Time Travel by Christopher Coats When Jules Verne first sat down to pen his adventure Around the World in 80 Days in 1873, he did so inspired by the great feats of engineering and design that had opened the world to travellers in a way no one had ever seen before. In the latter half of the 19th century, cross-continental rail lines, the creative application of the steam engine and man-made passageways between the seas made the impossible possible, allowing those with a keen sense of adventure and more importantly, the means necessary, to set off on journeys to virtually every corner of the earth. And, while Verne's tome offered a hurried version of a trip around the world, it was one that cast a light on the excitement and discovery of travel – emphasizing that the journey could be just as important and memorable as the destination. Verne's vision also suggested a journey of comfort and style. Though Phileas Fogg cut every corner to make it back to London on time, he did so with an air of elegance that seems all but impossible today.
In this era of single-click booking, package tours and 'arrive in the morning, exit in the evening' business travel, Verne's lesson seems to have been long forgotten. Attempting to make the most of those few precious days off each year, travellers seek out the quickest and most economical route from Point A to Point B, making the actual trip a blur of check-ins, luggage mishaps and ultimately, check-outs. Sure, you can slow your pace on any number of cruise lines but really, how long can you stare at a distant horizon before boredom sets in?
While this new way of travelling may indeed offer an admirable level of speed and arguable efficiency, it is one that all too often takes the magic and wonder out of the act of traveling – rarely, if ever, allowing one to stop and truly enjoy the ride. However, if one looks a little harder, they might find an opportunity to recapture the spirit and luxury of Verne's vision. Though, much like the journeys of the author's era, it is an opportunity that not only demands a keen sense of adventure but the means necessary to do things right, allowing each traveller to slow their pace, take a deep breath and enjoy those finer things in life that can only be found a million miles from home.
One such opportunity comes with a familiar moniker – The Orient Express. Although this modern route cuts Verne's travel time in half, thanks to the wonders of modern engineering (Planes), the Orient Express World Tour takes travellers on a sprawling forty- day trip across five continents, leaving the frozen tundras of Antartica and mountains of North America for next year. Organized by the legendary train line that has provided the world with the romantic ideal for European train travel, the journey is one that, like Verne's novel, emphasizes the journey itself. Unlike the book; however, the Orient Express adventure is one that comes without the excitement of a wager, allowing travellers the chance to slow down and relax as guests in each destination. Adhearing a tradition of luxury and comfort, the Orient Express tour places guests in some of the finest hotels available today – those elegant enough to hark back to a different time or even a different century. Taking the old world elegance a step further, the company has organized a series of cocktails and social events at almost every destination.
Beginning this October in Paris, the journey begins with a welcome cocktail and dinner aboard the legendary train line to Venice. While the entire forty-day trip includes too many attractions to list, a rough outline and a few highlights cannot go without mention. After leaving Venice, travellers are whisked away to the festive cultural capital of Brazil of Rio de Janeiro, where they view the city from a helicopter, before touring the Tijuca Forest, Ipanema and various other local destinations. After a stop in Santiago, Chile, travelers fly west to the South Pacific islands of Tahiti and Bora Bora, where they'll enjoy lodging set just above the lagoon, local cuisine and canoe rides as well as hours of leisure time to make the most of the area's stunning beaches.
Staying in Oceania, travellers will next head to Sydney, Australia as a starting point for a journey deep into the country's sprawling natural parks, though plenty of time will be given to explore the beautiful city. Heading north, guests will be treated to a visit to the Indonesian island of Bali, a bustling center of regional culture and architecture as well as lush vegetation.k Whether one prefers a stroll through ancient temples or a visit to the volcanic landscapes of North East Bali, this stop has something for everyone. Using Bali as a launching point into South East Asia, the Orient Express journey then heads north to Myanmar, or Burma, to visit Mandalay, a stop which includes such highlights as the birthplace of Buddhism. Setting off west once again via Bangkok, the journey takes travellers to Johannesburg where they begin the African leg of the trip. Heading immediately north, guests will get to experience a safari living in the Okavango Delta of Botswana before visiting Victoria Falls and finally Cape Town, South Africa. Marking the southern-most point on the 40 day journey, Cape Town will be the last stop before travellers head north once again, flying into Paris and on to their respectve home. Those interested in joining the Orient Express tour may do so as a complete package or for individual, regional legs. - A NEW FACE FOR AN OLD EXPRESS - Early last month, the quintessential European train line received a modern facelift that saw its slower, elegantly relaxed pace fade into history. Coming into being shortly after Jules Verne began his 80-day adventure in the late 1800s, the Orient Express has since become the world's most famous train line.
Originally running between Paris to Giurgiu in Romania, via Munich and Vienna, the line became synonymous with elegance and luxury travel over the years, with a bit of intrigue thrown in for good measure after the publication of the Agatha Christie novel, which used the line as a setting for a murder mystery.
While the line's route changed a number of times over the last century, expanding and regressing with the times, extending its reach as far east as Istanbul, the Orient Express has remained a favorite of both travellers and cultural buffs, who viewed the line as a link to an era of romantic travel long since past. This era took one more step towards oblivion this past month as the last remaining Orient Express line, a daily journey between Paris and Vienna, was replaced by a new high speed train linking Paris and Strasbourg. The Vienna-Simplon Orient Express, which provides the first leg of the around the world tour, was created in 1982 by private investors and will continue to run a very limited schedule. |
