Usually when you get off a flight, having to mess around with timetables and connections on the trains can be really tiring, well at least it is for me. I find it so much easier to just pack my bags in a rent-a-car and off you go.
But as far as immersing yourself in the language goes I think I spoke more Italian trying to find my way around on the trains today than I did Portuguese in the whole time I was over there!
So that’s my language learning tip for the day: don’t hire a car, take the train. Oh and if you do have to work in Europe, plan it for off season, this is the view I woke up to this morning and it works out cheaper being here than the UK or Japan! Now if only I was on holiday instead of working … : )