SAVING "GREEN" IN MANY WAYS

My "green" adventure started in the summer of 2008. German travel operator Juergen Schmidt/ SAS Touristik called from Augsburg, Germany. He was putting together a 3-day stay for a group of Germans for February 2009. The task: LAX to Hotel transfer, one day of sightseeing, one day at Universal Hollywood and a transfer from Los Angeles to San Diego. We were staying Downtown at The Figueroa Hotel.
The group consisted of 16 lucky Germans - accustomed to traveling by public transportation in the old country - and their guide "Prosa".
Juergen and I put our heads together to come up with the best, i.e. most convenient and time efficient means of transportation. My compatriots are environmentally very conscious but not known for their Zen patience level. L.A. sized traffic jams are perceived as VERY IRRITATING by our European visitors.
So we mixed it up. LAX to Hotel and the 5 hour city tour transportation was very ably handled by Go West Adventures.
But instead of stressing out in Monday traffic on the 101 to get to Universal Hollywood and back, we took the subway! The 7th Street/Metro Center station is two block from The Figueroa, a few minutes easy walking along Figueroa. We left the hotel at 9:40AM, took the Red Line to Universal City, crossed Lankershim Blvd, and boarded the Universal Shuttle to get up the hill.
We arrived at the gates in about 40 minutes. Our trip home was equally convenient and time saving. We saw the jam-packed 101 from Universal's hill. It did not bother us since we were taking the subway.
"Green" in every way. We did not clog the freeway with another motor coach. We did not create exhaust fumes. We spent $2.50 per person per round trip! That is $45 total for the whole trip!
Our guests were amazed at the cleanliness in our very modern subway system!
See the smiles:













































The next morning it was time to say Auf Wiedersehen, as my group of new friends headed South to San Diego. Here the options were a) taking a motor coach for about a three hour ride on the freeways or b) Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner along the coast, 2h40min from Union Station to San Diego's main station. I had contacted Amtrak's group sales and prebooked at a group rate. Amtrak offers full baggage check-in service. We took two SuperShuttles from the hotel to Union Station. Amtrak picked the baggage up curbside, the group was escorted to the platform when the train entered the station. Amtrak had reserved a whole car for our group! Amtrak's service and courtesy was outstanding! Prosa told me later that the ride had been beautiful and smooth and arrived on time in San Diego.

Our guests were happy! The whole trip worked out beautifully. We saved time, nerves, money and a little bit the environment!