Hitchhiking 1

I’ve never thought of this way of traveling and I’ve never done that before in my life. It sounds exciting but also frustrating because one may get stuck on the side of the road to nowhere with nowhere cheap (or just plain nowhere) to stay. But after meeting travelers who are doing hitchhiking along my way, now I’m interested in trying it some day. J

This German girl called Hanna who I met in France has been hitchhiking ALONE through France since the beginning of May. Like many other people, my immediate response after hearing that was “Is it safe?”

“What if somebody really stops his car and offers you a ride but then you don’t feel like getting into his car?”

“What if nobody stops and you don’t have any place to rest your head that night… and then it starts to rain…”

“What if …”

A long list of what-ifs came afterwards. She didn’t answer promptly. Instead, she looked right into my eyes, finally broke into a smile and said “But that has never happened to me before!”

“Really?”

“Yup. You just need to be careful.”

True. One just has to be careful. Anything can happen even if you’re in the safest place on earth. I think most people should be able to use their common sense and distinguish who to trust and who not to on the road.



Hitchhiking 2

My host in Warsaw, Chris, has several hitchhiking experience. Few years ago he traveled through Lithuania and Estonia by hitchhiking and last year he hitchhiked from France to Spain.

Whilst in Provence he worked at a vineyard picking grapes.

“Provence! It must be nice!” I was getting excited as I recalled what I’ve read from Peter Mayle’s Provence series and Van Gogh’s “what an intensity of colors, what pure air, what vibrant serenity” exclamation upon his arrival in Provence.

I trust that the nature there must be beautiful.

“Yup it’s nice,” said Chris.

“Wow.” Eyebrows raised.

“But the people are not so nice.”

“… why …”

“When I was in Marseille, I walked down the streets and everybody smiled at me. But in Provence everywhere is wealthy people and they don’t greet people as warmly as people in Marseille do. Provence is nice, but I like Marseille better.”

“…” We walked back home quietly, both falling into contemplation.

Once again it proves my people-take-more-of-your-heart-than-just-the-place philosophy stand!



Hitchhiking 3

Petr is an outstanding architecture student in Prague. When students care more about their social lives and think studies can wait, he tries to have a balance of both. One day when he was studying, there was a point where he came to know exam was gonna drive him nuts. What am I doing here? I don’t wanna study anymore! He thought. So he took his backpack, blanket, sleeping bag and tent and left for Norway THE NEXT MORNING!

You can imagine he left Prague without knowing where to sleep at all.

But he wasn’t worried.

“See. This is Norway. They have large fields everywhere. You can sleep here, here, here, here, there, anywhere you like!” pointing at a picture of green fields in Norway.



One time he had nowhere to sleep in Finland.

He wasn’t too worried.

He climbed up to the top of a tower (probably not too high)and spent a night at the terrace with his friend.

“We got a nice view from there. That can compete with a pricey hotel!” said Petr.

Yup... and it must be mighty cold and windy too…



Again when Petr was in Paris he didn’t have a hostel to stay.

He wasn’t worried.

Actually this time he had a place more than just a grassy field or hard ground on a terrace. It has proven where he stayed is so nice that everyday he got many unwanted visitors to his place. Perhaps they are all jealous of him to have such a cozy place to rest his head. It caused hassle to him, though and sometimes they really got on his nerves.



You wanna know who these visitors are?



They are the homeless!



because …



he was CAMPING UNDER THE EFFIEL TOWER!