LOVE IN A RUCKSACK #3-Hitchhiking 101
Dec 15th, 2008 by bls88
One of my favorite ways to travel is by thumb. True, hitchhiking can be dangerous, which is why it is wise to know your location and your destination; you can do this by research and talking to people who have visited the place.
Thumbing it outside a mini-mall near Zagreb, Croatia.
America, for example, is probably a country in which I would shy away from hitching a ride. Europe, by contrast, is a much safer bet due to an overall lack of violent crime and the fact that hitchhiking is more commonplace. Europe is also where Jan and I have racked up the majority of our hitchhiking experience and below we’ve listed a few traits which you may want to bulk up on before taking the plunge (please note that neither Jan nor I always live up to all of these traits-we have just been able to keep them in check while on the road.)
WHAT YOU NEED TO SURVIVE A HITCHHIKING ADVENTURE
1. Patience: While there are times when the first car you flag down stops, there are times when you can wait for three or more hours. Having a friend helps-if not, a book or an iPod.
Trying to get to Athens from somewhere in Macedonia.
2. Good Judgment: After waiting for several hours, anyone, even a guy with a gun rack and a shovel in the bed of his truck, can look good, but use your best judgment. If you choose well, you can even make some great friends along the way!
Hassan and his unnamed friend who took us through western Bosnia.
3. Humility: Aside from sitting by the side of the road for hours while people rubberneck, sneer and honk at you, you may also be forced to accept some less than first-class seats.
Sweating it out in the back of a banana truck in Greece.
4. Curiosity: Chances are, if you are considering trying your hand (pun intended) at hitchhiking, you are the curious type anyway, but you need a pretty healthy dose of this trait if you’re going to stay interested enough to keep on going, and if you’re going to be aware of the beautiful sights along the way.
5. Tools of the trade: You must be prepared for anything that comes your way, because once you commit, you are out there rain or shine, sometimes without more cover than a bus shelter.
6. A Sense of Humour: Hitchhiking is a lot of fun, but only if you’re able to keep your spirits up through all the waiting, inconvenience and inclement weather and can still laugh about it all!
Wow, I would’ve guessed that hitchhiking went the way of the dinosaurs!
With all of the beautiful photos, you guys have racked up quite a few adventures. I can’t imagine what would’ve raced through my mind upon discovering a fresh Elk carcass next to me.
Query: is it customary to offer some sort of compensation for the lift?
Hi John,
Thanks for your comment. Regarding compensation for the driver-typically, no. We tried to buy cups of coffee or some sort of snack for our drivers but no one would allow it. They tended to treat us for everything-bottles of water, baklava, apples. The people we met were some of the most generous I’ve ever encountered.
One question for you: Elk carcass? I don’t get the reference….
-Love in a Rucksack