Travelling
Since ancient times people have liked travelling. Throughout the ages human beings have searched for adventure. Until recently participation in tourism was restricted to select few, who could afford time and the money to travel. Nowadays increased leisure, higher incomes and greatly enhanced mobility combined have enabled people to partake in tourism. Improvements in transportation, the proliferation of accommodation, and the growth of inclusive tours and other forms of relatively cheap vacation travel, have further extended the opportunity to travel for pleasure.
Road transport
Road transport is the oldest mode of travelling. The popularity of a motor car is due to the fact that it provides comfort, privacy, flexibility in timing, and the choice of routes and destinations – and theoretically, door-to-door service – except in cities where parking is a growing problem. Coaching provides not only a change of transport mode to transfer passengers from airports to other terminals to their final destination but also the basis for excursions from resorts and touring holidays Unfortunately for those people who prefer leisurely travel, both railroads and steamships have lost much of their business in the second half of the 20th century. The automobile has replaced the railroad for most local travel. It offers convenience. The traveller can depart from his own home and arrive at his destination without transferring luggage or having to cope with any of the other difficulties that would ordinarily confront him. The apparent costs of a trip by automobile are also lower, especially for family groups.
A very large percentage of domestic tourism now takes advantage of the automobile for transportation. In Europe, where the distance from one national board to another may be very short, automobiles are also used extensively for international journeys. In town it is such a nuisance with all these traffic jams or hold-ups, round-abouts, detours and so on. It is not very pleasant to drive on a bumpy road or get a flat tyre, or still worse, when you get stuck in the mud.
But what can be better than a spin in a car on a week-end with your friend? As soon as you get out of the crowded town and see the long wide road opening up before you, what a thrill it is to feel your car rush forward at a touch of your foot, to feel the wind in your face, to see houses, trees, people flash past, to feel the real joy of speed. Then, of course, you see much more of the country than you do on a plane. What magnificent views you behold on your way by car, which you definitely miss traveling by plane.
UK driving and traffic regulations
■ You must give way at a give-way sign. On a roundabout, traffic coming from your right has the right of way [is allowed to go before other traffic]. Sounding/hooting/tooting your horn is prohibited except in emergencies. Jumping [not stopping at] a red light is a serious offence. Reckless driving [very dangerous driving, without any care for others] is also a very serious offence.
■ Drink-driving may result in a heavy fine or imprisonment. You may be asked to take a breathalyzer [instrument you breathe into to measure alcohol level] test. Hit-and-run [running over or into someone and not stopping] accidents are extremely serious and could result in a ban [removal of one's driving licence] for several years and/or imprisonment. Less serious offences may result in penalty points [negative points on your licence which are added up over time]. On-the-spot fines [given at the scene of the offence] may be issued for careless driving and other offences.
■ Exhaust emissions [waste gases produced by the vehicle] must meet government standards, and the car must be roadworthy [in a condition that it can be driven safely], which includes a minimum depth of tyre tread [the depth of the grooves in the tyre rubber].
Rail transport
In the nineteenth century the introduction of railways revolutionized transport and enabled large number of people to travel long distances relatively cheaply. The great transcontinental railways were built in the period of before 1914 when there was no serious competition from other modes of transport. The first was the Union Pacific between Chicago and San Francisco, completed in 1869, which helped to open up California and American West. The largest railway is the Trans-Siberian, it took 15 years to build it from 1891 to 1905. The journey from Moscow to Nakhodka – almost 10 000 km - .takes over a week. Since the 1950s rail transport has come under increasing competition from the airlines for long-distance traffic and the private car for short journeys. The decline has been greatest in USA. In France and Japan, on the other hand, there has been considerable government investment in applying new technology to developing high-speed trains. In Western Europe, the Channel Tunnel link between England and France has encouraged tourist flows. In Russia some attempts have been made to modernize railway transport but it is still difficult to get tickets to popular destinations at high season.
In contrast to the road, the railway track is not added or removed to cope with demand. This is particularly important mode of travelling in holiday areas where special trains may be run. Also, special facilities can be provided on rolling stock such as dining- cars or special viewing cars for scenic routes. The railway's main disadvantage, however, is that the track, signalling, and other equipment has to be paid for and maintained by the single user of the 'way'. Providing railway track is particularly expensive as the motive power can only negotiate gentle gradients. This means that moving earth, blasting rock cuttings, and constructing tunnels is a major cost consideration, especially on long routes and in mountain regions. Railways are therefore, characterized by high fixed costs and a need to utilize the track and rolling stock very efficiently to meet these high costs. The railway's speed and ability to carry large numbers of passengers make it suitable for journeys of, say, 200-500 kilometres between major cities