Getting Around

It’s been at least 3 months or so that I’ve now been in Europe, and I’ve just realized that I have yet to enter a car since. What makes that so strange, is that I don’t think I have ever went 3 months in my entire life without being in a car at one point or another—and ironically I’ve been doing, by far, the most traveling that I have ever done throughout this time period. I also find it pretty interesting that I’ve managed traveling to dozens of foreign countries and cities with ease, and that the lack of an automobile was a concern that never crossed my mind. In fact, I think it would be somewhat of a burden to use a car in most of these cities. The roads in Europe are usually incredibly tight and complex, there is a lack of convenient parking spaces, and the gas here is ridiculously high. The European railway systems, however, are an entirely different story. The railway and metro systems here are so much more practical and convenient than any of those that I have encountered in America. It almost makes you wonder why the U.S hasn’t yet invested in advancing its subpar railway system. It may be due to the effective structural planning of most American cities which allows for more efficient use of automobiles. It may simply be due to the fact that American culture puts such a strong emphasis on people owning a car. Whatever the reason, I can say that I’m really enjoying this alternative mode of travel and that I’m really dreading the day that I’ll have to once again start paying 4 bucks for a gallon of gas.