Everyone needs a way to get from point A to point B. For most of us, that's the tried-and-true car. Alternatively, you can use a motorcycle, bicycle, skateboard, scooter, or even your own two feet. There are also public transportation options, such as buses, trolleybuses, and the metro.
But inventors' imaginations aren't limited to such mundane means of transportation. And from time to time, the most unusual and bizarre modes of transport have emerged in various countries around the world, many of which are still in use today.
10. Horse Ferry, USA and Canada
In the late 18th century, the ferry, designed to transport people and supplies by water, appeared in the United States and then Canada. It was powered by human power, not bipedal, but quadrupedal.
Two or more horses would walk in a circle, turning a pulley. Its motion was transmitted via a transmission to a propeller, which was either a paddle wheel or propellers.
In the late 19th century, horse-drawn ferryboats successfully competed with steamboats in New York City. Newspapers of the time reported that a horse-drawn ferryboat with eight horses could carry 200 passengers and cross the East River in 8-12 minutes, roughly the same speed as a steamboat.
The last horse-drawn ferry in the United States, operating on the Cumberland River in Tennessee, remained in operation until the late 1920s. However, as Comrade Bender said, albeit in a different context, "the iron horse is replacing the peasant horse," and this exotic means of water transportation is a thing of the past.
9. Bamboo Train, Cambodia
The French first built railway lines in Cambodia in the 1920s, and railway development continued until 1953, when French rule ended.
From 1967 to 1975, the country was engulfed in civil war, ending with the rise of the Khmer Rouge regime. By the time it ended, 201,000 people (1.4 million) had died at the hands of the Khmer, from hunger, or from overwork. Most of the railway lines were either dismantled or mined.
In this situation, people needed an alternative to conventional trains. So, industrious Cambodians created the bamboo train, or norrie. It consists of a one-meter-wide track along which trolleys move. The norrie is powered by a tractor or motorcycle engine. Until 2016, bamboo trains didn't even have brakes; braking was accomplished by the engine or even the passengers' feet.
Locals can expect to pay 50 cents for a ride, while tourists can expect ten times that amount. The bamboo train travels at a leisurely pace, averaging 50 km/h, offering passengers stunning views of the Cambodian countryside.
8. Toboggan Sleds, Portugal
In the 19th century, residents of the mountain village of Toboggan on the island of Madeira wanted a faster route to Funchal. They chose an original and unusual means of transport: baskets made of willow twigs. They were placed on wooden slats, oiled to glide along the roads.
This device was controlled by two drivers, called carreiros, traditionally dressed in white trousers and shirts, a straw hat, and special thick-soled boots for braking on turns. The vehicle was steered using ropes attached to the rails.
Today, this type of skiing has become a popular pastime for tourists. A ten-minute descent down a paved mountain road costs 25 euros for one person and 30 euros for two.
7. Coco Taxi, Cuba
One of the most unusual modes of transport in the world resembles a giant yellow helmet with seats and wheels. It's like a giant Pac-Man with people inside. However, according to locals, the coco-taxis got their name from their resemblance to a coconut.
Coco taxi is quite noisy and slow, but very popular among tourists.
6. Barco de Totora, Peru
If you're visiting Lake Titicaca, one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, we recommend crossing its beautiful waters aboard the famous Totora boats.
Made from dried tufts of totora reeds growing along the shores of the lake, they resemble dragons in appearance. This shape is believed to have originally helped ward off evil spirits.
5. Jeepney, Philippines
The large, colorfully painted passenger taxi, reminiscent of an American jeep, has been a part of daily life for most people in the Philippines for nearly 80 years.
The original jeepneys were made from parts of jeeps abandoned by American troops after World War II. After the war, the Philippine government failed to establish a public transportation system, so jeepneys became the most popular mode of transportation.
Jeepneys operate like buses. But unlike most buses we're used to, jeepneys are typically painted brightly and decorated with attractive designs, sometimes even featuring the driver's name.
Much to the chagrin of the general public, President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered that all jeepneys older than fifteen years be removed from service by 2020 and replaced with greener versions.
4. Knock Knock, Thailand
Like the jeepney, the tuk-tuk (also known as the auto rickshaw) emerged after World War II as a response to the lack of motorized transport.
Today, tuk-tuks can be found on virtually every continent, but they are most common in Africa and Asia. In Thailand, the tuk-tuk owes its origins to the Japanese, who popularized it during their occupation of the region during World War II.
Older models were equipped with a 350cc two-stroke engine, which made a "thump-thump" sound when moving. Modern tuk-tuks are equipped with a 660cc four-stroke engine, making them much quieter.
The Thai tuk-tuk, with its blue and yellow color scheme, has become something of a symbol of the country.
3. Jet boats, New Zealand
New Zealand's Shotover River serves as the backdrop for one of the most exciting ways to travel in Oceania. Jetboats, powered by twin V8 engines and a combined output of 700 horsepower, speed down the river.
Water is drawn in through an intake grate located at the bottom of the hull. A nozzle draws in water (25,000 liters per minute) and pushes it outward, propelling the boat at 85 km/h.
2. Suspension tramway, Germany
If you've ever watched Amazon's The Man in the High Castle, you've seen futuristic technology from an alternate German past, including the Berlin Monorail.
In real life, however, you'll have to travel a little further from Germany's capital to see the country's only example of mass transit via a suspended monorail.
The Wuppertal Suspension Railway, located in the western part of Germany, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, at first glance looks more like a roller coaster than public transport. It's one of the most unusual ways to travel not only in Germany or Europe, but around the world.
1. Rolls Royce 103EX, UK
The Rolls-Royce 103EX concept car, also known as the Vision Next 100, tops the list of the world's most unusual vehicles. This luxurious iron behemoth is designed to promote the future of automotive design. The interior features a silk lounge chair, natural wood, and a hand-knotted wool carpet.
The car is equipped with a virtual assistant and chauffeur known as Eleanor. The manufacturer's website states that "each Rolls-Royce will be designed not as a car, but rather as a distinct sculpture, crafted from a single, seamless surface.".
Unfortunately, the Rolls-Royce 103EX will never enter mass production. However, it promises intriguing things not only for the future of luxury cars, but perhaps even radical changes to transportation in general.