It comes down to attitude of mind. "Always look on the bright side of life". I could write about [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] but I won't. I am writing on the final leg of my land based public transport journey from Melksham to Gorlitz - I set off from home yesterday lunchtime, and I'm arriving this afternoon [and posted next morning]. 9 trains and 1 bus. Got a seat on every one, and as a bonus a up of coffee on one as well. Marvellous scenery and pictures and a handful of brief encounters with other travellers.  In fact so many pictures I don't know which to share.

Perhaps my quickest connection ever - 2 minutes at Leipzig and clearly it was a regular race around for the regulars too from platform 12 to 9.  Reminded me of the 06:32's sorta connection to Weymouth which also has a number of sprinters and also usually works.

The Ibis Budget in Leuven is perhaps the closest hotel I have ever booked to a station - not actually in the station but towering up beside the subway exit

Enjoying the early morning in Leuven with a wonderful cup of WMF coffee and a roll that felt so fresh it was just out of the oven - even though breakfast did not start officially until 5 minutes after the train left (and it was on time). Admiring the stations at Leuven and half an hour later in Liege.

Scenery - flat countries and rolling hill, crossing over rivers, high over valleys and through tunnels. Crossing rivers and seeing other trains, rolling stock are railway architecture.

Taking in the ethos and atmosphere at stations at Melksham and Paddington and Kings Cross and St Pancras.  At Leuven and Liege, Frankfurt Hbf and Cottbus. Swindon, Brussel and Leipzig too brief to enjoy.

Learning how intermediate stations can work and people can change in all directions when lines cross each other - a lesson for Yeovil perhaps.  And learning how a clock face hourly service even in rural counties generate passenger traffic.

Having a train pull up again as it started (it just happened as I typed) to let a final passenger jump on. Seeing level access for cycles and wheelchairs that don't need a ramp and don't leave a gap between the platform and train. Seeing just how many bicycles can come out of a short train, and just how many passenger can fit without overcrowding.

Seeing how quickly 2 trains can pass each other on a single line - lessons for Yeovil and Maiden Newton again.

Contrasting how staff in different places keep customers informed of delays and how those customers react

Watching how in Cottbus - a town about half the size of Swindon - Trains, buses, cycles and trams all integrate at a station that's modern, light and airy and offers a range of retail outlets at sensible prices to it becomes a true community hub and not just a place to pass through

And realising how I am and we are when I see others struggling to get around.

I had better tell you what I am not telling you about, hadn't I?
1 - train a few minutes late, connection failed, Cottbus
2 - lights not working in hotel room
3 - promised coffee service on GWR never arrived
4 - 205 bus service cancelled
5 - Kicking screaming toddler on Eurostar
6 - Long security queue then no space in waiting room at St Pancras
7 - Worst possible seating and train time on Eurostar

Arrived at my accommodation at 17:50.  Plan had been 17:15 - not bad!  Hosts had asked me to let them know an hour ahead my e.t.a which I had done and a whole new story starts.

 
Enjoy Gorlitz. I went on a Sunday in April 2018 when the temperature was 35C !! ....from Berlin HBF changing at Cottbus on a 44 euro weekender ticket. Trains were clean, comfortable and on time.
The walk down from the station was lovely, downhill to the pedestrian bridge outside the Cathedral that takes you across into Poland to the Zgorzelec side of the city. It was split between Germany and Poland after 1945 as part of German reparations after WW2.

The contrast between the 2 sides was staggering. The German side had been beautifully restored rather like the restoration of Wernigerode in the Harz East Germany. The Polish side was deserted except for one family in their Sunday best, and it had a real frontier border feel to it and  we all watched the tumbleweed blowing about.

I was there for the organ recital in the cathedral that follows morning mass every Sunday. It is dubbed the Sonnenorgel or Sunshine organ as the case has many suns carved into it and gilded in such way that they shimmered in the midday sun. It's a large but not typical German cathedral organ as it has several imitation or toy stops. There were 2 tiny pipes in a  water filled bowl that sounded like a nightingale!

I was told that the the large economic differential between Poland and Germany meant that the Poles came into Gorlitz in the morning to work....to take advantage of the higher wages paid in euros.....while the Germans crossed over into Poland throughout the day for shops and restaurants because the prices in  zloty were  so much cheaper than the euro!

It was a unforgettable day trip. I would have loved to have taken a trip to Leipzig station but ran out of time !