Journey becomes more pleasant during flightless travel

Journey becomes more pleasant during flightless travelIt's time to rethink what actually constitutes a vacation as the summer travel season is here.

For many of us, a vacation starts with a trip to the airport and a hurry-up-and-wait for ticketing, security, check-in, boarding, takeoff and the flight itself. Throw in weather delays and by the time we get to our destinations, we wonder what possessed us.

The journey should be part of the equation, not the torture before and after, says Tom and Lorraine McMillan, co-founders of Flightlesstravel. com.

Tom McMillan, who came up with the concept harking back to an earlier time after his contract job in New Zealand came to an end, said, "The journey itself can be a wonderful part of the trip. Take your time this summer. We're going to Italy. We'll be getting the ferry. It's a more relaxing way to start the holiday."

It was further reported that McMillan, 31, who along with Lorraine and their 8-month-old son, Finley, lives near St. Andrews in Cupar, Scotland, is an environmental scientist and said he always has been concerned about the environment and resource consumption. He said slower travel is much more environmentally friendly.

The McMillans' Web site offers connections for booking train and road trips plus sample itineraries that give the traveler a chance to allow an area's culture to "soak in."

McMillan further said, "What we're proposing here is a cultural shift. For many people speed is the key. People cut their lives into 5-, 10- and 20-minute pieces. The key is choosing a destination within reach. It's about changing the way you look at how you're traveling. Research is key: What's within that local environment that takes you far enough away so you feel you're on holiday?" (With Inputs from Agencies)