Comments on: Hitchhiking – 10 great memories http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/ Sharing the world with you Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:43:29 +0000 hourly 1 By: Andy Jarosz http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-11812 Andy Jarosz Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:47:44 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-11812 Thanks for sharing Leigh. Sounds like you have had more than your fair share of adventure! I enjoyed particularly your Alaskan/Canadian story. I've also found that hitching can be a lot quicker than the bus (and a lot more fun too!) Your Mercedes life takes some beating though. Food and wine too.. hard to top! Thanks for sharing Leigh. Sounds like you have had more than your fair share of adventure! I enjoyed particularly your Alaskan/Canadian story. I’ve also found that hitching can be a lot quicker than the bus (and a lot more fun too!)
Your Mercedes life takes some beating though. Food and wine too.. hard to top!

]]> By: Leigh http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-11762 Leigh Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:47:19 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-11762 I have hitchhiked a lot! As a student at university (in the '70's) I hitchhiked between my university town (Kingston) and Ottawa - Toronto all the time. On one of the rides to Toronto I passed friends of my parents in their car. They waved but also informed my parents and I got an earful. The best ride ever was in the north of France where my husband and I had been waiting for at least 4 hours. A guy in a Mercedes (who would have guessed) pulled over, drove us to his gorgeous home, fed us a fantastic meal with a dusty bottle of wine chosen from the cellar and then drove us an hour to the border crosssing we were aiming for. I have also had the Danish police pick me up - first a leccture on not hitch hiking but then a drive to exactly where I wanted to go. My most recent experience was just a few years ago. Four of us had just finished backpacking the Chilkoot Trail (the world famous gold rush trail in BC/Alaska). We got out to the highway hours before the bus was due so my friends managed to get the first car passing & got a ride to Skagway. My husband and I waited about 20 minutes and got delivered three hours later on the hotel doorstep in Whitehorse. I could go on and on... no pickup in Yugoslavia carrying a Turkish rug (resorted to buses), picked up by a French speaking (thanks to Club Med) Turkish fellow outside the Greek border & driven to Istanbul, bad experience between Sydney and Melbourne but young & stupid and have never been separated from my passport since. Great post & fun to think back to all my adventures. I have hitchhiked a lot!

As a student at university (in the ’70′s) I hitchhiked between my university town (Kingston) and Ottawa – Toronto all the time. On one of the rides to Toronto I passed friends of my parents in their car. They waved but also informed my parents and I got an earful.

The best ride ever was in the north of France where my husband and I had been waiting for at least 4 hours. A guy in a Mercedes (who would have guessed) pulled over, drove us to his gorgeous home, fed us a fantastic meal with a dusty bottle of wine chosen from the cellar and then drove us an hour to the border crosssing we were aiming for.

I have also had the Danish police pick me up – first a leccture on not hitch hiking but then a drive to exactly where I wanted to go.

My most recent experience was just a few years ago. Four of us had just finished backpacking the Chilkoot Trail (the world famous gold rush trail in BC/Alaska). We got out to the highway hours before the bus was due so my friends managed to get the first car passing & got a ride to Skagway. My husband and I waited about 20 minutes and got delivered three hours later on the hotel doorstep in Whitehorse.

I could go on and on… no pickup in Yugoslavia carrying a Turkish rug (resorted to buses), picked up by a French speaking (thanks to Club Med) Turkish fellow outside the Greek border & driven to Istanbul, bad experience between Sydney and Melbourne but young & stupid and have never been separated from my passport since.

Great post & fun to think back to all my adventures.

]]> By: Andy Jarosz http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-3866 Andy Jarosz Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:20:47 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-3866 Great memories, thanks! Great memories, thanks!

]]> By: Helford River Expeditions http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-3788 Helford River Expeditions Sat, 27 Mar 2010 09:11:14 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-3788 To you all - great "back in the day" stories! Aaaah memories! 1. Hitched across Europe - nearly got run down on autobahn by 18 wheelers until I got picked up in a Merc and got a lift straight into Bon and a full sightseeing tour for free! 2. Hitched across Oz just after there had been a kidnapping of a hitchhiker - got picked up in the middle of nowhere by a female in a ute (aussie for pick up) and had to feed her baby whilst she drove! 3. Hitched with mates in South Africa, with surfboards and back packs and were always being crammed into tiny little cars with surfboards sticking out sunroofs! 4. Theres the Mitfau Centraal(sp) in Germany - been going for years that ties up hitchhikers with people driving across Europe - used it once and landed up driving a pimped up souped up sports saloon down to Portugal for £20 - I loved it! I always pick up hitchers now - I know what its like being on the side of a road and desparate! Blessed be to all those drivers that pick up hitchers - there are souls in this world that know! Happy hitching Helford River Expeditions To you all – great “back in the day” stories! Aaaah memories!

1. Hitched across Europe – nearly got run down on autobahn by 18 wheelers until I got picked up in a Merc and got a lift straight into Bon and a full sightseeing tour for free!
2. Hitched across Oz just after there had been a kidnapping of a hitchhiker – got picked up in the middle of nowhere by a female in a ute (aussie for pick up) and had to feed her baby whilst she drove!
3. Hitched with mates in South Africa, with surfboards and back packs and were always being crammed into tiny little cars with surfboards sticking out sunroofs!
4. Theres the Mitfau Centraal(sp) in Germany – been going for years that ties up hitchhikers with people driving across Europe – used it once and landed up driving a pimped up souped up sports saloon down to Portugal for £20 – I loved it!

I always pick up hitchers now – I know what its like being on the side of a road and desparate!
Blessed be to all those drivers that pick up hitchers – there are souls in this world that know!

Happy hitching
Helford River Expeditions

]]> By: Andy Jarosz http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-3363 Andy Jarosz Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:39:48 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-3363 Great story Mariela. Thinking back to mate in Argentina, and wishing I was there now :-) Agree that couples tend to do better hitching, although I think most guys are ok as long as they look clean and non-threatening. Glad you loved Patagonia too. Great story Mariela. Thinking back to mate in Argentina, and wishing I was there now :-)
Agree that couples tend to do better hitching, although I think most guys are ok as long as they look clean and non-threatening. Glad you loved Patagonia too.

]]> By: mariela http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-3314 mariela Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:01:34 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-3314 Back in 2001, my ex-boyfriend and I hitchhiked from Buenos Aires all the way down to Ushuaia and back! If you check out a map of Argentina, these are LONG distances but it was so worth it! I have wonderful memories of this trip, drinking mate (argentinean herbal tea) with the truck drivers and keeping them company while engaged in very interesting conversations for hours. We met awesome people along the way, mostly europeans who apparently love Patagonia..well, who doesn't, right? It's gorgeous there!. We were very lucky finding rides, and I guess this was because we were a couple. Guys alone might find it more difficult, you know... I highly recommend it although nowadays, you have to be extremely careful. But try it, at least once. Great post! Back in 2001, my ex-boyfriend and I hitchhiked from Buenos Aires all the way down to Ushuaia and back! If you check out a map of Argentina, these are LONG distances but it was so worth it! I have wonderful memories of this trip, drinking mate (argentinean herbal tea) with the truck drivers and keeping them company while engaged in very interesting conversations for hours. We met awesome people along the way, mostly europeans who apparently love Patagonia..well, who doesn’t, right? It’s gorgeous there!.
We were very lucky finding rides, and I guess this was because we were a couple. Guys alone might find it more difficult, you know…

I highly recommend it although nowadays, you have to be extremely careful. But try it, at least once. Great post!

]]> By: Andy Jarosz http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-1491 Andy Jarosz Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:36:49 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-1491 Thanks Mark, Sean and Gary for the great stories. I'll look out for that book Sean. I'm tempted to have another go at hitching now and see how much harder it would be, 20+ years later. I remember Germany having a good reputation, but I also understood France was the worst place to hitch. Am surprised you had such a hard time in Ireland Gary. Your wait in the rain sounds like a miserable 3 hours... Hitching has brought me so many great memories. It would be good if there was a revival of this very green way of travel. Thanks Mark, Sean and Gary for the great stories. I’ll look out for that book Sean. I’m tempted to have another go at hitching now and see how much harder it would be, 20+ years later. I remember Germany having a good reputation, but I also understood France was the worst place to hitch. Am surprised you had such a hard time in Ireland Gary. Your wait in the rain sounds like a miserable 3 hours… Hitching has brought me so many great memories. It would be good if there was a revival of this very green way of travel.

]]> By: Gary http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-1474 Gary Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:31:59 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-1474 Back in the day, well ok 1984 if you must know, I hitched-hike throughout North America and Europe, and enjoyed many wonderful experiences. Things may have changed since then but the best country for hitching was most definitely Germany. There you could get a ride within 10 minutes, and when you are dropped off, pick another one in short time. The worst country for hitching would have been Ireland. I once waited over 3 hours in drizzling rain before I was finally picked up by a businessman on his way to Cork. Three of the best (and longest) rides I had were in Portugal (picked up on the border by a mad truck driver who took me to Porto), In Spain, picked up by a young German woman who took me all the way to the coast, and in Austria, where I was picked up by a middle-aged woman who took me to Linz (she even bought me lunch and refused my offer to pay). Ah, those were the days. As Kris Kristoffersen wrote, 'freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose'. Back in the day, well ok 1984 if you must know, I hitched-hike throughout North America and Europe, and enjoyed many wonderful experiences. Things may have changed since then but the best country for hitching was most definitely Germany. There you could get a ride within 10 minutes, and when you are dropped off, pick another one in short time. The worst country for hitching would have been Ireland. I once waited over 3 hours in drizzling rain before I was finally picked up by a businessman on his way to Cork. Three of the best (and longest) rides I had were in Portugal (picked up on the border by a mad truck driver who took me to Porto), In Spain, picked up by a young German woman who took me all the way to the coast, and in Austria, where I was picked up by a middle-aged woman who took me to Linz (she even bought me lunch and refused my offer to pay). Ah, those were the days. As Kris Kristoffersen wrote, ‘freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose’.

]]> By: Sean Eatheden http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-1469 Sean Eatheden Sat, 23 Jan 2010 11:50:27 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-1469 Nice tales bringing back memories from back in the day. Hitch hike races from the start of the M4. to pubs out in Oxfordshire, which might as well have been on the other side of the earth if you lived in South East London in early 70's. Like yourself many trips around Europe, when hitching was the only way to travel. Found this book in British Museum Shop.. No Such Thing as a Free Ride, a collection of hitchers tales. published by Cassell Illustrated. Nice tales bringing back memories from back in the day. Hitch hike races from the start of the M4. to pubs out in Oxfordshire, which might as well have been on the other side of the earth if you lived in South East London in early 70′s.
Like yourself many trips around Europe, when hitching was the only way to travel.

Found this book in British Museum Shop..

No Such Thing as a Free Ride, a collection of hitchers tales. published by Cassell Illustrated.

]]> By: Mark Broadhead http://www.501places.com/2009/07/hitchhiking-10-great-memories/#comment-1466 Mark Broadhead Sat, 23 Jan 2010 11:27:26 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=69#comment-1466 I ran out of money in Darwin, so I started hitchhiking to to WA. I got several rides in a couple of days until I reach Kununurra and got some work. My favourite ride was on petrol roadtrain. The cabin was like a jet cockpit. The truckie bought me a chocolate Big M (milkshake). At the time it was a luxury. One of the best gifts I've ever received. Next day I caught a ride with a retiree driving around Australia. As he drove he would tape record his descriptions of the landscape -- later to be sent to his children and grandchildren (poor souls). I ran out of money in Darwin, so I started hitchhiking to to WA. I got several rides in a couple of days until I reach Kununurra and got some work. My favourite ride was on petrol roadtrain. The cabin was like a jet cockpit. The truckie bought me a chocolate Big M (milkshake). At the time it was a luxury. One of the best gifts I’ve ever received. Next day I caught a ride with a retiree driving around Australia. As he drove he would tape record his descriptions of the landscape — later to be sent to his children and grandchildren (poor souls).

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