Getting Around Bangkok

Even if the traffic in Bangkok is terrible, getting around the city is a breeze.  There are many different forms of public transportation that you can use to quickly get to all the different neighbourhoods.  You can hop on the Skytrain and literally zoom across the sky (it is a train that moves along a raised track way up high overlooking the city).  You can instead go underground and take the Metro (a train that moves along a track below ground).  Or you can get around Bangkok by speeding along the Chao Phraya River on a express river boat. 



After stopping at the pier, the express boat continues along the river.

 This form of public transportation is a great way to quickly see all the homes, hotels and temples that line the river.  It is also a lot of fun to feel the wind rush into your face as the boat speeds up and down the murky water of the river.  The best part of the trip is that it will just cost you 14 baht, or 50 cents.  Now that is a deal!

Good thing the plastic guard is in place, or else all us passengers would
 be getting splashed by that brown river water.

All the passengers on the riverboat waiting for their stop.

Getting Around Cairo

Getting around Cairo is not easy.  The city is very crowded, so driving a car can be scary and frustrating.  Walking is also difficult because the desert climate is hot, and shade can be hard to come by in some areas.  Taxis are available, but they also get stuck in traffic.  So how do the people of Cairo get around?  There are a couple of ways.

The first, most dangerous way, is by bus.  You will see men and women standing by the side of the road waiting for a bus, and as it passes it slows down (sometimes not stopping) and those waiting will leap on trying to make sure they get on the bus before it speeds up again.  The bad things about buses is that they get really crowded in the middle of the day, and again if traffic is bad, you aren't going anywhere fast!

A bus, and a mini-bus behind it with a man hanging out ready to jump off.

A safer way to travel is on the new Metro system.  The Egyptian government has realized that Cairo is getting too crowded, and that building more roads for cars will just make the problem worse, adding more pollution into the air.  Thankfully, they have come up with a great solution and have built a subway system.  There are currently two lines that run in an x across Cairo and there is a third line being built (they hope it will be done by 2019) that will connect the airport to the city.  Costing only 20 cents, it is a quick and cheap way of getting around parts of Cairo.

The new and efficient Metro pulling out of the station.

What are some other green ways the people of Cairo can use to get around their city?  I am giving you a hint below.  Can you think of any others?

A boy getting his felucca ready for the day.