This trip has been revolved around getting from one place to another. We could not have done it without these different modes of transportation.
Plane:
Easy Jet and Ryan Air have become our favorite friends. America has not seen a budget airline compared to these folks. They have helped us get to many countries and have saved us a dime or two on the way.
Train:
Unfortunately in Europe, trains are not cheap, but they are convenient. We had to maximize our train usage throughout Ireland and France mostly. Trains were one of the main reasons we needed to head out of dodge. They make for a lovely journey, but broke the pocket book quite quick.
Bus:
Can’t beat transportation and accommodation in one. Sometimes night buses are the best/cheapest option. You skip seeing the sights, but just one cheap bus ticket can also be the place you rest your head at night. Not to mention buses are the cheapest form of public transport.
Taxi:
Taxis became accessible for us in Serbia because they were SO cheap. $2 will get you across town and at the front steps of your hostel. Can’t beat that service.
Boat:
This can really be a 4 in 1. It can be your transport, it can be your accommodation and it can be your food and entertainment. We needed to do Turkey on the cheap, this meant saving pennies wherever we could. We booked a budget sailing excursion (all inclusive) that ended up being cheaper than staying in a hostel and eating out for a week.
Water Taxi:
A little overpriced but with the Venice Card is quite nice. The water taxis provide transport and come in handy when you are water locked.
Car:
We definitely did not see this one happening. We rented a car to see all of Sicily. It ended up being much more convenient and made it possible to see all of the island. We didn’t have to rely on buses, and from what we learned were not very reliable or frequent.
Hitch Hiking:
Clearly, the cheapest option and to be honest the most fun. Hitchhiking is a great way to meet new people and see parts of cities and countries you may have never ventured out too. It can be quite exhausting. Some days you can wait many hours in the hot sun before you are offered a ride. But those days are the most fulfilling.
Tandem Bike:
It doesn’t get any better than riding the coast with the one you love. A tandem bike is a fun way to get from A to B and if you are in the back you can even take a break everyone in awhile and your partner will never know. If you are headed to Vietnam you can pick one up for $1 per hour.
Mountain Bike:
Dare to be adventurous. We decided against the tuk tuk to get us to a beautiful waterfall in Luang Prabang. It was a 65 kilometer trek up windy, hilly roads. A great way to get in a decent workout, and you can stop where you want to take pictures of the beautiful scenery.
Motorbike:
In most cities you can rent motorbikes for a very cheap daily rate. We did a fair share of renting from time to time. In Cambodia we took our Motorbiking to a new level and decided to purchase our very own. We rode from Siem Reap to the border of Vietnam. Unfortunately, our riding ended there as the Vietnam border patrol would not let us take our Cambodian bike over.
Tuk Tuk:
Once you get as far east as India, the tuk tuk will be introduced into your daily world. A buggy attached to a motorbike. These are a very cheap way to get around town. Be careful, if they hint you are a foreigner they will try and get extra fare. We’ve been very thankful for tuk tuk all throughout the Asian countries.
4×4 Truck:
You can’t get through the depths of the Thailand jungle without one. Our jungle trip started with a 4×4 journey into the heart of the jungle.
Elephant:
Make sure you do your research before jumping on the back of any ol elephant. Some elephant camps abuse and neglect their animals. We made sure to find a substantiate elephant camp that keeps very good care of their elephants. A slow, but surreal way to trek through the jungle.
Jeep:
Sometimes it’s fun to get back to our American roots. USA may have invaded Vietnam 40+ years ago, but they also shared their love for jeeps and the Vietnamese have embraced it. We took a jeep tour of the Sand Dunes outside of Mui Nui.
Camel:
The Sahara desert would not be complete without a full out Aladdin experience. No, we did not ride flying carpets and sing “A Whole New World” but we did take a camel ride 20 kilometers outside of the Algerian border. The camels kept us safe on our overnight stay near the dunes of the Sahara.
Bamboo Raft:
The jungle locals build their own rafts and they use bamboo for everything. Why not build a boat with bamboo? We became one with the jungle and floated down the river on an authentic bamboo raft.
Paragliding:
It may not be the most efficient way to get from A to B but most certainly the prettiest. We para-glided over the Turkish Riviera. We alter learn how dangerous this jump was and how 15+people die here every year. I guess sometimes it’s better not to research. No use scaring yourself.
Sky Walk:
You usually have two options. You can walk the sky walk, some are longer than others or you can take a taxi/tuk tuk. We opted for the sky walk to check out the slums of Mumbai. The walk was enlightening, moving and a remarkable site. Sometimes it pays to take the longer route.
Subway:
This is probably one of our favorite ways to travel, it’s usually pretty inexpensive and it is where all the hustle and bustle takes place in the bigger cities. We always prefer to walk around cities so we don’t miss out on any of the sites but if it’s a long enough distance we will cave in a purchase a subway pass.
Double Decker Bus:
Most of the major cities offer tours around the city. They are usually fair decent prices and it allows you to go around the entire city, get off where you want, and hop back on. We took this option in Paris.
I am sure we will come across some different modes of transportation and embrace each one. Travel on…
Meg and David
