Postcard

Police, you gotta love 'em!

Submitted by Anonymous Hitchhiker on 27 June 2011 - 4:33pm

I was in Spain on my way to the 2010 European hitchfestival when two nice fellows stepped out of the car to inspect my papers. They informed me I couldn't hitchhike here.

I contested. They double-checked and wished me a nice ride. The same occured a couple of months later, with different police but again in the same country.

In some countries police can give you a hard time. They send you away for example, or even want to check your bags and everything. But most of the time you are fine. I generally just stay nice to them. I think it is easier that way.

Roads in South of Spain

Submitted by Anonymous Hitchhiker on 14 June 2011 - 4:53am

I was hitchhiking in beautiful South Spain this March for almost 3 weeks with an experienced traveller friend. The most inspiring ride was a Portuguese couple who picked us up with a camper-like something, in which we shared the small space with 2 sweet dogs. Ana and Joao are really awesome people: they write poems and short stories, and they sell them. I will learn Portuguese one day to read them.

They made us green leaf-tea in the back of the car, so we were slurping delicious tea while the camper moved under us. When our lifelines crossed we were on the way to Madrid, they were on the way to France to do some fruit-picking.

And This Road...

Submitted by Anonymous Hitchhiker on 19 June 2010 - 1:06pm

there is a road calling my name
I’m not too sure where this one will lead, I guess I haven’t thought it out that far
but I feel it in my toes, as they curl and tap in unsettlement
and I see it in my thumb as it lifts itself as if to practice the movement to come
and I wonder if through all their fear they hear my tails of excitement
and I know that something wonderful is waiting for me on that road.

Juggling Hitchhikers In New Zealand

Submitted by Anonymous Hitchhiker on 17 May 2010 - 8:15am

We were driving north on the North Island of New Zealand, entering the Waipoua Forest that houses the largest kauri trees in the world, when we first spotted these interesting looking backpackers along the road. We were going to give them a ride, but we were too late as the car in front of us got them first.

We continued along the road inside the beautiful forest, making several stops to visit the amazing giant kauri trees. As we walked back to our car after visiting the last tree, we saw the hitchhikers again! It was their clothing style and fun attitudes that really caught my attention. The girl is from Switzerland, and she carried a sign saying NORTH with a big smile across her face. The guy is from Germany, and he was juggling 3 balls. Unfortunately we were not able to take them as we were heading back south, but they stuck in our minds as some very photogenic backpackers.

Tea, Anyone?

Submitted by Anonymous Hitchhiker on 27 April 2010 - 6:24am

While hitchhiking from St. Petersburg to Moscow, one of our drivers left us in this tiny Russian village along the highway: five small huts with bored women, each supported by a hot, cooking samovar on front.

Midnight Sun. The End And Beginning Of The Journey.

Submitted by Anonymous Hitchhiker on 27 April 2010 - 3:17am

Midnight sun is actually around 01:30. The clock is not closely following the sun in Finland. It is impressively unimpressive. In particular after 5,000 km biking through Europe from Italy for it. Just a dull sunset. Or a sunrise if you will. I nicknamed it "sunbounce". The end and the beginning of a day. Very annoying if you're sleeping outside.

And the destination of the trip. Or the beginning of the way back. Another 5.000 km, rounding the Baltic sea on its western shore this time. The destination is just the excuse, a pretext. The real stuff is the way. The way is the end, the end is just the way.

Hitchhiking to Elf-Town

Submitted by Anonymous Hitchhiker on 25 April 2010 - 2:21am

Where did you say we are going to? To the Town of the Elfs, Lena said, serious but smiling frankly. We came from France hitchhiking with her dog, had stayed overnight with our driver and were on our way to Barcelona.

But first we had to follow an alternative route, leading to a special place, Lena decided. Getting off the main roads, we managed to arrive at Pueblo de los Duendes with three cars and within two hours. We stayed to enjoy this magical place in the hearth of Catalunya - a maze made out of wood - and got one ride out of there, to Barcelona.

Masaro, Hitchhiker From Japan

Submitted by Anonymous Hitchhiker on 24 April 2010 - 4:38pm

From Japan, I found Masaro at a petrol station in Paris. I think it is wonderful how he holds his sign. I met him first in Paris at the 888 hitchhikers gathering. He was in Paris and didn't know about the meeting at first. He came every day with his bicycle. Masaro can be found hitching in almost every country in Europe.

Under an Umbrella in Paris

Submitted by Anonymous Hitchhiker on 16 March 2010 - 6:31am

Hitchhikers don't have to be hardcore travelers. Anyone with the right mind-set can do it. In Paris in August 2008 a gathering of hitchhikers attracted more than 150 persons, of which some were totally new to the act while again others had years and years of experience. Here, on the one hand we have Reese who traveled for years and years, always hitching. And then there is Zoe from South-Africa who took her first shot to arrive at the gathering, traveling with a suit-case.

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