点评:A short hop from Liverpool to the Isle of Man landed us in the general aviation corner of Ronaldsway – which already feels a bit like you’re in on a secret.
We were kindly offered a lift into Douglas for lunch before heading back later that afternoon. No complaints there – good food, fresh air and not a security queue in sight.
The real highlight, though, was the return to the airport on the steam train. Absolute magic. The gentle chugging along, the rhythmic clatter of the wheels, and that unmistakable waft of coal smoke drifting through the open windows. It’s the kind of smell that instantly transports you to another era – unless you’re wearing your best jacket, in which case you notice it slightly more. Still, completely worth it.
We did have to let the guard know we were aiming for the general aviation side of the airport. That led to what can only be described as a wonderfully unofficial stop – no platform, no station, just a slow halt in the middle of nowhere. We climbed down, negotiated a stile like seasoned ramblers, and strolled across the field and up a short side road to where our aircraft was waiting.
From steam train to light aircraft in a matter of minutes – not your average airport transfer.
All in all, a cracking little adventure. Nostalgic for those of us old enough to remember when travel had a bit more theatre, and pure excitement for anyone younger. Would recommend it in a heartbeat.
翻译:从利物浦到马恩岛的短暂旅程,让我们抵达了罗纳德斯韦机场的通用航空区域——这感觉就像是发现了什么秘密。
有人热情地邀请我们搭车去道格拉斯吃午饭,之后我们下午晚些时候返回。这趟旅程无可挑剔——美食、新鲜空气,而且完全不用排队安检。
不过,真正的亮点还是乘坐蒸汽火车返回机场。简直太神奇了。火车缓缓行驶,车轮发出有节奏的咔嗒声,还有那股独特的煤烟味从敞开的车窗飘进来。这种气味仿佛瞬间把你带到另一个时代——除非你穿着最好的外套,那样的话你会更明显地感受到它。即便如此,也绝对值得。
我们确实需要告知安检人员我们的目的地是机场的通用航空区域。这导致了一次堪称奇妙的非官方停靠——没有站台,没有车站,只是在荒郊野外缓缓停了下来。我们爬下台阶,像经验丰富的徒步者一样翻过一道栅栏,漫步穿过田野,沿着一条岔路走到飞机停放处。
从蒸汽火车到轻型飞机,短短几分钟——这可不是普通的机场接送。
总而言之,这是一次精彩的小冒险。对于我们这些年纪稍长的人来说,这让人怀念起过去旅行更有戏剧性的时光;而对于年轻人来说,则充满了纯粹的兴奋。我会毫不犹豫地推荐它。