Day 6 Why travel by train?

Day 6 includes a long train journey from Aix-en-Provence, via Marseilles on the Mediterranean coast to Bordeaux, which is half way up the French Atlantic Coast. After a number of very busy days it is nice to sit back in comfortable leather seats on a rather old French intercity train.  Our view includes the sparkling coast, fast flowing rivers, cute rural towns and a sweep through some of France’s most productive and attractive farmlands.

Many question why two Aussie travellers, rapidly approaching a birthday that would allow them to access their superannuation or enter a self care retirement village, still persist in travelling by train. Even more perplexing is their insistence on carrying their belongings in backpacks, even when it would appear that many young backpackers seem to have adopted wheelie bags.

In our defence, there is much to commend train travel. Yes, you do lose some of the flexibility of a car that allows you to explore every nook and cranny of the countryside. Trains in Europe, however allow the traveller to economically travel considerable distances faster than by car, in comfort and with minimal effort. In fact a day travelling for more than six hours and covering about 700 kms, actually becomes a rest day. You arrive refreshed and ready to explore rather than exhausted from the journey. You don’t have to worry about tolls, fuel bills, parking tickets and most importantly finding your way. Sitting on a train full of locals is also a strangely fascinating window into family life, relationships, eating habits and ethnic diversity. The train also tends to deliver you through the city traffic to a part of town where cars are often prohibited.

Backpacks are linked to train travel. Train station steps, turnstiles, train corridors and cheap hotels without lifts are so much easier with packs than with pull along bags. With our belongings shared across two packs, Richard carrying a small pack weighing 15kgs and Wendy carrying a 10kg daypack, it is very manageable… and always enjoyable!