Along the 3.5km stretch of Venice's Grand Canal there are just three bridges, so how do you get across? By Traghetto (meaning 'ferry' in Italian), of course. The unglamorous sibling of the gondola; these no-frills boats get passengers from one side of the canal to the other for a meagre fee. You can pick up a Traghetto from any of the seven piers along the canal - just look for the yellow signs pointing you towards the landings. Each boat is rowed by two oarsmen - one at the bow and one behind the passengers, as in a gondola - if you want to ride like a Venetian, stand for the short journey.

Save yourself a few bucks in Pakistan and ride on a Tangah, rather than the more commonly used rickshaws and taxis. A Tangah is a carriage, sitting atop two large wooden wheels (not exactly designed for comfort, so expect a sore bottom on a long journey! ), pulled by one or two horses. They have a low-glamour, but high fun factor and have become more widely used in Pakistan for enjoyment, rather than as a functional way of getting around. Just beware that they're not the speediest way to travel!

Those with a strong constitution may want to ride a Cambodian bamboo train - known locally as a nori. Passengers sit on a makeshift bamboo 'train' (basically just a bamboo platform) powered by an electric generator engine, travelling at up to 40km/h. The unmaintained railway tracks make for a bumpy ride and the closest you'll get to luxury is sitting on a grass mat. But the fares are low and this is a once in a lifetime experience, as all the locals use them for getting around..

The exhaust-belching people-carriers powered by ancient diesel car engines that careen around Filipino city streets are actually pieced-together former World War II army Jeeps. Adorned with painted flags, eagles, and starbursts, jeepneys are traditionally given names such as "Taurus" and "Mr. Lover Boy." They travel at breakneck speed overloaded with people and produce, often failing to come to a complete stop for passengers to leap on and off. These dirty, decrepit workhorses and their doctored diesel are responsible for a particularly toxic form of air pollution as well as health problems.

Brightly colored, three-wheeled tuk tuks beetle about Bangkok, cramming passengers into their covered back seats as they battle insane traffic and hurtle about in the heat, humidity, and pollution. The impatient drivers of these rusting, souped-up golf carts hurtle from one lane of traffic to another, barely registering the presence of lumbering buses, thundering trucks, and the mosquito fleets of other tuk tuk drivers. As you idle, you'll have the chance to really enjoy how the noisy vehicles themselves contribute substantially to pollution. Tourists often find themselves delivered to an extra, unexpected stop en route as tuk tuk drivers attempt to get a cut of commission at stores where they happen to take a detour.

"Howdah" translates as "throne," a throwback to the days when the ornate platforms transported India's royalty from one place to the next. These days, it tends to be an array of tourists rather than the traditional aristocratic loads with which these big beasts of burden are encumbered. Howdahs can range from a simple seat and canopy to an opulent, gilt and jewel-encrusted carriage, complete with windows.

In Alaska or the Yukon, dog-pulled sleds have been replaced by snowmobiles in some communities. But hard-core husky enthusiasts still opt for canine power. Used in areas such as Denali National Park where motorized alternatives are illegal, deliveries, vet calls, and even Census visits in Alaska are still sometimes done by sled.

Totora is a reed which is grown in Peru, most notably on Lake Titicaca. The Uros are a group of people who live on the lake on floating islands fashioned from the reed. They also make Barco de Totora from bundles of the dried reeds, and these boats have become an icon of Peru. If you're visiting Lake Titicaca, the Barco de Totora is a wonderful, unique method of getting across the vast and beautiful stretch of water.

DUKW, widely pronounced 'duck', are amphibious trucks that were designed by the American military during World War II to transport equipment and troops over both land and water. Nowadays, you can take a trip in a DUKW in central London, on the aptly named Duck Tours. On a tour you'll drive past famous London landmarks like Big Ben, the London Eye and Trafalgar Square before dramatically launching into the River Thames to get a view from the water. They're the only way to experience the sights of central London by land and river - without leaving the comfort of your seat!