[May 15, 2010] 747과 함께하는 5월의 토요모임! 그 세번째 시간...Rev.01

[747기장]

안녕하세요? 5월의 2째주 잘 지내고 계시죠?

이번 토요모임 주제에 대해서는 편안하게 여행에 대해서 이야기해볼까 합니다.

여행이라는거... 참 말이 필요 없을 것 같은데요, 암튼 아래 지문의 경우 부담없이 편하게 주~욱 읽어보시면 됩니다.

질문은 계속 업데이트 예정입니다. 여러분께서도 만들어서 꼬릿말로 남겨주시면 제가 업데이트 하면서 Revision으로 표시해두겠습니다.

1. Please tell us your best travel story.

2. What kind of transportation do you prefer? bus? motor cycle? train? car? air plane? and why?

3. Have you ever experienced railway travel? How was it?

4. If you have a chance to select one travel program like below, what kind of program would you select?

5. Do you have any plan to go any place coming holidays or summer vacation?

6. While you are traveling, if you run into your 'the one' like a movie titled 'before the sunset', what would you do? ...... Rev.01

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Great train journeys: Riding around the world

I‘ve crossed the Atlantic on an ocean liner, but missed the era when your choice of line went beyond “Cunard.”

I can count the number of long-haul flights I’ve actually enjoyed on one hand -- with two fingers to spare.

But around the world, it is still possible to step into a grand railway station, board a train and experience the best the world has to offer on steel wheels. Trains have never been faster, while remnants of the golden age of rail carry from Australia to Canada to Scotland. The United States is more of a mixed experience, where a great railroading legacy bumps into the uneven quality of service and equipment on Amtrak.

A family enjoys the view from their sleeper car on the way to Broken Hill, Australia, on the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Perth. Orange County Register/MCT

Regardless of which continent you‘re on, there is nothing more romantic in travel than a long train ride, tucked away in a small private cabin with a pile of books brought along to read but discarded for long periods gazing out the window. At its best, rail travel offers the languor of a cruise with the new-sight-a-minute views of a road trip (without having to keep your eyes on the road).

Here’s my personal list of favorite train trips, including some American classics:

-Favorite foreign trips

VIA Rail: Vancouver-Jasper. The trains are nicer, the service is better and you‘re more likely to be on time aboard this Canadian train than on its Amtrak counterparts. The route from Vancouver to Jasper in the Canadian Rockies is called “the ski train” in winter. Come summer, the 1950s dome car features views of pine forests, vast lakes and some of the tallest peaks on the continent. You can explore the Rockies or continue on to Edmonton or as far as Toronto without changing trains. It’s a revelation to realize how preserved the Canadian trains are compared with most U.S. trains _ and their rolling stock is up to 20 years older.

The Indian-Pacific, Australia: It‘s almost winter in Australia, so the long trip from Sydney to Perth that passes through days of Outback track occurs when the weather is tolerable. Stop in an Outback town such as Broken Hill or Kalgoorlie along the way. This epic 2 {-day Australian rail ride from Sydney on the Pacific Ocean to Perth on the Indian Ocean covers 2,704 miles. It includes a 297-mile section across the Nullarbor Plain that is the world’s longest straight track. Favorite stops: Broken Hill, Adelaide and Kalgoorlie. Another option: The Ghan, which goes north-south between Darwin and Adelaide. Both the outback areas around Alice Springs and the game parks of northern Australia are better in our summer than theirs.

Eurostar, Paris-London: It‘s become passe to take the half-hour hurtle under the English Channel on the way between London and Paris or Brussels. But for those of us who remember when you could only go by air or green-face-inducing ferry across the choppy seas, it remains a marvel. The recent upgrade of tracks in Britain has shortened the trip by 20 minutes, and the switch from modern Waterloo Station to the gloriously restored red-brick Victorian St. Pancras Station make entering London one of the great rail experiences in the world. Wish I could say the same about the scruffy, distant Gare du Nord in Paris. But, hey, it still gets you to Paris.

Shinkansen, Japan: The Nozomi 500 bullet train is the fastest in Japan, and its gray bullet-nosed front with the jet fighter-like bubble cockpit is unlike any in the world. But you can’t ride it if you are on the JR Rail Pass unless you pay a premium. The slower _ and that‘s only a relative term _ Kodama and Hikari trains make more stops, but still speed you around the country in time that would make any American envious. I’m looking forward to trying the new high-speed line to Honshu in the north.

TGV: The most popular high-speed line for European tourists, the French trains move you around the country in a matter of hours. To have a wonderful lunch at the Belle Epoque Le Train Bleu at Gare de Lyon, then get on a TGV to be in Lyon in less than two hours is a mix of the best of old and new train worlds.

Bergensbanen: The Norwegian train from Oslo to Bergen is the highest main line rail route between two cities in Europe. The route from Oslo to Bergen would make any top 10 list in the world, and that‘s not all _ passengers can take the wondrous scenic spur line from Myrdal to Flåm, with includes a ferry and a bus trip to reunite with the train farther down the line.

An onlooker waits near a Bullet train, which travels between Osaka and Tokyo. Orange County Register/MCT

Rovos Rail, South Africa: A fatal accident has cast a shadow over the once exemplary record of this luxury train that operates throughout South Africa and sometimes to the north. The carriages beautifully represent colonial era comforts. It’s a retro counterpoint to the modern Blue Train, considered by many to be the finest scenic train in the world. Rovos excursions in the past include an epic trip to Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe-Zambia border and then on to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.



-Train ride wish list

The Blue Train, South Africa. It comes up time and again as the most scenic train ride in the world, a luxurious run between Cape Town and Pretoria. I enjoyed the old-world appeal of Rovos Rail, but would like to take this modern version as well.

The Ghan, Australia. It took decades, but the Australians finally completed the north-south rail line between Adelaide and Darwin. In our summer, it takes visitors through the outback metropolis of Alice Springs, then up to the area around Daintree National Park during the preferable dry season.

The Cassiopeia, Japan: Most of Japan’s trains, including the new northern extension of the Shinkansen bullet train line, are about speed and businesslike efficiency. Not the Cassiopeia. It‘s Japan’s most luxurious night train and one that isn‘t advertised heavily outside the country. The train has a lounge, restaurant car and large staterooms _ no seats. This is luxe all the way. I only heard about this train when visiting Sapporo for the winter festival a few years ago. It leaves from Ueno Station, near the Imperial Palace, and travels to Sapporo, the metropolis of the northern island of Hokkaido (and Japan’s beer-mecca equivalent to Munich or Milwaukee).

Eastern Orient Express, Southeast Asia. A plush roll up the Malay Peninsula from Singapore to Bangkok. My only caveat is to check out the political situation along the route -- Malaysia and Thailand have had turmoil in recent years. The train ride might be a respite, but the stops on either end could wipe away the feeling of relaxation.

Lhasa Express, China-Tibet. A controversial train -- it is a Chinese government project to open up the country‘s links to Tibet, the region it subjugated by force, driving out the Dalai Lama and marginalizing the indigenous Tibetan population. Most of the journey is above 13,000 feet -- and the high point is Tanggula Pass at 16,640 feet, more than 2,000 feet higher than the summit of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the continental U.S. Like a trip to Burma -- or for that matter, Vietnam, Laos or Cuba -- you’ll need to decide if experiencing a place helps open it up to the outside world or just lines the pockets of dictators. The “new train” from Golmud to Lhasa passes through such high altitudes that passengers can wear oxygen masks if they feel lightheaded.

Shanghai Maglev: Magnetic levitation is the wave of the future for railroads, but the only commercially operational model in the world is the short run between Shanghai‘s Pudong International Airport and the city center. The train rides above the rails on powerful magnets, giving it a smooth, fast ride that tops out at 268 miles an hour. It’s a quick ride -- the 19 miles are covered in less than eight minutes during peak periods.

Acela: The Boston-New York-Washington route has never fully lived up to its high-speed hype. It can reach 150 mph on short sections of track in New England. But the railbed quality is inconsistent along the route, requiring reduced speeds, and there‘s congestion and freight train priority (a problem throughout the Amtrak system) to slow things down.

Cuzco to Machu Picchu, Peru. Critics contend the new train has made it too easy to get to the famed mountaintop lost city, but fans love the addition of a rail adventure to go with the one-of-a-kind experience of visiting the Andean ruins. PeruRail is doing some alterations to the tracks, so part of the journey is by bus until June 30.

Empire Builder, U.S.: I’ve long wanted to take Amtrak‘s Empire Builder across the top of the U.S., from Seattle to Chicago, then return on the VIA Rail through Canada. A few hundred miles and an international border separate the two. I’d love to compare the equipment and service on a long haul. The Empire Builder officially takes 46 hours to make the journey.

El Chepe, Mexico. The Chihuahua al Pacifico that takes in Copper Canyon is the premier Mexican train experience, covering 390 miles, crossing 39 bridges and going through 86 tunnels on its journey from the sea to the mountains.

The Palace on Wheels: The great “Raj” train experience of India is an intentional throwback to the colonial era, when the British overlords traveled in luxury amid the nation‘s poverty. Now that India is a democracy, the Palace on Wheels is a chance to enjoy the pleasures of the past without the guilt (at least until the credit card payment hits your mailbox).

Rail cruises: I prefer trains that stay on the move, but at some point it would be fun to take one of the luxury “rail cruises” like Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer, the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, or the Royal Scotsman. These trains meander about, stopping for cultural and foodie events and sometimes disgorging their passengers for the night to sleep in luxury hotels. A different experience, but if the waiter will bring by a gin martini, dry, straight up, I will endure the hardship.

(McClatchy-Tribune Information Services)

By Gary A. Warner
The Orange County Register
(MCT)

source: http://www.koreaherald.com/lifestyle/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100511000680

[Ally]

오오오~~ 내가 조아라하는 여행 얘기당^^

[747기장]

오오오~~ 만인의 연인 Mr.여행

[Scarlet]

오호 여행 일단은 큰 여행전에 소풍부터.

[747기장]

고고씽 봄소풍!

[Jina]

이번주에는 드디어 토요모임에 참석을 할 수 있겠군요!! 그렇게 재밌었다는 얘기가 들려오던데 기대가 크답니다~ㅋㅋㅋ

[747기장]

너무 많은 기대는 No! 영영사전 공부해53~~

[Jina]

영영사전 어디를 공부해와야 하나요???;;

[747기장]

A to Z ^^

[judy]

우와.. 여행가고 싶당. 제가 제일 좋아하는 프로그램, EBS세계테마기행...독일에서 캐러번 타고 아프리카 대륙을 2년째 여행하고 있는 독일청년얘기, 우와 감동... 젊은이들이여.. 떠나세요!!!!

[747기장]

전 토요일 아침에 KBS에서 하는 여행기 좋던데^^

[sunny♡]

While you are traveling, if you run into your 'the one' like a movie titled 'before the sunset', what would you do?

[747기장]

업데이트 완료!!!

[SUNNY]

우와! 리플 많다~ 여행 안간지가 10년이 넘었으니 이번엔 그냥 조용히 리쓴만.

[747기장]

오셔서 암꺼나~~ 보따리를 풀어주세요.

[SUNNY]

언니가 보따리 다가져갔데요.