In summer, you definitely need to travel. And if you don't have a lot of money, but a lot of craving for adventure, then hitchhiking is what you need. However, you need to know a few rules that will help you on the road. We'll talk about them, and in the end we'll tell you about a very interesting contest "Hitchhiking around Havana".
You must be washed, shaved and cleanly dressed. No traces of blood (this is not a joke, anything happens on the road) and sweat. The absence of a beard allows the driver to see your face better. It seems that drivers will be more happy to put in the car a person who looks like a student heading to the place of study than a person who looks like the soloist of the ZZ Top group.
They are cheap or very expensive — it doesn't matter, you still need to take them off. The driver should see your eyes.
This advice is not for long-distance travel, but in case you need to get somewhere in the city. By maintaining good relations with your neighbors, you can sometimes ask them to take you to the right place.
Lighten your luggage as much as possible. Ideally, it should be one not too big backpack with the most necessary. Of course, you can drag everything with you that "may be useful," but it's better if you can put the luggage on your lap in the car, and you don't have to strain the driver to open the trunk or clear the back seat of your belongings.
What kind of tricks people don't go to to get hooked. The demonstration of women's legs is already from the category of banal (and you need to be careful with this). Some are chasing a car or performing some acrobatic tricks. You know how to stand out — use it.
If you need to start your journey from a big city, then take public transport or walk to the countryside (20-30 kilometers from the city). There you will already catch a car that follows a long distance. Besides, it's silly to assume that the driver will stop and pick you up in the hustle and bustle of city traffic.
Learn the laws of hitchhiking in the city you are in. For example, it is illegal to hitchhike on highways in New Zealand.
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There is no way to say for sure whether it will help you or not. On the one hand, there is a chance to catch a car that goes straight to the destination, and on the other hand, those who do not go so far will not stop.
If you are traveling in a foreign-speaking country and do not know the language, then you can write on the sign in the local language (the dictionary will help you): "I can speak (list languages)." Perhaps the driver will want to have a companion who will be able to support the conversation, and not be limited to greeting and saying goodbye.
During rush hours (in the morning from 7 to 9, in the evening from 4 to 6), you will remain standing on the highway, despite the fact that dozens of cars pass by you. A driver who would love to give you a lift in the afternoon will not want to do it in the morning when he is taking his child to school. Office workers in the evening only think about how to get home faster, they also do not need fellow travelers.
A traveler may be lucky if he has a pathetic appearance: rain, an empty country road and he, so unhappy and lonely in this unfair world, is standing in only a T-shirt and shorts at a time when it's almost 0 ° outside. Such a traveler will also be fed on the way.
You should never think that you have a special exclusive right to travel. Of course, it is very unpleasant and tedious to stand in the rain or in the heat, watching car after car pass by you. Thoughts begin: "Well, why didn't this car take me? After all, it was completely empty …", a person loses hope, stops smiling at drivers and only lazily raises his finger up, and even then only in front of every fifth car. Remember that strangers honor you by putting you in their car, and say a strict "no" to sad thoughts.
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And now the promised story about the contest. Enthusiasts from Havana Club Russia decided to show and prove to everyone that you can hitchhike anywhere, even to Havana — the birthplace of the legendary Havana Club rum and the island where everything is possible. From a huge number of people who wanted to participate in the project, six brave souls were selected, who went from Moscow to Havana. They take photos and videos of the whole trip, as well as write reports. Periodically, they have the opportunity to earn some money by completing original tasks about the organizers. You can watch videos, photos and reports of travelers, as well as learn a lot of interesting things about hitchhiking firsthand, in the official group Havana Club Russia.
Perhaps the experience of the guys will inspire you to travel. After all, the whole summer is still ahead!
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