Travel is the Main Event: Five Fantastic Flightless Adventures in Europe
Sitting on the deck of the Smyril Line ferry between Denmark and the Faroe Islands, I watched a bunch of kids playing tig. Another group was playing football in the fenced enclosure. The parents were in the observation room reading books. My son Conor and I took turns at the port telescope, examining the distant silhouette of Muckle Flugga Lighthouse in the Shetland Islands. We wondered why the Faroe Islands and Shetland had never joined as a political unit, given that they are reasonably close neighbours. A history book was needed. Next to us, crouched in a chaise longue, a woman scribbled furiously in a journal, the margins exploding into hasty sketches.
As foot passengers on a ferry , we certainly save on CO2 emissions, producing around 19 grams per kilometer per person, compared to 156 on a short-haul flight. But those were the other benefits I noticed: time to read books, write journals, play tig, or just look around.
The practicalities of overland travel can be a challenge and costs can be higher, but it's always a richer experience, sometimes becoming more important and memorable than the destination itself. And if, like the restless traveler Ulysses, your journey home becomes the main event, and you arrive home to find that no one recognizes you but the dog, you have accomplished something wonderful. Here are some suggestions for creating such epic journeys.
Great Baltic Beach and Boat Tour
Sitting on the deck of the Smyril Line ferry between Denmark and the Faroe Islands, I watched a bunch of kids playing tig. Another group was playing football in the fenced enclosure. The parents were in the observation room reading books. My son Conor and I took turns at the port telescope, examining the distant silhouette of Muckle Flugga Lighthouse in the Shetland Islands. We wondered why the Faroe Islands and Shetland had never joined as a political unit, given that they are reasonably close neighbours. A history book was needed. Next to us, crouched in a chaise longue, a woman scribbled furiously in a journal, the margins exploding into hasty sketches.
As foot passengers on a ferry , we certainly save on CO2 emissions, producing around 19 grams per kilometer per person, compared to 156 on a short-haul flight. But those were the other benefits I noticed: time to read books, write journals, play tig, or just look around.
The practicalities of overland travel can be a challenge and costs can be higher, but it's always a richer experience, sometimes becoming more important and memorable than the destination itself. And if, like the restless traveler Ulysses, your journey home becomes the main event, and you arrive home to find that no one recognizes you but the dog, you have accomplished something wonderful. Here are some suggestions for creating such epic journeys.
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