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By admin, December 24, 2009 7:34 pm

If you’re travelling in the middle east, in particular from Jordan or Syria or visa versa, there’s one train journey you shouldn’t miss out on. The Hejaz..

Some know it as the line built by the Ottoman Turks to transport pilgrims from Damascus to Mecca, while others know it as the railway bombed by TE Laurence and the united Arab tribes during world war one. Built in 1906, the Hejaz line is over a century old, and what few people know is that those very same carriages still run today. Twice weekly infact between Damascus and Amman,

The Hejaz line was only ever laid as far as Medina, as Bedouin tribes prohibited the completion of the line to Mecca. Never the less the route became popular with pilgrims when it started operating in 1913. The journey took some fifty five hours and proved to be a winning alternative to the sixty day journey by camel.

If you plan to travel on the Hejaz line today, only a small section of the railway still remains; Damascus to Amman and visa versa. The rails further south have either fallen into disrepair, been destroyed altogether, or have been adopted by the Jordanian government to transport potash and phosphate.

The route has remained something of an enigma to mainstream tourism, and is used largely by locals, military personnel, and the odd solitary rail enthusiast

But rail enthusiast or not, you won’t be disappointed. The rusty carriages while faded and archaic, maintain all the charm of the early twentieth century. The seats are hard wooden planks, the steps are barely hanging on by a screw, and the toilets are unthinkably bad. But if you enjoy meeting the locals, have a sense of adventure, and don’t mind getting sand in your lunch, there are few more rewarding ways to see the backyard of the Middle East.

And as you rattle through the desert at a little over jogging speed snapping away to your memory card’s content, you’ll wonder why most travellers in the region opt to do the same journey in less than half the time, staring out at the country’s highways from the comfort of an air conditioned bus.

The train run twice weekly from Damascus to Amman and visa versa. Unfortunately the steam engine has been abandoned in favour of a diesel, and just because the train is scheduled to depart at a particluar time doesn’t necessarily mean it will. To buy tickets simply arrive at the station in the morning, half an hour before departure (it definately won’t leave early), take a seat on the crumbling carriage, and then wait for the inspector to arrive, usually after departure, from who you can buy a ticket.

The Journey takes 10-12 hours. Bring some lunch, as none will be provided and shopping opportunities on route are limited. On arrival at the border, you actually change train, on to a similarly archaic locomotive. Passports are collect here too, and returned again an hour or so later at the first station within Jordan/Syria

Decisions about whether the train will actually run are left usually to the very last minute, and even if you confirm the day before there are no guarentees. Don’t put too much faith in what guides, hotels, or travel agencies tell you, as very few of them actually know the train still exists let alone if and when it’s likely to leave.

However, if you arrive at the station on the day to find the train is cancelled, you’ll have ample time to have a leaisurely breakfast, find the bus stop, drive to Amman, and still arrive several hours before the train will.

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By admin, December 21, 2009 7:41 pm

Are you thinking about exploring the countryside by train? You may want to keep in mind that there are plenty of places that you can travel by train to see the sites, but you will also want to think about some of the other types of transportations that are available to you. You’ll find that seeing the country side by train will show the area’s natural beauty. You will also find that when you are chugging along inside a passenger car you can see hours of scenery within the comfortable and warmth of a train car.
You will be able to relax by sitting in a padded seat and you will also want to take a pillow and blanket to make your ride even more comfortable. You will also be able to get food from the food cart and all of the other goods that will make your ride even more comfortable. You will find that there are major cities in America that are close together that you will want to take a train, however, this might be something that you have already done, but there are plenty of cities and countryside that you can see while taking a train in Europe.
When it comes to Europe, you will even find that the train system is highly used to get you from one place to another. You will find that there are major train systems like the Euro rail and the Britrail for those who are traveling in the United Kingdom. In addition, you will find that the Eurorail is located throughout the entire continent.
You will be able to go to Paris and see all of the attractions and then you can spend time on the training waiting to see some more of the best sites of Europe. If you are thinking about traveling all over Europe, you will want to think about taking the train. It is a beautiful way of getting around all the different countries. You will pass some of the unique cities located in Europe, but you will also be able to get off the train and go to the beach and then get back on the train and have drinks in another city. The train system in Europe is where you are going to be able to make a lot of memories.
When you are done with your trip, you can always hop on a train and get to a city with an airport for your departure back to the States. However, you cannot leave Europe without going to Amsterdam. You will want to eat some of the famous foods from the area like fries with mayo or Dutch croquettes. You will also see things like the famous Heineken brewery, but also famous historical places like where Anne Frank lives. You will find that there are many things that you can see and do in Amsterdam and it is the one place of Europe that everyone needs to see, but you will find that everything that you could ever want to see, you can get there by taking a train.
You will find that traveling by a train you will be able to maximize your experiences and see more sites. You will be able to travel well when you take the train regardless of rather you are in America or Europe. You will find that there are plenty of cultures and other things that you will be able to see and experience, but do not forgot that beautiful countryside that you will see.

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By admin, December 20, 2009 7:31 am

There are many possible means of transportation when you are backpacking. Train and boat can be laid back and relaxing or it can be a complete nightmare. Here is some advice to help you avoid the latter.

Train

Trains can be quite convenient since it is easy to get up and walk around during your trip. If you don’t have a specified seat you might have to be quick when the train arrives. People waiting first in line to get on the train might put clothes and handkerchiefs on multiple seats. Brute force may sometimes be the only option to get a good seat.

Personal Experience

The Japanese Journey

I was on an organized tour in Japan. We were going to take a Shinkansen bullet train to travel out in the country side. As the train rolled away from the station we started to relax and enjoyed the beautiful sights rolling by and the lush nature. After one hour the tour guide realized he had left his bag at the station. After we reached our destination and had settled into our hotel he took the train back to the station and lo and behold: 4 hours after we had left the station the bag was still where he had left it!

Boat

Check where the life jackets and life rafts are located and what to do in an emergency situation. Some ferries have first class tickets on the lowest floor, e.g. China, which may not be so attractive if you travel in an old second-hand ferry with questionable floating capabilities.

Personal Experience

The Zanzibar Storm

I was taking the ferry from Zanzibar back to the mainland. Always the wise guy (as you may have noticed by now…) I started humming the theme song from the movie Titanic (My heart will go on). I had barely ended when a storm hit us with huge waves which broke the electronic equipment and people screaming everywhere (though I am not sure if it was because of the storm or my singing). Kharma seems to have a way of getting back at you…

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By admin, November 20, 2009 10:39 am

To discover the real essence of Australia, train travel is the way to go. There’s no more relaxing or scenic way to enjoy the trip between Adelaide and Melbourne, Australia’s southern capitals, than on “The Overland”.
This historic train pioneered inter-capital rail travel way back in 1887, its name inspired by the historic “Overlanders” who traveled the route on horseback. A century on and the newly refurbished “Overland” is about relaxation, serene comfort, enjoying superb meals and being pampered by courteous and attentive staff.
Throughout this daytime interstate journey you can soak up a diverse range of landscapes from rugged scrubland to fields of golden crops, over vast open plains and through gently rolling hills dotted with vineyards and wheat fields.
The early part of the journey from Adelaide involves a climb through the Adelaide Hills to Mount Lofty with stunning views of the city and St Vincent’s Gulf. The building of this section of the railway provided a major challenge for engineers in the 19th century.
The first major town along the way is Murray Bridge and this provides a great photo opportunity as the train crosses Australia’s largest river, the Murray. This major waterway stretches over 1250km from its source in the Australian Alps to the Southern Ocean, just south of Murray Bridge. It is a major tourist attraction, provides 70% of Adelaide’s water and is the economic lifeline for numerous orchards and vineyards along its banks.
At Bordertown, the train crosses into Victoria and journeys through scenic undulating hills supporting wheat and sheep farms. In the distance to the south you may notice the spectacular Grampian Mountains. No visit to Victoria would be complete without exploring this majestic landscape. The main town of Hall’s Gap can be used as a base for bushwalking or visiting a number of the breathtaking scenic lookouts. Further south is another “must see” for visitors to Victoria – the world famous Great Ocean Road.
The major city on the journey to Melbourne is Geelong, Victoria’s second biggest city. It is also a major tourism venue and a convenient base for travel on the Great Ocean Road or to the eastern side of Port Philip Bay.
Just over 10 hours after leaving Adelaide, The Overland glides smoothly into Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station. This terminus in Spencer St, is right in the heart of the city and the convenient late afternoon arrival gives you time to freshen up at your accommodation, ready to enjoy the vibrant night life and trendy restaurants in Australia’s second largest city.
The Overland is operated by Great Southern Rail and runs a daylight service between Adelaide and Melbourne in both directions three times a week. Guests have the choice of 2 levels of service; Red Service or Red Premium Service. Both provide a high standard of comfort, while Red Premium provides more services including quality meals delivered to your seat and more personal space. The licensed Caf’e Carriage provides the chance to meet your fellow travelers and socialize in a comfortable environment.
This train is an important link for travelers from Melbourne to join other major Australian train services In Adelaide. “The Ghan” provides a spectacular outback journey to Darwin, stopping at places of interest along the way including Alice Springs (the centre for visits to Ayers Rock or Uluru and King’s Canyon) and Katherine for visits to the scenic Katherine Gorge).
The other major train stopping at Adelaide is the world famous “Indian Pacific”. You have the choice of boarding the train for its 2 day journey west to Perth on the Indian Ocean or traveling to Sydney on the east coast.