Train Miles

I had a light bulb moment yesterday when I was booking three return journeys on trainline.com. Why was I not getting rewarded for all of my spending? Why has no one introduced Train Miles? I googled it today and found Virgin Trains had proposed the idea back in June 2007 and the last comment was 'When is this going to happen?' dated 07/09/2008. It had 1147 votes of support. Does anyone know what happened to the scheme?

Another good point is one that was made on Excess Baggage this Saturday. Why do we have so many trains (high frequency) which should provide travellers with flexibility and yet you have to book months in advance to get a reasonably priced ticked? Wouldn't it be better to have a flat (lower) rate so that you can jump on a train when you get there? You shouldn't have to pay extra for the privelege of having an open ticket.

Acts of Kindness

This is such a great idea for a writing competition from Global Giving and a fabulous prize as well. I recommend reading through a few entries HERE.

I think its such a good idea, I would like to see it as a permanent blog. Its a well needed antidote to all the ranting, moaning, negative spaces on the internet.

The many uses of a guidebook

I agree 100% with Vicky Baker's 'In defense of guidebooks' posted 18th June on Going Local Travel.

Guidebooks have a valuable place in the traveller's tool kit. They give you that cushion of reassurance that you have come prepared. It's a perfect back up for the independent traveller. I personally use them to get some background information on a place and to find interesting tit bits to share with my fellow travellers along the way. No where else do you have a hand-held condensed copy of useful and often very interesting information on a place. You never know when you might have a burning question about the date of a particular building and more often than not guidebooks hold the answer.

Buying the guidebook is also part of the anticipation. You buy it. You carry it around for weeks before departure just to remind yourself that you're going away somewhere and then 5 minutes before you land, you start to read it.

One of the greatest benefits of guidebooks, it has to be said, is your chance to display your great adventures on your bookshelves. I use my collection of Rough Guides to (perhaps not so subtly) say, 'just look how well travelled I am'.