Nice Janitors

Two nice guys who drove me to the main road checkpoint. Didn't ask for money like almost everyone in Dahab and were really happy to take a foreigner.

Two Guys Delivering Something

Two guys in a pick up truck, one of whom spoke a little English, which combined with my poor Arabic worked great. A policeman at a checkpoint actually hitched them for me, which was awesome as I'd only waited about 5 minutes and they were going directly to Taba. Was a little reluctant to add this trip since they did ask for money at the end of the ride and I gave them about… (read on in Trip)

Cops Detain Me and Hitch My Last Egyptian Ride

The police were pretty agitated to see a foreigner in a regular Egyptians' car – only taxis are allowed to take foreigners, although Egyptians can hitch just fine… They were also pretty pissed off at me, saying "no money, no money" before I had a chance to explain myself. Was stuck at the checkpoint for 2 hrs (with them not allowing me to leave on foot, even though Taba was… (read on in Trip)

The Traveling American

Approached at a gas station and was happy to take me (my American accent might've helped me out). Worked as a machine repairman and had traveled in and out of the US every week for 40 years! He'd just come from Massachusetts and was going to Northern England to repair a machine and then he was off to Singapore. Talked a lot about travels and about how he used to live in Japan…. (read on in Trip)

Two Afghanis

Two Afghanis on their way from Sheffield to Manchester to pick up a friend from the airport. Had a really interesting conversation about Afghanistan, the world, politics, UK, food and just about everything else. Another great ride through the Peak District.

The Traveling Irishman

Guy in a Jaguar (!) off to Luton Airport. Really Irish and positive. Worked as a floor construction contractor.

Girl Off to Church in MK

Nice black girl going to church in Milton Keynes. Her sister also studied at UCL. Seemed a little tense.

Guy Who Used to Work in Spain

Drove in a truck and was delivering some electrical components. Had two deliveries but said he was going all the way to Rava Ruska, so I didn't mind. Said he used to live in Spain for 10 years and had to work 6am to 10pm every day during those 10 years.

Babushka Going to the Border

Older guy driving a babushka to the border where she'd cross with someone else (probably to make money by increasing the driver's duty free allowance). The driver didn't speak (probably had a stroke), but seemed really excited when I told them I was from Slovakia.

Gastarbeiters Going to Poland

Approached a couple of people standing in line, but all declined, even after I explained my "cool" hitching adventures :P Eventually found a minibus with 3 Ukrainians going to Poland to work. They were going somewhere near Warsaw, which was unclear almost until the very end of the ride. Waited 3:43 hrs at the border, which they said was actually quite good (as always, Poles… (read on in Trip)

Guy with Family in Slovakia

After cursing and walking through the most desolate Polish countryside with very short lifts and absolutely no traffic I got a lift out of a tiny village with a grandpa and his grandson and afterwards, what I learned was the guy's neighbor pulled over right after the guy dropped me off. He was probably my age and from the village. He had a cousin who married to Slovakia and I… (read on in Trip)

Racer X

Nice guy from Zamosc who really pushed the limit of his car at some points. Probably broke my speed record with this guy (2 new records within a week, oh Poland…) as I couldn't see the speedometer, but when I checked my phone's GPS it said 185 kph at it seemed less than what he drove previously. He worked in IT but looked like an orthodox priest (had a dark beard and very… (read on in Trip)

Mother with Son

Mother with her son on their way to a summer camp. Could've taken me almost to the main border, but I chose to go through some tiny villages to use a crossing where pedestrians were allowed.

Unintelligible Older Guy

Stopped after about a 30 minute walk during which not a single car passed by me! Older guy pulled over eventually and took me to the local main village. He seemed to have a speech impediment and talked quite fast, so I had a very hard time understanding him. Got me to a road leading directly to the border crossing.

Nice Lady

Lady who was driving home from work to a village near the crossing. She said her husband worked abroad and that she also went to Germany in summer to pick fruit in order to get some extra money. Went on a detour to take me all the way to the border crossing because "these Ukrainians won't take you".

Short ride to a shop

Although the border crossing was for pedestrians, it took forever (as always in Poland). Right after I asked a guy if he could take me towards Lviv. He was only going to a nearby shop, but I didn't mind as I needed a simcard to let my CS host know I headed for Lviv.

Two Guys and Loud Music

Took me to a roundabout where everyone would be going to Lviv. Fairly deserted.

Two Guys driving from Kyiv

Two guys, seemed fairly curious about my trips. Gave me a lot of good tips for Lviv. The other passenger paid the driver in the end, so I think it was probably blablacar. Didn't ask me for money and everyone else also seemed to understand hitchhiking was for free (unlike other people's experiences in Ukraine).

College Students

Three college students on their way to Warsaw. Wasn't clear why they were driving in a van with a Krakow license plate (they all studied in Warsaw). Didn't talk much.

Warsaw Girl now living in Prague

After unsuccessfully asking truckers (most were still sleeping), I went for the gas station parking lot and pretty much the second car I asked said yes. It was a woman from Warsaw, who'd now lived in Prague and her Czech was so good I'd hardly ever guess she was Polish. Drove me to a gas station right after Olomouc and was going to Warsaw the next day!

Interesting Guy from Brno

Started hitching on the road which led to the highway ramp – not an ideal spot, cars were going to three different direction and most were probably local traffic. Given it was a Saturday morning, I decided to walk towards the ramp (about 1km), but the ramp was even more deserted. I figured "fuck it" and went straight for the highway. Luckily there was a huge shoulder there… (read on in Trip)

Polish Trucker

Super kind Polish trucker. Initially agreed to take me to the Polish gas station right after the border, but eventually took me all the way to Siewierz (which is the direct road to Warsaw). Talked about Poland and Slovakia and how he was looking forward to retire. Had driven all over Europe, from Russia to the UK, incl. Turkey, etc. Very clean truck. Actually got off the… (read on in Trip)

Insane Guy From Gdansk

Don't know what it is about people from Gdansk, but they all seem to be insanely kind and open. This guy was in a Mercedes mom-van with Austrian license plates. Drifted off the road to stop for me and got honked at pretty aggressively (which was partially my fault as it was a dumb spot). Anyway, he'd lived in Vienna for almost 17 years (used to live in Moscow and Germany… (read on in Trip)

Entrepreneur from Zilina

Nice middle-aged guy in a fairly fancy ride (can't remember what brand it was). Talked about his software business and the EU/migrants. Short ride to Zilina.

Hitched a BlaBlaCar

Super short wait and an older Skoda pulls over. Inside a student from Liptovsky Mikulas and his Blablacar passenger, an older guy from Orava. They were going to Brno. Had a great conversation about everything and they were quite interested in my hh' stories from the US.

Slovak-Hungarian Trucker

Pretty empty gas station near Trencin. Asked around (incl. some Polish people who could've taken but wouldn't…), then hitched and after it got even more deserted decided to ask truckers. Had a conversation with a really pessimistic guy while asking – he thought everything was a danger and the world was out to get him. Was nice though, as he would've taken me if he was going… (read on in Trip)

Couple from Prievidza

Really nice couple from Prievidza on their way to see a pregnant friend in Austria. Asked the girl while she was alone in the car and she said they might take me if her boyfriend was ok with it. When the guy got in some deliberation took place and he eventually gestured to hop in. Talked about travels and Japan, but especially about how they liked Munich.

Racist Guy Off Work

Picked me up at the famous Zlate Piesky gas station and was only going to Senec. I agreed even though I wasn't sure there was a gas station in between (which was a mistake as he did mention a gas station, although it was off the highway…) Anyway, once I mentioned I studied in the UK, he replied he wouldn't have gone there as it was 'full of fucking niggers"… Glad it was such a short ride….

Nice Gypsy Guy Commuting Home

Most ironic ride of all time. Waited the least of all rides (5min) on this trip even though the spot was extremely bad – US-style highway ramp with no shoulder (although it was fairly wide). The guy was a gypsy(take that racist guy!) from the East (I had a hard time understanding his dialect, even though I'm fairly familiar with eastern dialects) on his way home to his family… (read on in Trip)

Another Entrepreneur with his Dad

Two guys in a neat (and probably brand new) Land Rover going to Ilava. Really wanted to talk to me about the UK (and especially about the election and Brexit) but the guy had to deal with a supplier on the phone who wouldn't sell him tools on an invoice (ie. on credit) and got quite angry. Could've been a nice conversation.

Young Guy from Zilina

On his way to Zilina. Talked about the Warsaw, UK, Brexit and how phone companies are screwing Slovakia.

"Vychodniar"

A typical "vychodniar" – ie. a person from the East. I held a sign saying "MT" for Martin, my final destination. He actually passed by me and turned around to come back for me because he thought I had a sign for "MI" which is Michalovce a town waaaay East (about 300 km). He wanted to help out a fellow "vychodniar"(which I am ¼) and have some company all the way home, so he… (read on in Trip)

Irish Taxi Driver

Worked as a "private hire" driver and was on his way from Heathrow to Luton, which was perfect for me. Used to hitch himself. A 5-minute wait was so refreshing after the US…

Van Driver

Worked as a janitor and hitched himself. Was going to Birmingham.

Hungarian Truck Driver

After about 30 minutes of going around asking drivers at Corley Services, I decided to ask truckers. Saw a Hungarian license plate and tried "jo napot kivanok". The guy was going to Liverpool so he drove me very close to Manchester and I got off at Knutsford services. After two long, mostly sleepless days and a 6-hour flight, I slept through most of the ride. Didn't talk much… (read on in Trip)

Guy from Devon

Asked around at Knutsford and this guy was going to Manchester via Princess Rd. Was going to a concert (some folk singer I've never heard of).

Two Girl-friends

Two kind friends on their way to work. Had an interesting chat about life, one of them had become pregnant at 14 years old. Gave me about $30 because I reminded her of her son… Great start for Tennessee after failing in Atlanta.

Carpenter in a Pickup Truck

Another super-short wait in Tennessee. The guy was really nice and was self-employed as a carpenter. He wasn't able to go to college because he was dyslexic. Stopped at McDonalds and bought breakfast for both of us. Supported Trump and believed Obama was set on destroying America. Eventually decided to go a bit further to get me to a good spot and stopped at a gas station,… (read on in Trip)

Hitching in a Thunderstorm...

With a thunderstorm slowly approaching, I tried to hitch at an Interstate on-ramp. After about an hour, it started pouring down and I could hear thunder fairly nearby so I sought shelter at a nearby gas station. I wasn't allowed to hitch there due to "company policy", so I grabbed a burger and moved on to the competition next door and started asking around without permission…. (read on in Trip)

The Silent Couple

Fairly long wait in the Tennessee sun. I eventually made a sign saying "Euro Student on Budget" to make sure people didn't mistake me for a junkie/homeless person. Had a local cop pull over to check my ID, which took about 20 minutes while he stared at my UK driver's license and my Slovak passport, constantly radioing to god-knows-where. After that, some Asian family stopped… (read on in Trip)

Longest wait and no ride in the end...

Tried various I-75 on-ramps. A cumulative wait time for 3 different spots. First was 3 hrs without any success, although 2 cars stopped (both going in the wrong direction). The second spot attracted an uber driver from Haiti after approx. 20 min., who took me for free to the next exit (about 3 miles, still deep suburbia). The third spot was completely hopeless and I gave up… (read on in Trip)

The Jobless, Homeless Floridian

Picked me up at a Georgia Welcome Center where I'd spend the night. I tried to hitch him(was thumbing, didn't feel like provoking the attendants who could kick me out of a great spot). He stopped, but got out to smoke, so I kept on hitching. Asked where I was going and when I said Atlanta, he said he could take me there, which saved me a lot of hitching that day. About three… (read on in Trip)