To Barca!

I love trains. Weird, I know. Is there a better mode of transportation? Ok, I suppose it depends on where you need to go. A trip from London to Sydney by train is probably a disaster waiting to happen. Meanwhile if you want to visit a remote village then a car is more likely to be easier.

But Inter-City travel I don't think there's a better way. Firstly the train takes you directly into the city centre. For example, get a train to Amsterdam Centraal and you are 5 minutes from the Red Light District. There's no room for an airport along that strip!

Secondly, they're pretty comfortable and relaxing. Other than buying a ticket and turning up on time you do not need to worry about anything. You have your own driver so sit back, read a book, do some work or, as I am doing now, update your blog.

Third, trains have windows with good views and a good opportunity to see the landscape of the country. I'll never forget the rows of colourful tulips that spread as far as the eye could see as I traveled through the Netherlands a few years back. You don't get those views on a plane.

Do not worry though, I'm not intending on taking up trainspotting!

So I'm currently on the train to Barcelona from Madrid. Madrid was awesome. I did another pub crawl the other night, met some cool people and drank too much Sangria. So yesterday I staggered around the Santiago Bernabeu stadium nursing a hangover.

Real Madrid's stadium and tour is very impressive. The tour was good as although there was no tour guide it did mean you could go around the stadium at your own pace. I think I spent a good 3 hours going around. They had a museum (they certainly like to show off their success, a very arrogant club it has to be said, but maybe they deserve to be?), we could sit in the dugouts (where Chelsea legend Jose Mourinho has won a La Liga title from), go down the tunnel, see the home dressing room, press room and a few different views from the stands. A very impressive stadium that I would love to see on a matchday.

So I only have a few more days left til I go back home after just under a month of travel. While I'm looking forward to seeing family and friends the thought of not traveling again for a while is not a good one.

While traveling I've met a lot of people who do travel permanently. Or at least very long term. A German guy in Prague had traveled for 3 years without going "home". He spent some time working in Australia to fund part of the trip and he had seen most of the world.

The other evening in the hostel bar in Madrid I got talking to a S African who does travel permanently. He works on a ship. Doing cleaning or something. He travels obviously where his ship goes and gets to see the places that the ship docks in. Occasionally he gets a few weeks off which he spends traveling to where he wants.

In the new year I should start my TEFL adventure. Teaching English should be a good way to see the world while earning money to fund the travels. But if TEFL doesn't work out then there are other ways to travel long term. You've just got to find the opportunity and then take it.

I have made a pledge to myself to see every major city in the world by the time I am 30. But I don't just want to turn up at the city, take a few photos and then leave. I won't gain anything from that. Travel isn't just about moving around and seeing the sights. There's a large part to travel that involves meeting new people, learning new things, experiencing new cultures and going out of your comfort zone. That is when you can start reaping the full benefits to traveling. Working abroad (whether paid or voluntary) must be a great way to do this. So while it's sad that this trip is coming to a close, I know there's plenty of other adventures ahead!