Learning to love the train

Like many British people I loathe commuting to work by train. The reason for this is simply that railways in Britain are some of the worst run, unreliable and over-crowded services that the human race has ever had the nerve to create (I may rant on this subject again in the future.).

That said I find a long journey on an uncrowded train a really pleasant and relaxing experience. You can sit back and read, listen to music, sleep or simply watch the scenery roll past. Although trains are not as fast as aircraft they offer a far better experience. I have traveled by plane many times and although I have no fear of flying I have learned to hate the experience; rushing to the airport to make the baggage check-in, security checks and passport controls followed by sitting for hours in a rumbly metal tube with no leg-room. Once you reach your destination you have more security and passport checks followed by the possibility that your luggage went somewhere else and the fact that the airport is miles from where you want to be.

Train travel to some parts of the world is difficult or impossible However trains can get you to far more places than most people would believe. A site is called "The man in seat 61" gives vast amounts of info on how to travel from the UK to places all across Europe and the rest of the world by train and ship. There are lots or reasons to avoid flying: -

• It creates a lot of pollution.
• Some people are afraid of flying (although it is very safe).
• Some people feel the journey is as important as the destination and an adventure in it's own right.
• The awful experience of air travel I have already outlined above.
  

If you have to fly and are wracked with guilt over the pollution created to to get you where you were going you could try carbon offsetting. Some companies will plant and maintain trees for you. They will even calculate how many trees are required to absorb the carbon created by your journey (or household utilities). Some companies will offset carbon use through a range of different project. All they ask in return is that you give them your money.

Two such companies are: -

CO2Balance.com

The CarbonNeutral Company
(They take part in various carbon reduction schemes and also sell a range of environmentally friendly gifts and gadgets.)

I am going to try to use the train for as much international travel as I can (certainly all travel to Europe). if more people did this rather than forcing themselves through the misery of air travel the world would be a cleaner and happier place and maybe we can once again learn to love the train.