Contrary to most popular hitchhiking wisdom, boats are actually hitchable. I have only hitched a 12-meter big luxurious motorboat so far, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to hitch an ocean-crossing containership. These big chonky guys travel everywhere, so the possibilities are endless! What I figured out so far: You’ll need to obtain your STCW-95 (Google is your friend) to flaunt it in people’s faces You’ll probably need to work aboard. I’m not sure if you can still call it hitchhiking then The more experienced you are at sea, A) the greater the chances they’ll take you and B)Continue reading
Hitchhiking Bucket List: #1 The Top Gear Crew
This one might be difficult, but it would be the absolute dream to hitch along with (one of the) Top Gear guys, wherever they might be and whatever car they are driving at that time. Whether it’s a crazy fast car on one of Europe’s good highways or a Lada Niva somewhere in the taiga. Doesn’t matter if it’s Jeremy, James, or Richard. I don’t care. They probably all live inside the United Kingdom, so that’s probably where chances are highest. I have no idea when I’ll be back in the UK. A hitchhiker can dream… But perhaps they always driveContinue reading
Types of Drivers: #2 The Hippie Van Life Folk
The hippie van has become a rarity on the roads of Europe, but on certain trails outside of the EU, these guys are omnipresent like nothing ever changed. There’s a small but noticeable difference between van life and #vanlife. They are some of my favorite people to hitchhike with. Many Levels of Van Life People Sure, they carry a MacBook Pro with them and their views might not be as idealistic anymore, nonetheless, there are still – mostly, but not necessarily – young people hitting the road in preferably a VW minivan. I dig the term ‘Scoobydoo van’. Their van mightContinue reading
Types of Drivers: #1 the Six-Gear Business Person
The business traveler is one of my favorite types of hitchhiking drivers of all time, mostly because of the sheer efficiency of these people and because they have well maintained and comfortable cars. All Business, No Playing Around You will only encounter this guy at a service station, usually with an espresso in his right hand and his car keys in the other. He might stop his car for you just after he was driving away from the service station. His suit jacket is on a clothing hanger on the back of his chair, the suitcase is in the trunkContinue reading
74 Kilometers of Potholes En Route to Tusheti, Georgia
I hitchhiked to Tusheti in northern Georgia with a random Czech traveler. The road was 74 kilometers long and it might just qualify for the road with the most potholes? Was the road one big pothole? Anyway, a four-wheel-drive vehicle was a requirement for even a short attempt at this road! I had started quite early in the daytime. This Czech guy showed up spontaneously at the same hitchhiking spot and we decided to join forces. During the long wait, he played my guitar awesomely. This made the wait quite good. You can see in the picture that the firstContinue reading
Khinkali! The Best Food in Georgia?
Khinkali is one example of the myriad of awesome food you can find in Georgia. Shrooms, cheese, potatoes, meat, and more are all represented in this dumpling. I ate these somewhere back in Tbilisi after hitchhiking around the eastern part of Georgia (Mtskheta-Mianeti and Kakheti—specifically in Tusheti) for a short while. I know my food photography leaves much to be desired, but my main reason besides the khinkali was to use their WiFi (next time, I’ll simply get a Georgian SIM card to not be so dependent on restaurant WiFi). Food photography aside, just believe me when I say khinkaliContinue reading
Lisi Lake + Vake Park in Tbilisi, Georgia
Back in Tbilisi, Georgia. Went for a swim at Lisi Lake yesterday where this dog ruled the territory. It’s nice to come back to this lake. Afterward, my drivers asked me if I had a place to stay in Tbilisi. So they drove me from Lisi Lake to Vake Park, where they know people with whom I’d supposedly have things in common with. I am sleeping in Vake Park in my tent. There is a small community of travelers and people who protest the building of a new hotel there. Vake Park is apparently one of Tbilisi’s last green spacesContinue reading
Tusheti Hills: Beauty and Hospitality in Omalo + Dartlo, Georgia
As you can see from this photo, the Tusheti region in the north of Georgia is pretty fabulous. I just spent a few days here at altitude in Omalo and Dartlo. To the north, the mountains form a natural border with Russia’s Dagestan and Chechnya—both places I’d absolutely love to visit. There are several hostels here and the owners of one just invited me to stay for free. That’s how huge hospitality is here. I encountered some young Georgian women here who were excited to hang out with me and show me around. They travel the difficult road to OmaloContinue reading
Welcome to Panama! A Border Crossing Adventure
Welcome to Panama! But no, this was yet again more of an adventure than anticipated (and hoped for). This picture is from yesterday’s (11th of June) border crossing from Costa Rica to Panama at the binational city of Paso Canoas. I hitchhiked into a town called David around sundown with yet another good samaritan from Honduras. It was a tight call whether I could cross, but I made it! The Panamanian immigration officer asked me for my (doctored in MS Paint) flight ticket to Madrid. And it worked! But then he asked me for proof of sufficient funds, which comesContinue reading