Getting Around in Asia

Cinderella went to the ball in a pumpkin coach. Laurence of Arabia rode across the desert in a camel. Mushers and their teams race from Anchorage to Nome with sled dogs. Getting there is surely more than half the fun?

In Siem Reap you have the option to ride an elephant around the Angkor complex for what could be an elevated experience. I also love the orange throw over the back of the elephant for that royal touch!

The procession of tuk tuks above bodes well for independent travelers to Cambodia who wish to move about without the restraining expense of a chauffeur driven limo.

The jeepney was fabricated from used jeeps left by the Americans in the Philippines at the end of World War II. The most colorful and extravagantly decorated jeepneys ply the roads in Metro Manila. What I like about riding the jeepney is the flexibility of getting off where I please by just asking the driver, "mama, para po dito" (Mister, please stop here).

The tricycle is what I call the transport of burden. Not only can it hold 8 passengers (two in the cab, 2 behind the driver, 3 standing in the back and one half sitting above the right tire), it can also carry all the cargo you see above and more. The tricycle is also the cheapest way to get around but it's not advisable to hail one right after you had your hair done. Oh, and if only the motor wasn't so loud!

I've always hesitated to ride a rickshaw because I feel sorry for the driver who is literally carrying his passengers and the rickshaw on his back! He must be hurting at the end of the day. But the driver above whom I spotted in Asakusa shows no sign of fatigue. He's quite a runner.

There must be more unique ways to get around. Like the calesa which you'll find in the Philippines. C'mon! Get out of that car and try something new and different. An elephant perhaps?

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Images by Charie

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