I got back home successfully yesterday and it was another first for me, especially here in the States. My trip to and from the airport was all on public transit and it was fantastic. No traffic, no stress, some exercise, no parking fees and actually quite inexpensive. I saved some money for certain.

European Adventure 2018 made us both realize just how ridiculously easy and cheap it is to get around using public transit. It also really showed the accessibility that everyone has for getting from A to B. With it being a way of life over there you soon realize you don’t really need a car! It is too expensive in some areas to drive or own one anyhoo.

It is also one of those many experiences that you never forget after a long trip, or, perhaps, I guess even a short trip: the people watching, the countryside, the back streets and neighborhoods, villages both in and out of the city…the out-of-the-way places. It gives you a “local feel”…a closer look at the place you are in. No, it’s not quite the same as walking the area we were in while in Antwerp, but still quite interesting.

I am so glad I finally have the option to use public transit to go to places and not have to drive in Seattle traffic. That will be nice over winter if I want to go over to the big city for a night and hang out. That brings up another option.

Ride-shares.

I myself  have not used it yet but do want to give it a try. Meghan and I had to take one in Denver a few years ago after that Frontier Airlines cluster when our flight got cancelled for no known reason. She had an app and got us a ride from the hotel we were put up in. It was pretty painless. I really do have to give it a try soon though. Getting around on trains, buses and planes is more difficult than hitting a button on an app I guess and I have that down pretty good so far.

Perhaps the thing is I am not really interested in taxis (at least here in the States; I would like to try one in Europe just for the experience, though) and it reminds me of getting a taxi. The cost is another thing I would think would be expensive but maybe they aren’t. I am okay with getting around like I did today for the time being.

Reminds me of a story…

On one particular tour run we made in Tennessee when I worked for the Statler Brothers we decided to go out to eat. To do that we had to get a taxi to get us across a city whose name I cannot remember. The semi was not an option on this particular stop.

The taxi showed up and it was a rather interesting trip. A big old gold Ford pulled up and the four of us road crew got in. The taxi reeked of Jack Daniel’s, and with good reason. The driver had been drinking so we did the adult responsible thing.

We got in the cab of course.

The restaurant we went to was actually out of the taxi “area” and in another county but a tip took care of that little issue. We went in and ate a pretty good meal and called another taxi to take us back to our hotel.

A big old gold Ford pulled up and the four of us road crew got in. AGAIN. Reeking STILL. It was the same guy. AGAIN. Yet drunker.

That leg of the journey was not even as good as the previous one you could say. We thought we were gonna die with this crazy redneck driving like a maniac. He scared the shit out of us.

A taxi experience that was less than optimal.

Anyway, that’s it for the moment.