Dear (self-identifying) women and (aspiring) solo female hitchhikers, I usually don’t have solid advice as hitchhiking is very different from woman to woman. Heck, I don’t even identify as a woman per se. Above all, I don’t think of myself as someone in the position to give you advice, especially the unsolicited kind. While traveling – whether that be by hitchhiking or not – you’ll be in situations I have never encountered. Some of my experiences will never happen to you. That’s in spite of our general similar experiences of going through life (being perceived) as women. The advice I’veContinue reading
Inspirational Quote: Not All Those Who Wander Were Told to “Get Lost!”
Time for an inspirational quote about travel: Not all those who wander were told to “Get Lost!” ~ Iris the Hitchhiker I’m really on a creative roll for the whole inspirational quotes kind of thing after finding peace, love, and tranquillity in the south of Spain 🙂 first of all, you should know that I find a lot of ‘inspirational’ quotes very uninspiring. They’re often vague, promote airplane travel, or sound like the ramblings of someone who just rage-quit their job. Secondly, I like to mock shit occasionally. When scrolling through my Facebook feed, it’s literally full of stuff likeContinue reading
They Told Me I Could Be Anything…
I think it’s time to hop on the bandwagon of inspirational quotes on pictures. My first attempt is the “they told me I could be anything” meme-format. It’s to expand the blog and do silly shit to go viral on the internet. I’m not sure if it’s working. I took this photo when I was hitchhiking in Iran from Lar to the great city of Shiraz. The Farsi hitchhiking sign says ‘Shiraz’. No thumb. Because anyone who’s read Iran’s HitchWiki knows that a thumb means something similar to a middle finger in the west. Now let’s post this picture toContinue reading
Check, I Hitchhiked the Millau Viaduct (France)
A couple of days ago I was still in France completing one of my “Hitch Bucketlist Masterpieces of Human Engineering”: the Millau viaduct! One of these pillars that keeps it all standing is taller than the Eiffel Tower and it spans the entire valley. My French driver spoke good English as he had just been back from a five-month backpacking trip himself. He told me more stories of the bridge as there were loads of protests against it. A one-way voyage over the bridge costs a whopping €9.40, so I offered to contribute. My driver rejected the offer. This bridgeContinue reading
Hosted by my French Friend in Frontignan, France
Remember this guy from the hitchhiker’s picnic in Tirana? We just reunited in France, where Yohan’s family lives in Frontignan. Thanks to this French friend and his family, I have a comfortable bed for one more night before I have to go speed-hitchhiking to the south of Spain. Together, we made a little calculation yesterday and it’s more than 1500 kilometers I have to do if I want to avoid Barcelona and Madrid (yes please)! I have about five days to make it to meet the other side of my family there. At the HitchGathering, some women told me theContinue reading
HitchGathering 2015 in Saint-Laurent-du-Pape, France
Five days and four nights without internet at the HitchGathering was a great opportunity to get to know this community of hitchhikers. They come together once a year to be among like-minded people at this ‘hitchhiker’s conference’. Some of them went to great lengths to meet up at this place in France and hitchhiked from farther away than I did. A good bunch of hitchhikers also needed to obtain a Schengen visa before coming here. It’s not easy being an ambitious international hitchhiker without a strong passport. I met up with awesome people who have contacted me through my FacebookContinue reading
Au Revoir Family and Drôme Region (France)
I just said au revoir to my mom, stepdad, and dog as you can see in the picture. It’s always quite difficult, even though I’ve said goodbye many times before; I can’t stop living my life too afraid to leave just in case something happens. My dog is quite an old lady already. I’m sad to leave my family and the Drôme region in France, but it’s time to move to the Ardèche region. That’s where the HitchGathering will begin today! It’s my first time at this event, but so far I’ve gathered that the HitchGathering is: An annual eventContinue reading
Die, Drôme: Celebrating My 24th Birthday in France!
24! I’m currently celebrating my birthday with my mom, step-father, and dog in France at a campsite. I’m kind of couchsurfing their campsite, or squatting it? Heck, I don’t know what to call it. We’re in Die in the Drôme department of France. It’s full of beautiful mountains and rivers. I think this is the 8th time or so I’ve celebrated my birthday in France; we used to go here almost every year when my sister and I were younger. So it’s like the good old days with a Francophone gâteau d’anniversaire! In recent years, I’ve spent my birthday abroadContinue reading
Monaco Adventure Travel
Besides meeting the newbie hitchhikers from Czechia yesterday here in Monaco, I also met these two cyclists from Poland who are doing a big European tour. I met them in the daytime when I felt more optimistic about adventure travel in Monaco and hadn’t downed a beer yet. But I haven’t seen any backpackers or that category of travelers since… Greece..! That was more than one month ago and suddenly I meet two duos in one day! That gives me some hope. These guys also have a Facebook page (that I still need to find) but unless you speak Slavic,Continue reading