It's countdown time to my great OE - heading off for four months travel overseas, and today reading the NZ Herald has confirmed why I was so keen to go by train wherever I can. It seems travelling by rail is back in fashion and it is also the most fuel efficient and least carbon intensive way you can travel. For example a diesel locomotive at its most efficient can move a tonne of weight 700 kms on 4 litres of fuel. Making a full train 10 times … [Read more...]
Search Results for: Amtrak
Amtrak SF to Seattle
Its 10pm and the Amtrak train has just pulled out of Oakland – only 12 mins late (I have been warned it can be hours or even days late!) The attendent Cruz was extremely warm and welcoming and has introduced me to what is on offer and made up my bed in my tiny sleeper car. Two can sit and sleep in this roomette, but it would be a bit claustrophobic in the top bed – although a hundred times better than even premium economy air. I am travelling a … [Read more...]
Amtrak story 2 Seattle to Portland…
This was only a 3 hour trip, so I travelled coach – they say there are two reasons people go by train – one because its cheaper (coach class) and the other is because its a relaxing and fun way to travel (Sleeper class). Both classes have twice as much leg room as a plane. And you can even get a sleeper with its own bathroom if you pay a bit more. The only down side is that you can not count on them being in time, so don't plan an urgent … [Read more...]
Amtrak to New York
My Amtrak trip from Buffalo was uneventful and on time. I rode in the coach – there is heaps of room and it is very comfortable, another time I will try coach on overnight – heaps cheaper, and I think it will be just as easy to sleep – certainly easier than a plane. From Albany the train hugged the edge of the mighty Hudson river which was particularly beautiful - spanned occasionally by huge bridges. There were unconcerned blue herons, lazy … [Read more...]
Amtrak Washington to Tampa
My friends Mary Hunt and Diane Neu gladly delivered me to Union Station in Washington - it was an excuse to take their adopted daughter Min to see the big trains, the model trains and the Christmas trees and decorations in this magnificent edifice. I also managed to get a picture with the President Elect! … [Read more...]
Five Climate Friendlier ways to Travel
I am a Climate Change Activist and promoter of women and travel. I have had to do some thinking of whether these two things are a contradiction. In this article I begin a reflection on how (and if) I can hold these two passions together as I explore climate friendlier ways to travel. Would love your feedback The bottom line for me is that travel can no longer be about ticking off countries to visit. Travel now must be adaptive to the … [Read more...]
Niagara Falls via Buffalo
www.flickr.com Deciding to go Amtrak across America, I noticed that it stopped at Buffalo, and I thought I would grab the chance to visit Niagara Falls - they looked pretty close on a map! Well, it is actually a $100US taxi fare and a border crossing to Niagara Falls Ontario. But I bit the bullet and thought "how many times in your life do you get a chance like this?" The Amtrak trip from Chicago was great and mostly uneventful - the … [Read more...]
Solo Traveler – you don’t have to go it alone
I know that some women really do head off into the sunset with just a pack an airline ticket, but for those of you who need a little more of a plan, here is my advice... I wanted to go to Europe. My partner had died and I was on my own. Despite running a Women Travel website, I am not that great at traveling on my own. I find long air flights difficult and painful. We had run a women’s lodge in New Zealand, and I had lots of contacts of women … [Read more...]
The Oregon Coast… beaches but no swimming… and front row at Melissa Etheridge
My friend Dolores luckily had a lot to do in Portland as she waited for the train, and we still had 1.5 hour drive to the Gearhart on the Oregon Coast before we were home, after enjoying dinner at Yummy - an excellent wine bar at Seaside.. The next day we hit some of the local beaches – Cannon Beach and Mansanita – both lovely seaside towns with boutique shops and lots of people on the beaches – but NONE in the water – the locals obviously feel … [Read more...]
Travel Across the United States of America
You don’t need to be a globe-spanner to get a sense of different cultures and dramatic landscapes. I am talking about America. North America to be precise! From the East Coast across to the warmer climes of California, there is a huge range of experiences to be had. A classic road trip might be the way to go, or I have done this trip by train on Amtrak which I adored - slow travel, go to sleep in one state and wake up in another. Start in New … [Read more...]
