奇速英语

返程高峰不堵心，高速路上亦温情

As the Spring Festival holiday ended in China, a peak in return travel swept across the country. While many people chose trains or planes, those traveling by car often faced the most tiring part of the holiday — severe highway traffic jams. For example, a 10-hour drive from Hunan to Zhejiang took 15 hours during the rush, and even travelers who set off early in the morning still got stuck, as one driver traveling from Kunming to Chengdu shared.

The boredom of waiting in traffic and the thought of returning to work used to ruin the happy memories of the holiday. However, this year, travelers turned the boring wait into something special with their creativity. On social media platforms like Sina Weibo and Xiaohongshu, many netizens shared their “highway meals”, with photos of food brightening up the boring journey. Some cooked with microwaves or rice cookers using power from their EVs, while others prepared hometown-style dishes. For instance, a traveler from Chongqing made his favorite noodles at a rest area, enjoying the taste of home on the road.

These warm meals not only satisfied their hunger but also kept the flavor of hometown alive, turning a simple roadside bite into a meaningful Spring Festival experience. Besides, more people faced traffic delays with optimism: a sugarcane seller stuck in traffic sold his goods at a low price, bringing warmth to the crowded highway. Such positive attitudes also helped avoid traffic accidents caused by anger or impatience.

Moreover, improved travel safety measures and strangers’ kindness added warmth to the journey. For instance, when a car rolled over on a highway in Hangzhou, police and passers-by quickly helped, and other drivers waited patiently. Today, the Spring Festival return journey is no longer an ordeal, but a shared experience full of connection and humanity, even during the longest traffic jams.