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| Hitching in Poland |
The first time I hitch-hiked (or autostop as it is known in Spanish) was in Poland. Correction: the first time I attempted hitch-hiking, was in Poland back in September of last year. It was a really strange experience. My host at the time had recommended I do it to get to Prague and he knew a good spot to do it. Although he wasn't going to travel with me, he "escorted" me to the location and stood by providing moral support - which I definitely needed. In certain parts of Europe, hitching is a viable mode of transportation. It is somewhat romanticized among the backpackers and I figured since I was backpacking in Europe I should try it. However, in my memory, I had a very different stigma about hitch-hiking. Growing up in Southern California, I don't recall seeing what I would have classified as "backpackers" trying to hitch a ride. What I remember is middle aged men sitting at freeway on-ramps looking disheveled and stinky. Surely I've seen younger cleaner versions, but those don't stick out in my mind. Perhaps it's because they always got picked up quickly before I saw them?
Regardless, my first hitching experience was a tough one. I stood out there for nearly two hours without a single offer. Discouraged but still upbeat, I ran back to the train station to catch the last train of the day that would have gotten me all the way to Prague without missing the connecting train at the border, leaving me stranded in the middle of nowhere. The day was not a complete failure because for I learned a lot. I learned what it felt like to be on that end of the hitching sign, and it wasn't as easy as I thought. Since then, I have hitched a number of times in various countries, and each has been a great experience.
