Why does the US drive on the right and the UK on the left? Your travel questions answered

By Maureen O'Hare, CNN

Published 5:00 AM EDT, Sat March 30, 2024

Crossing the road in London? Look right, then left, then right again.

CNN —

In this week’s travel roundup, we bring you transport trivia, Roman engineering marvels and the world’s tastiest dumplings.

Did you know?

You’re probably aware that around 30% of the world’s countries drive on the left while 70% drive on the right. But have you considered why? In Europe, Napoleon Bonaparte had a big hand in it, while in the United States, we need to go back to the time of wagon trains. Read more here.

When flying around the world, and particularly in hot spots such as London, you may have been told your airplane is being kept in a “holding pattern.” We explain what they are and why they happen.

And as airline after airline raises checked bags fees, it makes you wonder why they charge so much? In the United States, at least, an obscure tax rule helps explain why.

Food and drink

The greatest restaurants in Asia for 2024 have been named, with Singapore snagging the most spots on the 50-best list. But Tokyo is home to both the No. 1 and No. 2 eateries.

When exploring the Japanese capital, you’ll find Tokyo’s oldest rice ball restaurant just a short walk from the city’s oldest temple. Onigiri – seaweed-wrapped snacks perfect for eating on the go – are found in convenience stores around Japan, but the 16-seater Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku draws visitors from around the world.

Bawan, wonton, daifuku, modak and siomay are just some of the Asian entries in our sumptuously packed roundup of the world’s tastiest dumplings, but you should leave room for all the doughy morsels from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the United States, too.

Rail connections

China has been pouring money into huge overseas infrastructure projects for a decade now. The Southeast Asia one could mean a 2,000-mile (3,220-kilometer) journey from southwest China to Singapore will take just 30 hours. Here’s how that’s going.

A simpler connection was made on Europe’s Channel Tunnel train in 2012, when a British woman and a French man sat beside each other on a warm spring evening. This is what happened next.

Tourism vs. conservation

There’s a new addition to Everest climbers’ packing lists: poop bags. Himalayan hikers will now have to take their excrement away with them as Nepal tries to address a growing waste problem on the world’s highest peak.

In Australia, Horizontal Falls is a sacred natural wonder where seawater surges in a gap between cliffs. For years, it’s been a must-see sight for tourists riding boats right into the action. But a new ban will stop them in their tracks.

Finally, a new resort in the Philippines’ famed Chocolate Hills, a protected natural wonder, has stirred fierce debate on conservation. After a public outcry, the Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort has been temporarily shuttered.

Italy is in a race to stop its 12th-century leaning tower in Bologna from collapsing – and the plan is to save it using the same technology that has already restored the country’s more famous lopsided wonder in Pisa.

Spain is also busy getting some long-standing construction tasks off its to-do list. Barcelona’s famous Sagrada Familia cathedral will finally be finished in 2026, officials have confirmed, more than 140 years after building began.

When it comes to enduring European architecture, one civilization excelled above the rest. The continent is dotted with lots of genius Roman creations that still amaze us today. Our guide tells you to where to see them and why.

Why does the US drive on the right and the UK on the left? Your travel questions answered

为什么美国开车靠右二英国靠左？你的交通问题的答案

In this week’s travel roundup, we bring you transport trivia, Roman engineering marvels and the world’s tastiest dumplings.

在本周的旅行综述中，我们将为您带来交通细节、罗马工程奇迹和世界上最美味的饺子。

Did you know?

你知道吗？

You’re probably aware that around 30% of the world’s countries drive on the left while 70% drive on the right. But have you considered why? In Europe, Napoleon Bonaparte had a big hand in it, while in the United States, we need to go back to the time of wagon trains. Read more here.

你很可能知道全世界有30%的国家是靠左行驶二70%是靠右行驶的。但你有没有想过为什么呢？在欧洲，拿破仑在其中发挥了重要的作用，而在美国，我们需要回到马车时代。请继续读下去。

When flying around the world, and particularly in hot spots such as London, you may have been told your airplane is being kept in a “holding pattern.” We explain what they are and why they happen.

当你在全世界飞行，特别是在像伦敦这样的热点地区时，你可能会被告知你的航班正处在“等待模式”。我们来解释下这是什么意思，以及为什么。

And as airline after airline raises checked bags fees, it makes you wonder why they charge so much? In the United States, at least, an obscure tax rule helps explain why.

随着一家又一家航空公司提高托运行李的费用，你会好奇为什么他们收费这么高？在美国，至少有一条模糊的税收规则可以来进行解释。

Food and drink

食品和饮料

The greatest restaurants in Asia for 2024 have been named, with Singapore snagging the most spots on the 50-best list. But Tokyo is home to both the No. 1 and No. 2 eateries.

2024年亚洲最伟大的餐厅已经出来了，最佳餐厅前50名名单上新加坡占据的最多。但排名第一和第二的餐馆都在东京。

When exploring the Japanese capital, you’ll find Tokyo’s oldest rice ball restaurant just a short walk from the city’s oldest temple. Onigiri – seaweed-wrapped snacks perfect for eating on the go – are found in convenience stores around Japan, but the 16-seater Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku draws visitors from around the world.

在游览日本首都的时候，你会发现东京最古老的饭团餐厅离该城市最老的寺庙只有很短的步行路程。饭团，一种海藻包裹的食物，非常适合在旅途的时候食用，在日本各地的便利店都有卖。不过16座的Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku餐厅吸引了来自世界各地的游客。

Bawan, wonton, daifuku, modak and siomay are just some of the Asian entries in our sumptuously packed roundup of the world’s tastiest dumplings, but you should leave room for all the doughy morsels from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the United States, too.

肉圆，云吞，大福饼，modak（起源于马哈拉施特拉邦,Modak是每年八月份甘许节期间供奉智慧之神甘尼许塑像时的一种甜点）和siomay（印度尼西亚传统的主食,主要是鱼饺子,配上蒸马铃薯,卷心菜和鸡蛋）是我们精心包装的世界上最美味的饺子中来自亚洲的部分，你也应该要为来自欧洲、非洲、中东和美国的面团留出空间。

Rail connections

铁轨链接

China has been pouring money into huge overseas infrastructure projects for a decade now. The Southeast Asia one could mean a 2,000-mile (3,220-kilometer) journey from southwest China to Singapore will take just 30 hours. Here’s how that’s going.

中国投资海外大型基础设施项目有十年了。其中东南亚的一项目可能意味着从中国西南部到新加坡的2000英里（3220公里）路程只需要30个小时。就是这个样子。

A simpler connection was made on Europe’s Channel Tunnel train in 2012, when a British woman and a French man sat beside each other on a warm spring evening. This is what happened next.

一个更简单的连接是2012年的欧洲英吉利海峡隧道列车，当时是一个温暖的春天的晚上，一名英国妇女和一名法国并排坐在一起。（看不懂…… 应该是什么背景吧）这就是接下来发生的。

Tourism vs. conservation

There’s a new addition to Everest climbers’ packing lists: poop bags. Himalayan hikers will now have to take their excrement away with them as Nepal tries to address a growing waste problem on the world’s highest peak.

珠穆拉玛峰登山者行李清单上需要加入一样新的东西：便便袋。随着尼泊尔想要开始解决世界上最高山峰喜马拉雅山日益严重的垃圾问题，登山者现在将不得不带走自己的排泄物。

In Australia, Horizontal Falls is a sacred natural wonder where seawater surges in a gap between cliffs. For years, it’s been a must-see sight for tourists riding boats right into the action. But a new ban will stop them in their tracks.

在澳大利亚，水平瀑布是一个神圣的自然奇观，海水在悬崖之间的缝隙中激流而过。多年来，它一直是游客们乘船到这个地方的必看景点。但是，一项新的禁令将阻止他们。

Finally, a new resort in the Philippines’ famed Chocolate Hills, a protected natural wonder, has stirred fierce debate on conservation. After a public outcry, the Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort has been temporarily shuttered.

最后，菲律宾著名的巧克力山的一个新度假胜地，一个受保护的自然奇观，在关于保护方面引发了人们的激烈争论。在公众强烈抗议后，船长峰花园和度假村临时关闭。

Italy is in a race to stop its 12th-century leaning tower in Bologna from collapsing – and the plan is to save it using the same technology that has already restored the country’s more famous lopsided wonder in Pisa.

意大利正在努力阻止其位于Bologna的12世纪斜塔倒塌，计划使用已经修复了该国更著名的比萨斜塔的技术来拯救它。

Spain is also busy getting some long-standing construction tasks off its to-do list. Barcelona’s famous Sagrada Familia cathedral will finally be finished in 2026, officials have confirmed, more than 140 years after building began.

西班牙也忙于将一些长期存在的建设任务从其待办事项清单中删除。官方证实，巴塞罗那著名的Sagrada Familia大教堂将于2026年竣工，距离开工已有140多年。

When it comes to enduring European architecture, one civilization excelled above the rest. The continent is dotted with lots of genius Roman creations that still amaze us today. Our guide tells you to where to see them and why.

当谈到经久不衰的欧洲建筑时，其中一种文明特别突出。该大陆上点缀着许多天才罗马建筑，这些建筑至今仍让我们惊叹不已。我们的导游会告诉你去哪里看它们以及为什么。