. Date: Tue, 6 May 2014 13:54:24 +1000 From: Roderick Smith <rodsmith@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Reply-To: TramsDownUnder@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To: transportdownunder@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, tramsdownunder@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [TramsDownUnder] Australians overseas [2 Attachments]Responding to Paul's trigger, and other responses, I am sure that we have had the thread before.
I am on over 100 overseas trips (some of which were just a quick weekend in NZ for an event), and close to 100 countries (I think that I have to count transit stops to reach 100, but most of my transits have since had a real visit).
I have never gone overseas just for trams, but they are included in my itineraries which are just for transport. Even then, virtually none has been just for transport: there is usually some tourist site which slots in anyhow, and even going for transport brings up a lot of daily life when travelling on ordinary public transport, and eating in ordinary restaurants. Apart from my photos and notes, many of the memories of my journeys are of the cuisine.
My first was to NZ for a specific steam safari over Easter 72. Even so, I was given a guided tour of Wellington in advance (including WTM at QE Park), and a guided tour of Auckland at the end.
I then locked into a pattern of expensive Europe every second year, and cheap Asia every other second. I rode trams where they were available: often dawn to dusk railway travel, then dinner, then a token ride, usually one route end to end. Asia didn't have many trams, but I scored Calcutta (before the renaming), Hong Kong and lots of Japanese ones in the early years, then several in USA & Canada on what would have been a fourth Europe. In those early years, Europe airfares were excursion fares, with only about six airports involved. I always used Frankfurt and London. IIRC Amsterdam, Paris, Roma and possibly Beograd were the others. There was no Swiss destination, and no Scandinavian. Into later years, I have added some Russian systems, Mexico, South America (including trolleybuses), Africa (only Egypt for trams, as Kimberley wasn't running during my hours). A huge loss to railway enthusiast was the cessation of Thomas Cook overseas. It had lots of faults, but having one was better than not having one. It made the mistake of trying for too many editions per year; the budget should have gone to better updating. Internet is useless as a replacement cover: much of the information isn't available at all, and trying to stictch together an efficient itinerary is next to impossible.
In my early years, I tended to avoid museums (too much time spent, and a lot weren't open in winter). Now I tend to cover them if I am in the vicinity. I have visited several tram ones, and several general-transport ones. Likewise I tend to travel on museum railways a bit more. Some of the famous tourist destinations, good even for diehard railway enthusiasts:
Italy: St Peters, good, even for a non Catholic. Paris: Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Seine cruise. London: West End theatres, and the less-know museum of industrial design. Amsterdam: Canal cruise. Norway: Hell. Sweden: Narvik. Germany: wall before demolition, and after (ie the token preserved bit). Austria: ski resorts, and lakes. Switzerland: the famous summits (but of course, by train). Russia: Kremlin (highly recommended). China: Great Wall (hr). India: Taj Mahal (hr, even better than the advance hype). Philippines: Pasanjan Falls (overrated). Indonesia: Borobudur (overrated); Mt Bromo (hr). Canada: Both ends of Highway 1; and both are labelled km 0. USA: Grand Canyon (hr). Mexico: Copper Canyon (by train, overrated). Ecuador: El mito del munde (museum on the equator, hr). Peru: Macchu Picchu (hr, even better than the advance hype).Paraguay: Iguassu Falls (overrated, but perhaps I was there in the dry season).
Egypt: Pyramids & Sphinx (overrated). NZ: Lots of pleasant sights, but nothing supremely special.There will be others of comparable status; I am typing in haste. There have also been lots of other pleasant sights and sites which add to the overall experience.
Enclosed: a tram and a train; I am not posting a photo at Grand Canyon or Macchu Picchu.
120324Sa Dalian (China). Older tram. 970120M Smithers (Canada). Via 'Skeena'. Roderick B Smith Rail News Victoria Editor .
Attachment:
120324Sa-P1040627-Dalian-oldertram-RSmith.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
970120M-05-SmithersCanada-ss.jpg
Description: JPEG image
