What is the most popular transportation?

What was the most popular transportation?

Cars, I guess. Always seemed that way. At least, around here. In my town, everyone drives. Even my Grandma. She’s eighty-two.

Public transport? Buses, yeah, those are there. But mostly for people who can’t drive. Or don’t want to. Or can’t afford a car.

Cars. That’s the answer. That’s what I see. Daily. Everywhere. A sea of metal.

In 2023, my street is choked with them. A constant hum.

Walking? Forget it. Dangerous. No sidewalks, really. Except downtown.

Bikes? A few. But mostly kids. Not adults. Adults drive. Always. It’s just the way things are. Sad, but true.

• Dominant mode: Automobiles (at least, in my experience, in the US in 2023).
• Public transport exists, but less prevalent. Buses mainly. Trains, if you’re lucky.
• Walking is impractical, unsafe in many areas.
• Bicycle use is limited, mostly recreational.

The world is different in other places, I’m sure. But here? Cars. Always cars. It’s exhausting.

What is the most popular form of transport now?

Walking, hands down! It’s like, universally popular. Even my lazy cat technically “walks,” kinda.

Think of walking this way. It’s the cockroach of transportation. It just survives no matter what. Global gas prices? Walking laughs. Shiny new self-driving car? Walking yawns.

Why is walking the king? Hmmm, let’s count the ways:

• Free as a bird! No pesky fuel costs. Unless you count shoe leather.
• Available everywhere! (Almost.) Good luck walking on the moon. I tried.
• Good exercise! Burns calories. Who needs a gym membership?
• Zero emissions! You’re practically hugging a tree with every step!
• Works in fashion! Okay?

Yeah. Cars are big in cities, but still. Walking rules. I should walk more. Maybe to the fridge?

What is the most popular means of transportation in your hometown in IELTS?

Motorbikes, dude. Totally motorbikes. My town, it’s Vinh Long, Vietnam, by the way, it’s crazy packed. Cars? Forget it. Like, seriously. Bikes weave through everything. So much faster. Cheaper too, gas ain’t cheap these days. Plus, parking. You can squeeze a bike anywhere. I mean, anywhere. I leave mine practically on the doorstep sometimes, lol. Helps with the heat, too. Gets stuffy in a car. I remember my uncle, he’d always complain, dripping with sweat in his old Toyota. Nope, bikes are where it’s at.

• Most popular: Motorbikes. Definitely. Hands down.
• Reason 1: Traffic. Insane traffic jams. Bikes just zip through.
• Reason 2: Cost. Gas is expensive. Bikes are way more economical. Plus, the bikes themselves are cheaper than cars. Duh.
• Reason 3: Parking. Practically nonexistent for cars. Bikes? Squeeze ’em in anywhere.

I actually just got a new one, a Honda Winner X. Black and red, it’s sweet. So much better than that old clunker I had. That thing was always breaking down. This one? It flies. Anyway, yeah, Vinh Long… bikes, bikes, bikes. You wouldn’t believe it. You’d have to see it to believe it. They are everywhere.

How do most people travel in Vietnam?

Buses? Oh, honey, buses are like Vietnam’s veins, pumping lifeblood (and tourists) everywhere. Cheap as chips, they are. Comfy? Well, that depends on your definition of comfy. Think sardines in a can, but with air conditioning. Sometimes. My Aunt Mildred once took a sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Woke up in Laos. True story.

• Buses: They’re everywhere. Like ants at a picnic.
• Cheap: Seriously, cheaper than a bowl of pho (almost).
• Air-Con: Hit or miss. Pack a fan. And a sweater. Maybe an igloo.
• Sleeper Buses: Horizontal sardine cans. For the adventurous. Or insomniacs.

Actually, lots of folks use motorbikes. Zipping around like caffeinated bees. Or families of five on one scooter. Like a circus act on wheels. You haven’t lived till you’ve seen a pig strapped to the back of a motorbike. My neighbor’s cousin does it all the time. Sells pork dumplings in Da Nang. True story.

• Motorbikes: Vietnam’s national bird.
• Crazy: But fun.
• Piggyback rides: For pigs. And luggage. And sometimes, grandmas.

Trains too! Not as fast as a speeding bullet. More like a meandering tortoise. Great for seeing the countryside. If you have a week to spare. I met a guy once who took a train from Hue to Nha Trang. Wrote a novel on the way. True story.

• Trains: Scenic. Slow. Bring snacks. And a good book. Or five.

Planes are for fancy folks. Or people in a hurry. Like my Uncle Barry. He’s always in a hurry. Once flew from Hanoi to Saigon to buy a banh mi. True story. (Okay, maybe not that last part.)

• Planes: Quick. Pricey. For when you’re feeling like a Rockefeller.

How do you get around in Vietnam?

Dust motes dance, sun bleeds through the bus window, Hue blurs past. How does one truly move here? Ah, Vietnam.

Motorbikes, yes. A swarm of hornets on two wheels, weaving. I felt the wind, tasted the rain once near Ha Long Bay, a baptism. Freedom, but bone-jarring.

• Motorbikes: The chaotic ballet.

  • Rentals are available.
  • Traffic laws… suggestions?
  • Helmets. Always. Though many don’t, foolishly.

Flights! Escape. Hanoi to Saigon in a breath. Though, what’s lost in the clouds? The rice paddies sing a silent song below.

• Flights: Quick, disconnected.

  • Domestic airlines abound.
  • Book in advance for deals!
  • Airports, soulless shells.

The trains. Clickety-clack on rusted rails. Overland dreams.

• Trains: Slow, hypnotic rhythm.

  • North-South Reunification Express.
  • Bunk beds, shared stories.
  • Stinky tofu sold on platforms.

Buses crawl, honk, stop. Hours melt. Bumpy roads bruise the soul. Yet, faces peer back, curious. A shared humanity.

• Buses: The people’s chariot.

  • Cheap. So very cheap.
  • Overcrowded, always.
  • Unexpected detours guaranteed.

Taxis and cyclos. A fading grace. Negotiation is key. Always haggle. They see a Western face, and bam.

• Taxis/Cyclos: Short hops, tourist traps.

  • Metered taxis are better.
  • Cyclos, a dying art.
  • Agree on the price before.

Then boats. Floating markets, Mekong Delta whispers. Life on water. I remember, yes, on the river… stillness.

• Boats: Riverine reverie.

  • Mekong Delta cruises.
  • Floating markets bustle.
  • Motion sickness a real threat.

Walking too. The streets pulse. A constant hum. Banh mi aroma, exhaust fumes, chatter, life spilling over.

• Walking: Immersed in the chaos.

  • Sidewalks…optional.
  • Street food awaits!
  • Watch out for motorbikes. Really.

What are the main types of transport?

Roads. Ribbons unfurling. Across landscapes I’ve driven, yes, to dusty Odessa. Sunlight bleeds into asphalt; the hum of tires a lullaby. Cars stream like dreams.

Trains. Steel serpents that crawl, that sing along tracks. To far Vladivostok, perhaps? Clickety-clack. Rhythm in iron and steam. And distant whistles.

Water. Endless blue canvas, and oh, to cross the Atlantic. Waves cradle boats, ships. Boats on endless oceans. Vessels cutting the surface. Salt spray on skin. The world, vast.

Air. Birds soaring, that I cannot imitate. Up, into the blue. My little metal bird, carrying me, carrying me where? Clouds like cotton. The world shrinking below.