Originally Posted by bodory
One of the best trip (and report) I have read! Many thanks for sharing that.
Thank you,
bodory. I hope to publish a couple more before I'm done here!
Originally Posted by stu1985
Another excellent report from you Seat 2A. Coming to the end of it, I felt like you did on that long haul flight - I wasn't quite sure where the couple of hours I spent reading it went! Most enjoyable. The scenery you took in on the train looks spectacular. Thanks for the time it must have taken you to put this together.
You're most welcome,
stu! Quality long distance train travel is hard to find outside of the U.S., Canada and Australia. However, the cost of enjoying quality accommodations while on a train is at least one half to two thirds less expensive here in the U.S.. As a member of the National Railroad Passenger Association and a fan of train travel everywhere, I could not be happier to hear that my trip reports might have inspired any of you to take a long ride on a train. As my pictures reflect, scenery is a huge part of the overall experience - all lost from the comparatively sterile environs of an airplane at 38000 above the land.
Originally Posted by MikeFly
Ok, just finished reading this excellent trip report. I have been to many of the same places, but now see them in a different light based on your words. Thank you! Now to find out if I still have a job after reading this in one go
Hey Mike! Thanks for the props! I too hope you still have a job, but if not, why not take a vacation with your newfound free time?
Originally Posted by maverick17
Great report, thanks for sharing. Read a lot of your reports, but don't often comment. But I also took the train from Bangkok to Nong Khai about 15 years ago, then proceeded up to Vientiane on what might have been that same old clunky train. The pic sure looks the same as I remember. Good memories. Thanks for that, and for all the details.
Thanks,
mav! Pretty cool that we both rode the same trains 15 years apart. Based on what I saw of the old Thai sleepers in the yards at Bangkok, your journey must've been considerably more austere. These days you can have that First Class Thai Sleeper to Nong Khai with single occupancy add-on for bout $85.00 USD. I look forward to a return (and longer) visit to Laos. Great country and people!
Originally Posted by tennislover9
Thank you very much as always for your detailed reports and contribution to these forums. You inspire the next generation of adventurers to traverse the roads, rails and skies.
Thanks,
TL9! As a guy who's logged 5.4 million miles on 197 airlines, I sure do have a lot of appreciation for land-based travel. I wish FT had been around back in the 1970s because I could have submitted some great reports from my travels hitch-hiking around the West. Not quite the style most people would be comfortable with but I met some great people and had some good times!
Originally Posted by lb8001
I think you’ve outdone yourself, Seat2A - and you’re a tough guy to outdo! Thanks as always for taking the time to write these very fun reports. They never disappoint.
Thank you,
lb8001! And to think this all started out as a simple train trip across America...
Originally Posted by deovrat
I have absolutely loved every word of the prose written by you; and though I wouldn't undertake some of the journeys you had, it was a singular pleasure reading your report for 3-4 blissful hours. Please do more of these (I don't remember seeing any report the Australia trip you mention with Qantas First SYD-DFW), may you have a stronger back to support more of such trips and thank you again.
Thank you,
deovrat! To strengthen up that back for future travels, I really ought to stay home and hit the gym - something I'm hoping to do more of this winter. As it is however, the rest of October sees me leaving Colorado tonight for the Oregon Coast, then back to Alaska for a day before turning around and heading across country to New York for a day. Then it's back to Alaska for five days and off to Austin, Texas the long way. And don't even get me started about November! But hey - thanks for your thoughtful prose yourself! Kind words such as yours certainly serve to validate the time and effort I put into these reports. ^