Overland Travel

“There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it.” – Charles Dudley Warner

In this day and age, flying has become the default mode for point-to-point travel and seeing the world. It does save a lot of time (especially if you do not have a lot of annual leave days). Travelling to faraway places used to take weeks, if not months.

But there is an old world charm associated with overland travel.

Long train rides conjure idyllic notions of seeing the countryside rolling past, making friends with fellow travellers over meals served on China cutlery, and falling asleep to the rhythmic chug-chug of the train on rails. The train makes stops from time to time and you watch passengers disembark and hug their waiting friends and family on the platform, and maybe you will get off to stretch your legs only to jump back on when the conductor yells ‘all board!’ after a loud whistle. Sometimes the train stops at smaller towns that you will never visit and you are greeted by women who sell smoked fish and other tasty snacks right by your carriage window.

A view of the Bridge City, Louisiana. Taken from our cabin on the Amtrak Sunset Limited route from New Orleans to Los Angeles in April 2016.

Tucked in for the ride! Long train rides that span more than 24hours are more comfortable in a sleeper cabin where the seats fold down to a bed at night.

Getting ready for bed in the Amtrak sleeper cabin for two people! The two seats fold down into a bed. There is another bed above which can be pulled down.

Making friends during meals! Amtrak dining carts have tables of 4 and the attendant usually arranges people to fill up the tables, so you can make friends! Here are our friends Roberta and Ronn from Tucson, Arizona!

Driving across country will take you to undiscovered places between destinations. Sometimes a farm will mount a makeshift sign along the road to tell you that there are fresh pies and produce just 300 metres down the road. Or maybe you will notice cars parked along a turnout because there is an unmarked waterfall just a short hike away. You could drive during sunny weather, only for it to snow and hail just an hour later because you are going through mountainous areas in early Spring.

Setting off! Remember to buckle up!

Stopped along a random turnout along Big Sur, California for a picture.

Met Gianna and Isaiah in Santa Barbara when we sat down to take a picture. Gianna started kissing our Snoopy and trying to feed him a muffin. She even asked if we were for sale! Eeeks! Thankfully they just took a photo! :)

Soberanes Point. We randomly stopped along Big Sur many times and this was our favourite spot! There is a little walking trail that you can take – it brings you near the coast and rounds back on itself so you won’t end up too far from your car. We listened to the roaring waves and watched them crash on the rocks.

We found these cute postboxes along Pacific Way, Muir Beach after visiting Muir Woods north of San Francisco. Look at ‘em ducks!

Perhaps there is nothing more romantic than taking the sea route. Watching the ship cast off and sailing away from harbour, you will start to feel like an intrepid explorer from the days of steam ship travel. You can write in a lounge and glance out of large windows showing the sea stretching out to an endless horizon, sunbathe on the open deck, trace the constellations on a jet black sky and then fall asleep to a gentle rolling motion.

Not quite a seaworthy ship, but it is a Blund-sized ship!

We used to go sailing with our owner when she went out to sea! But we had to hide in her cabin because we were not on the nominal role and would probably be considered as stowaways!

Old world charm, indeed.

Mind you, that happens for about 30% of the time though. The other 70%-ish involves a lot of waiting. Train delays, inclement weather, heavy sea state, unpleasant fellow travellers that you have to share a room with (especially poor crying babies who refuse to stop), getting lost, and not being able to find a toilet when you most need it are just the tip of the iceberg.

Those are the times when you run your fingers through your hair and ask yourself the question that you will ask yourself constantly – “what on earth possessed me to put myself through this?”

You will curse and swear, a lot.

Maybe even shed some tears of frustration.

But take it from us – the other 30% more than makes up for it.

Every overland journey is different, even if you take the same route twice.

And so we embarked on a completely overland journey taking us from Singapore to London. You might call it taking the long way around because that is precisely what it is.

Stay tuned to read about our adventures along the way!

Love,

The Blunds (& Snoopy) [& Owner]