Have you considered a train trip?

Train travel brings back childhood memories of my first trip from Port Elizabeth to Uitenhage as a very young child with my grandmother, I was beside myself with excitement. I have subsequently done a few short train trips including up the Jungfrau Mountain on a cog railway and enjoyed them all.

There are several epic train journeys to go on if you want the train trip to be the highlight of your holiday. The Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer, this has spectacular scenery while you journey from Vancouver to Jasper.

The Venice Simplon – Orient Express has you travel from London to Venice in 24 hours on this art deco train and get into the feel of the roaring twenties.

The Great Southern Rail, Indian Pacific trip between Perth and Sydney takes you 3 days and covers over 4000 km. On the Ghan, you'll meander from Darwin to Adelaide on this incredible rail journey.

The Trans-Siberian Railway is another classic trip for your bucket list and you can decide how long or far you want to take it. It links Europe with Asia and is a fantastic way to see these remote places.

What about a journey through India on the Palace on Wheels? On this 8-day trip, you get to see Jaipur, Ranthambore National Park, Chittorgarh and Chittorgarh Fort, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, Bharatpur and Keoladeo Ghana National Park, and Agra.

We have our local Blue Train between Cape Town and Pretoria if you want a luxurious train experience, without having to travel to another country to get it. They have now added some special trips between Pretoria and Hoedspruit.

If you are thinking of using it for transport instead of a holiday in Europe it is a terrific way to get around. Just a couple of things to keep in mind, second class is fine and there is no need to pay extra for first class. Having a ticket for a train does not mean you have an actual seat and you might end up standing. To make sure you get a seat you must pay for a seat reservation but that takes away the flexibility of hopping on any of the trains on the day. A train can also split and go in separate directions in the middle of the journey, so make sure you are in the right section of the train for your destination. The conductor can advise you on this. Make sure to check the times, station and frequency of the trains when planning your trip as there might be limited trains a day.

I truly believe it is a wonderful way to travel, no driving stress or trying to understand the road signs in a foreign land and everyone can enjoy the views. Think about it for your next holiday and contact me to make any bookings.