In February, before the outbreak of Covid-19, I sold my old-style car. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal: I live in London within walking distance of three subway stations and countless bus stops. I own a bike; there are taxis and supermarket delivery services, and I joined a car-share program, all of which can save me a big sum of money to fund my future green transport.

Then the lockdown(封锁) happened and being car-free suddenly felt like a big deal. I couldn’t get a supermarket delivery. I couldn’t take my broken garden chairs to the recycling centre. And a few days into lockdown, somebody stole my bike!

When the lockdown stopped, it just got worse. I was eager to go to the countryside or beach, but taking public transport or taxi felt like too much of a risk. The car share program turned out to be unbelievably difficult to deal with—every area has its own rules about where you can and can’t park, and taking car-share vehicle(车辆) beyond the city is impossible. And renting car is clearly expensive and time-consuming.

So last month I did a U-turn. I felt guilty but also a sense of satisfaction: I had tried, but the pandemic(疫情) beat me. Most of all, I got freedom, sitting behind the wheel(方向盘) and getting to wherever I want. Don’t get me wrong. I still expect to travel without creating greenhouse gases and pollution. But life in a pandemic has drawn attention to some of the disadvantages of public transport, such as time and money wasted on the road to offices and the risk of Covid-19. It has also stressed our need to review our relationship with the environment. Problems with public transport have meant that the ownership and use of a car has become quite a useful thing.

Four Destinations for Electric-bike Tours Across Canada

White Mountain Adventures and Banff Cycle both launched guided e-bike tours of Canada’s first national park this summer. The former’s offerings include a 50-kilometre there-and-back ride along the Bow Valley Park way and a 50-km return ride along the car-free Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail. Banff Cycle, meanwhile, adds a three-hour “Banff and Bow Valley” guided trip to the mix.

This new ride from the luxurious Mount Logan EcoLodge on the Alaska Highway near Haines Junction provides an exception to the rule that Canadian e-bike tours are unavailable in winter. Equipped with oversized tires to allow riding on snow and other unstable surfaces, the electric fat bikes can be booked for two-hour guided tours that explore the wilderness bordering Kluane National Park.

Niagara Cycling Tours hosts group outings of at least four e-bike riders that range in length from 65 to more than 110 kilometres. The offerings include a two-day “Niagara Introductory Ride,” which can be customized to visit local attractions, and a new “Beers and Bikes” tour, which rides between more than a dozen craft breweries (啤酒厂).

Based in pretty Qualicum Beach, the new Electric Bike Co. offers a three-hour “Home and Garden Tour” highlighting high-design private houses and seaside flowers; and a four-to-five hour ride and ferry (轮渡) voyage to Hornby Island, home of the Helliwell and Tribune Bay provincial parks.

Modern life is impossible without traveling. The fastest way of traveling is by air. With a modern airliner you can travel in one day to places which it took a month or more to get to a hundred years ago.

Traveling by train is slower than by air, but it has its own advantages. For example, you can see the country you are traveling through. Besides, modern trains have comfortable seats and dining cars. They make even the longest journey enjoyable and comfortable.

Some people prefer to travel by sea when possible. There are large liners and river boats. You can visit many other countries and different places. Traveling by sea is a very pleasant way to spend a holiday.

Many people like to travel by car. You can make your own timetable. You can travel three or four hundred miles or only fifty or one hundred miles a day, just as you like. You can stop wherever you wish—where there is something interesting to see, at a good restaurant where you can enjoy a good meal, or at a hotel to spend the night. That is why traveling by car is popular for pleasure trips, while people usually take a train or a plane when they are traveling on business.