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A German office worker has adopted swimming as a mode of daily transportation.
Forty-year-old commerce company founder Benjamin David braves the Isar / ˈi zɑr / River, which flows past his apartment, and swims a total of two kilometers for 30 minutes every day to reach his office.
According to David, he adopted the unconventional mode of transportation two years ago to steer clear of the traffic in his hometown, Munich / ˈmyu nɪk /.
Before David leaves for work, he religiously checks the river’s water level, temperature, and strength of the current to ensure his safety. He is usually clad in swimming trunks or a long wetsuit and keeps his feet protected against pieces of scrap and broken glass by wearing rubber sandals.
In addition, David packs his clothes, shoes, laptop, and other belongings in a waterproof bag. This bag doubles as an inflatable device that he uses as a floater when he gets tired from swimming.
Although David’s means of travel may take a lot of effort, he admits that he finds the experience relaxing. Once he arrives at his destination, he takes a coffee break at a café in his wet suit while waiting for his colleagues to arrive. Afterward, he dries himself and changes into his work attire.
David is not the only one who has resorted to unconventional modes of transportation to work. Frantisek Hardava, a locksmith from Czech / ˈtʃɛk / Republic, built himself an airplane to reduce his daily travel time. Gabriel Horchler [HOHRSH-ler] from Maryland, USA, rows a boat down a river to get to his office at the Library of Congress in Washington.