Distance from place to place
By maximax8
@maximax8 (31042)
United Kingdom
September 9, 2011 8:13am CST
Two Japanese girls went to a suburban train station in Perth. They wanted tickets for Ayers Rock. The ticket man told them to take a plane. Australia is a huge country and between two places can be a very long distance. It is the size of a continent and many people under estimate its size. By comparison New Zealand is a similar size to the United Kingdom.
I don't get to see very much flying on a plane except at take off and landing. I much prefer to take a train and then I can see the scenery. A day journey is lovely for doing that and sleeping overnight on train saves money spent on accommodation. The longest train ride I have done was Cairns to Brisbane which was 36 hours. I feel that 14 hours on a plane is enough. It is far less comfortable but very convenient for a long distance traveled.
Have you ever traveled a long distance?
Which is the largest country that you have visited?
Does your choice of transport change for different durations?
8 responses
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
9 Sep 11
I've traveled from Montreal, Quebec, Canada to Vancouver and then to Alaska, USA before. Canada would be the largest country. We (my Mom and I) flew across Canada, we saw the Canadian Rockies by air and the checkerboard farmland. From Vancouver to Alaskan inside passage (islands leading to Alaska), we did that by ship. It was nice.
@maximax8 (31042)
• United Kingdom
9 Sep 11
Montreal to Vancouver is a very long distance indeed. Then up to Alaska is even further. Seeing the Rockies must have been awesome up there in the air. Traveling from Vancouver to Alaska bu ship must have been a fantastic experience. Recently I saw a documentary about two people traveling in Alaska by 4 wheel drive car on the Dawson Highway.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
9 Sep 11
It was all awesome!
Glaciers from the ship, fjords, island hopping. We also took a helicopter over a mountain, the moutain goats looked like little chess pieces!
@thestavreva (151)
• Greece
9 Sep 11
I preffer to take buses or to travel with a car since i hate to flight not becasue i am scared or something but i feel really sick everytime when i use plane,but if you need to travel fast its just necessary.Like everything else travelong with trains or buses have pluses too:you are able to view most of the places where you went to you have enough time to enjoy every detail of the whole traveling but its really tiring sometimes when you travel 48 hours for example.So may be the best way is by your own car!
@maximax8 (31042)
• United Kingdom
9 Sep 11
One of my Australian friends drove his car from Melbourne to Cairns in just three days. That is a very long distance journey indeed. I think that traveling by train is much more relaxing. It is a shame that you feel sick every time that you travel by plane. I believe you might have ear problems when you fly. I wear a pair of ear planes in my ears to stop ear pain when going down and landing.
@thestavreva (151)
• Greece
9 Sep 11
Didnt see why is shame but yeah i have ear problems but when i say ear you cant imagine how much they hurt its unbearable pain also i think my head will exlplde last time i passed and wothout anyone notice i regained consciousness exactly when we reach the destiation rofl!I sayd your own car is the best way because of all the benefits of enjoying traveling and most important you can stop to rest everytime you want to{ofcource this is may be mostly for adventure souls like me :)}
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
11 Sep 11
I lived in South Korea for a while and found it hard to explain to them how big the US was. They were amazed that you could have a winter storm in one part of the country, rain in another and sunny and dry in a different part all in one day. Some people do not realize distances and travel time.
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
9 Sep 11
I have to say that riding on a train isn't something we do much of here in the States.
I would rather drive or fly, kind of depends...
If I can use public transportation, great! I'll fly but if I need wheels then I probably need to drive...
The U.S. is the largest country I've been in, well, Canada is larger in territory, but I live in the U.S. and have traveled more here.
Now, I've flown to both the west coast and the east coast, but I've also driven (or been driven) to both as well.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
9 Sep 11
Yes, I have heard of overseas tourists wanting to take public transport to these kinds of things before. I honestly cannot understand how they can end up here travelling in Australia without realising the actual size of the place. But it does happen! 
The longest train trip that I have taken was just over 24 hours from Melbourne to Murwillumbah just south of the Gold Coast. I wanted to get to the Gold Coast, but there is not train line that connects the Gold Coast with southern areas these days! Corrupt politicians had the line removed south of Brisbane decades ago! 
Now the have spent millions (maybe billions?) replacing the track between Brisbane and the Gold coast, but have not gotten any further. They are doing one stop every few years.
The longest flight I have taken was about 13 hours from memory from Sydney to LA. I am currently planning to do this trip again next March, which will be interesting with a family this time. The USA is the largest country that I have visited, but it is roughly the same size as Australia. 
The longest train trip that I have taken was just over 24 hours from Melbourne to Murwillumbah just south of the Gold Coast. I wanted to get to the Gold Coast, but there is not train line that connects the Gold Coast with southern areas these days! Corrupt politicians had the line removed south of Brisbane decades ago!
Now the have spent millions (maybe billions?) replacing the track between Brisbane and the Gold coast, but have not gotten any further. They are doing one stop every few years.
The longest flight I have taken was about 13 hours from memory from Sydney to LA. I am currently planning to do this trip again next March, which will be interesting with a family this time. The USA is the largest country that I have visited, but it is roughly the same size as Australia. 
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
9 Sep 11
I just love to travel regardless of the mode of transport. The longest I've traveled by road is from Bundeberg to Gold Coast in Australia. It was an 8 hrs drive but I enjoyed the journey as we get to stop in many places and enjoy the scenery along the way. Another recent trip to lake Toba last month took me 5 hours from Medan to Parapat and half hour boat ride across the lake to the homestay.
@pahak627 (5347)
• Philippines
9 Sep 11
Yes Australia is a big country. It is the smallest continent. I haven't gone there and so with other countries outside my country. I only travel within our country and the longest travel is only over an hour by plane and buy bus is only over four hours. How I wish I could also travel like you guys over there. Enjoy your travels.
