By Steve Dinnen
In Spain we rented a car from a discount shop, maybe half as much as Hertz. Most European cars have manual transmissions. Do not go big here; it was tough navigating my Nissan Rogue down narrow streets, and maneuvering in and out of parking garages (recommended in big cities) was downright scary.
I flew Wizz Air (honest) from Barcelona to Katowice, Poland. Everyone aboard applauded when we touched down. Then I took a crowded bus into town. The next day, a super clean, fairly comfortable train hauled me to Krakow.
Next up is France. After seeing Paris we’ll take a high-speed (200-plus mph) train to Bordeaux. If you factor in the time to get to the airport and clear security, the train actually burns up less time than a plane, and is less costly.
Last, some kayaking is due up in the Dordogne area of France. That’s not actually going anywhere, just enjoying the scenery.