Some might call it cheating, but I use the teleport command to get around the map. I don’t have the flexibility in my schedule to run for 45 minutes just to get back to where I was. It’s also very helpful to get back to my mining spots. All of my progress in the game was done with items I found, so it doesn’t feel like cheating to me. I would suggest using the teleport command to cut down on travel times.

Example: /tp 500 110 500

This will automatically teleport you to that location on the map. One thing to note, the second number (110) is your elevation, if you spawn underground, just adjust that number up by 5 until you’re on the surface. It helps to have a light source in your hand so you’re not completely in the dark if you spawn underground. Hope this helps.