzco.
- #14 and #15: Rocky Mountaineer and The Canadian, mostly Canada.
- #13: Royal Scotsman: Scotland. I'm considering this option.
#8: Eastern & Oriental Express: mostly Singapore to Bangkok and back. I've done this. Don't recommend to the old and frail, for this is a narrow-track train, and it wobbles a lot.- #5: Belmond Hiram Bingham...also takes you to Machu Picchu. Might be a good one for me, as Hiram Bingham came from Hawaii.
#3: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express...European, the one where all those films took place.- #2: Belmond Andean explorer. Too high an elevation for me.
- #1: Seven Stars in Kyushu. I'll stick to Japan Rail Pass, for a 3 night trip STARTS at $5400/person. But might be worth a once in a lifetime splurge. Perhaps linked to my next Japan Rail Pass adventure.
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