It’s easy to equate traveling the world with connecting cities on a map, slowly outlining the shape of the continents as you make your way around them. This correlation is obvious since it’s the cities that have the airports. But by flying from city to city you miss out on some of the best parts of the travel experience, the world that exists between them.

Granted, the farther from the city center you get, the less access you’ll have to those things that make you comfortable, but after traveling awhile you understand that not having these things is what you’re actually traveling for. Plus, it allows you to see the country free from the homogenizing aspects of commercialism, advertising, corporate culture and population density that taint the true nature of its people.

Cities provide the shelter of anonymity, which is often very comforting, if not downright essential, but it also alienates you – there tends to be a lot of very Western influences in cities that are decidedly not western.

The good part about an AirTreks ticket is that you don’t need to fly between every city on your itinerary. Train and bus travel are fantastic ways to get between travel points and a perfectly acceptable (and highly recommended) method to do so.

Here’s our list of easy, affordable and efficient places to travel on your own (starting East and moving westward):

• Between Auckland and Christchurch: It’s about an 8-hour drive (not counting the ferry) between these two cities and also where much of the true natural beauty of New Zealand lies. If you’ve never RVed before this would be your place to do it!
• Between Sydney and Melbourne or Sydney and Brisbane: Don’t try to tackle too much overland in Australia unless you have a ton of time—the distances can be huge and time-consuming. The distance between Sydney and Perth is over 2000 miles, or roughly the distance between New York and Phoenix, Arizona. It’s a long, empty drive. You might also be interested in training up to Cairns, but be aware of the extra 850 miles after Brisbane.
• Between Singapore and Bangkok: There’s a wealth of comfortable and cheap train travel options between the various cities and towns along the Malay Peninsula and fares are inexpensive.
• Between Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hanoi: Take the Reunification Express between them. At $52 for a sleeper or $30 for a nonsleeper, you’d be crazy not to. And you can exit at any of the 10 train stops along the way (just buy separate tickets).
• Between Hong Kong and Shanghai or Shanghai and Beijing: The Chinese have their own version of the bullet train and you can cover the distances quickly. Fares can be had for under $100. Not to mention your attempts at deciphering hanzi can be an intriguing and fun experience. (Don’t forget your visa!)
• Between cities in India: Calcutta, Varanasi, Delhi, etc: The Indian rail system employs over a million people, giving reason to believe they have things under control in that department. Be warned that the pace of overland travel in India is different from nearly everywhere else, so give yourself time to get around the subcontinent.
• Between Nairobi and Johannesburg or Cape Town: Not surprisingly, this route can be time-consuming and frustrating to even the savviest traveler, but in the end it’s a highly rewarding journey. Give yourself plenty of time and practice patience. Bus it from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam then trains will connect every major city along the southeast African coast.
• In the Middle East: it is possible to travel overland between Cairo and points north (Tel Aviv, Amman). If going to Lebanon or Syria be very careful with Israeli passport stamp stigma as passing through overland borders will get you stamped. Certain countries will not allow entry if you have an Israeli stamp.
• In Europe: Seriously, you need a good argument not to. One of the best reasons for training it through Europe is that their network is one of the world’s most comprehensive, modern and reliable. Not to mention that most rail stations in Europe are smack in the city-center, saving that costly taxi or train out to the airport, plus the time saved waiting at security checkpoints and on the tarmac can be spent actually enjoying the cities your visiting. The only downside is that it can be expensive and the fares add up quickly. Buy one of the many variations of railpass and save. Watch out for long overnight trips as the novelty of train travel washes off after 9 or 10 hours in a compartment.
• Between Rio and Sao Paulo: bus service is frequent and efficient and will get you to a new Brazilian city in 3 hours.
• Between Buenos Aires and Montevideo: There is a 3-hour ferry that sails across Rio de la Plata. Take it!
• Between Santiago and Mendoza: rent a car. The drive 3-hour drive through the mountains is an experience you will never forget.
• Between Los Angeles and San Francisco: again, rent a car and drive up the 101. It’s one of the world’s most spectacular coastlines.
• Train between New York and Philly or Washington D.C.: You get to go through Grand Central Station, enough said.

Of course there are many other choices for overland travel (ie, Central America) but it’s up to you. Just let deviations be a part of the act, because straight shots are boring! Balancing the amount of time for your trip in total with the amount spent traveling between cities is an important thing to consider when planning your around the world trip. TripPlanner allows for overland travel legs very easily.

Don’t forget, the most authentic view of the many peoples and cultures of this great world is found by way of its indigenous residents.