Traveling is one of the best ways to experience the world. Seeing exotic cultures and meeting new people can enrich a person's life in unexpected ways. Arriving at these destinations can become an experience unto itself. Depending on where you're going or leaving from the type of travel you use can make or break your trip.
Flight
By far the quickest, and the most expensive at times, flying is the way to go to reach extreme distances. Going overseas makes flying a necessity, and traveling across country makes it a pleasure. Flight times blow cars away, turning a 20 hour drive into a two-in-a-half hour flight. Of course the problem is that everyone is completely dependent on the airlines and their own schedule. It's best to arrive several hours early to get through security, the flight may have to be delayed multiple times, and if you're flying standby you may not even reach the plane. Not only are you stuck on their schedule you can only bring so much on the plane without have to pay a fee. With the slightly cramped space and poor scenery, flying is the utilitarian way to travel.
Train
Like the plane but cheaper and you'll actually get to enjoy the landscape as it flows past. It has a limited amount of space per car, though there is more room for each passenger than if riding a plane. Taking Amtrak you're allowed two carry-on bags and two checked bags all for free, after that you'll have to pay a certain amount depending on the weight. While taking the train is great for medium distance travel it can become a hassle or overly expensive on longer trips, and if you're not going that far consider taking a bus or car. While there is little need to slow down a train once it gets going, there will likely be several stops that will have to be made to either change the rails or pick folks up from different cities. In America the train has been losing popularity, but in Europe it is a major form of travel through about 24 different countries. If you're planning your trip out in Europe look up all the different train destinations and work around them.
Car
The most personalized of all forms of travel is the trusty automobile. Open highways, varying landscapes, and stops whenever or wherever you like. The best part of it all is that you're the one behind the wheel, so you'll always be aware of how long your trip should take you. Depending on the car and size of your family it also offers the most storage, though the Griswolds have shown us that everything may not go according to plan. Form here if you're ever feeling like a detour, checking out some random tourist site, or just want to take a break from all the driving and go to sleep all options are available. The tradeoff being that you are the one doing all the traveling, driving is the slowest form of traveling for any long to medium distance, and you're wallet will be taking a hit every now and then as you will have to fill up constantly. Even with the need to refuel driving, at least before gas prices rose, was the cheapest way to get around.
Whether you're looking to get your vacation started now, want to enjoy the sights as you travel to your destination, or anything in between determining how you plan to travel can enhance your trip in many different ways.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
