Bench was a hard place to sleep but Wien-Brno sign helped me a bit and it was sunny again :). Felt good. A bus to city centre and a walk to petrol station. After 45 min, Austrian man called Arnold, picked me up. He didn't know Tallinn and even Arnold Schwarzenegger until people in Nicaragua told him that. What a hell?!
He took me to Europe Bridge, big bridge near Italian border. There was a big resting place and a petrol station etc. so lots of cars and easier to hitch.
After a while, British guy Richard took me to his Lada, in which he was proud of. He was an engineer and worked near Geneve. He told that Switzerland is a damn rich place and sometimes even fasistic because of the local democracy. He drove me to Trento, by accident. Just next to the car slot he stopped on a petrol station, I got a lift immediately from a Dutch family. They were going for a vacation in southern Italy. They had just the place for one person.
They were extremely nice. They were really interested in my things and they had a bit similar mindset than me. Their son liked dried reindeer meat:). They gave hope for my future. They drove me to a petrol station near Ancona, because I wanted to go for a beach there. Then it got hard. I had several lifts along the highway but no one was going to Ancona directly. I got frustrated after 2 hours and decided to catch a lift somewhere else. I asked from an elder man, wearing a shirt of UK flag (In fact, thereby I thought he spoke good English, but he didn't). His name was Massimo (awesome name). He had his own company, working with civil engineering. I heard several times from the drivers that business isn't doing well in Italy, because of high taxes and inefficient public sector.
He drove me to St. Benedetto Del Tronto. He even found me a shop I could buy some food. He was awesome. I bought a water melon (11.360kg) and a bottle of wine and went straight to the beach to swim. Oh my god. The feeling.. And the stars. Some Russian guys were laughing with themselves nearby. I started to eat the water melon, which was a long effort. And the amount of urine! 11,360kg of water melon = how many litres of urine?? Answer: Too much! :/
I started to drink some wine and ended up hanging out with local teenagers on a beach. It was so hilarious. Reminded me of my teenager years. Like, they're telling to each other that somebody likes somebody etc. They went away and I went to search for a place to sleep.
First, I went next to a hotel. There was a dead angle spot so almost no one could notice me. I laid down sleeping bag and went sleeping. After a while I woke up and felt fucking dizzy. The feeling was similar than being langers (3rd definition). It was because of the sulfuric kind of smoke which came from the hotel and was obviously toxic. Never again. All kinds of shitty things come from human action. I went quickly away and felt better. I found a shining jewelry from the ground. It glowed in the dark. I went to a beach, sleeping on a bench. A guard came and said I'm not allowed to sleep. He went away and I chose another bench, on a darker place.
Distance travelled for the day: 691km
Writing platforms can be found anywhere!
Manifesting depths on mud
torstai 29. elokuuta 2013
tiistai 27. elokuuta 2013
Sunday 4.8, (Day 4) Mikulov - Innsbruck
Special about this day:
- First time in my life, a girl picked me up.
- First time in my life, I slept on a bench in a park
- Hanging out with local youth.
After I woke up (I always woke up early because of the brightness), I went to fill water bottles and ask lifts from the petrol station with no result. I got bored and went to the road with a sign. After 20min, a car stopped and picked me up. They were 2 Polish (again! <3 Polish people) men going hiking to the Alps. They by-passed Wien and took me straight to Salzburg. My route changed a little bit but it was also reasonable one. The driver was a hematologist and thereby, a smart guy. He believes in God and that everything happens for a reason. That's why he picked me. If I could bring something new to his life. Conversation was very pleasant. During a break, I went sitting on a field, watching the vast and broad mountain landscape and to play harmonica. They even brought me an ice cream!
They left me to petrol station along the road and I went hitching to the road, to Innsbruck. There was a rush hour and it was interesting to see all the cars going slowly and looking at me when I'm hoping to get a lift. And it was damn hot. I think I got burned. However, I didn't have to wait too long until a car stopped. First time in my life, a young woman picked me up! Usually they are afraid of hitch-hikers or something. I take me hat off to her :). She studied geology in Innsbruck. There came a thunderstorm during the ride. Felt refreshing to put hands out and feel the big raindrops and watching the Alp scenery.
It was around 5pm in Innsbruck and sunny again! I went to a shop to buy fruits and beer and walked to a nearest park to relax. How nice it can be when you are on your own, sun bathing, eating nectarines .. One girl noticed me and came hanging out with me till the night. Her friend joined along. Smoked few cigs with them. They took me to their moped, offered some pizza, tips to go out from the city and showed a safe place to sleep outside, on a bench. Luckily card boards offered a softer platform to sleep.
Distance travelled for the day: 561km
- First time in my life, a girl picked me up.
- First time in my life, I slept on a bench in a park
- Hanging out with local youth.
After I woke up (I always woke up early because of the brightness), I went to fill water bottles and ask lifts from the petrol station with no result. I got bored and went to the road with a sign. After 20min, a car stopped and picked me up. They were 2 Polish (again! <3 Polish people) men going hiking to the Alps. They by-passed Wien and took me straight to Salzburg. My route changed a little bit but it was also reasonable one. The driver was a hematologist and thereby, a smart guy. He believes in God and that everything happens for a reason. That's why he picked me. If I could bring something new to his life. Conversation was very pleasant. During a break, I went sitting on a field, watching the vast and broad mountain landscape and to play harmonica. They even brought me an ice cream!
They left me to petrol station along the road and I went hitching to the road, to Innsbruck. There was a rush hour and it was interesting to see all the cars going slowly and looking at me when I'm hoping to get a lift. And it was damn hot. I think I got burned. However, I didn't have to wait too long until a car stopped. First time in my life, a young woman picked me up! Usually they are afraid of hitch-hikers or something. I take me hat off to her :). She studied geology in Innsbruck. There came a thunderstorm during the ride. Felt refreshing to put hands out and feel the big raindrops and watching the Alp scenery.
It was around 5pm in Innsbruck and sunny again! I went to a shop to buy fruits and beer and walked to a nearest park to relax. How nice it can be when you are on your own, sun bathing, eating nectarines .. One girl noticed me and came hanging out with me till the night. Her friend joined along. Smoked few cigs with them. They took me to their moped, offered some pizza, tips to go out from the city and showed a safe place to sleep outside, on a bench. Luckily card boards offered a softer platform to sleep.
Distance travelled for the day: 561km
maanantai 26. elokuuta 2013
Saturday, 3.8. (Day 3) Chestochowa-Mikulov
It was sunny when I woke up. Went straight to petrol station to fill water bottles. After I started asking from people but nobody was willing to give a lift. Some of the cars really were full, but most of the drivers had families and don't want to take a stranger (although a very nice one) to their cars. Many of them also didn't speak English. So I headed to the road next to the petrol station with a sign. I had to wait only around 30min and a car suddenly changed the lane next to where I stood. Other cars used their horns but I was quickly in the vehicle. Driver was a Polish police officer. He had a family and showed me photos of his children. He couldn't speak English (luckily I didn't meet him in some sketchy circumstances) but we still got along pretty well. He drove around 60km to a petrol station, next to a shopping centre near Katowice. I gave him one of my Muse bills I had collected from the concert in Helsinki. I think he got glad. At least he knew the band.
I went to look for more cardboard inside the shopping centre to make signs. The cashier of the cafe in which I asked from confused a little bit but could give me. She wasn't the only person who got confused when they met me. Odd questions, speaks English, blonde hair, a big backpack etc.
It was damn refreshing to stay a while in an air conditioned shopping centre. Then back out to the petrol station to ask lifts. One car full of Russian people were willing to go drinking with me when I said I'm from Finland. Unfortunately that was all I could communicate with them. I just got a ride to Katowice so I decided to continue forward rather than going drinking. It would have been an experience, though. The driver was a young man and his mother. He studied engineering and could speak English so I got a good picture of the city where I was about to go. Katowice is an old industrial region in Poland. There was a market place just next where they left me. I collected more cardboard and bought a vegetable kebab with 5 zlotys (1,2e!!).
There was a bus going straight to Gliwice, a place near to the road to Ostrava (Czech Republic). I decided to try black riding. Bus was full of people so it was a bit difficult to be there with so much stuff. I stopped in one place which I assumed was right, went to buy some food and started to make hitching sign. In the end, the place wasn't the right one. Various people came talking with me and wished luck for me. It gives always a good feeling when random people want to support you. I took a next bus to Zabrze, asked from people how can I get to the highway. I took a third bus to Knurow. There was a man and a woman in the bus (didn't know each other) who helped me a lot. Woman spoke good English and got interested when she heard me. They wondered with themselves the right spot to hitch. I just stared and wondered what on earth are they talking about. Then they helped me to stay on the right stop and advised to right direction and spot (which was a roundabout). How can they be so helpful?
While I was walking to a roundabout, which goes to the highway, a car suddenly stops in front of me. First I didn't put a notice on it, but then a young man comes out of the car and starts shouting at my direction. I looked behind but saw no one. He really meant me. He asked if I needed a lift to Ostrava. I didn't even really use my sign before, so how could he know? I got a bit suspicious and asked again if he really was going there and he said something about the highway. He also didn't speak much English. I thought this is by far the best chance I will get so I jumped in. He also seemed reliable, however very enthusiastic.
As soon as I got in, he asked me to take two Paulaner's from the backseat. For a moment I was like: What? But yeah. He had a whole package full of Paulaner Weissbier. Namm!! First I took only to myself, because he was driving but then he wanted to himself as well. Well, he knows what he's doing. It was chill. Driving along the highway, drinking weissbier. No worries, hakunamatata.
After all, he wasn't driving to Ostrava. He made some phone calls to get me a new lift. He drove to a resting place along the highway and started asking from the drivers there. Finally, a couple with a baby agreed to take me further. If he wouldn't have asked from them, probably they wouldn't have taken me, because of the baby. Before I jumped to new car, he gave me another weissbier and two 1,5l bottles of mineral water, just because he wanted. I just can't believe it's true. I bless this guy! Do these people really exist? They're not just in the movies. I gave him one of my Muse bills. He would have reserved more.
The couple had a radio phone in their car, which they used to ask lifts from the trucks. Finally, they asked from another car in traffic lights (with Czech plates). They could give me a lift. During the traffic lights, I moved my stuff to the other car, thanked the couple and went inside. There was a man with his wife and an elder couple. They were sympathetic. I could see a bit of mountains in the horizon. They left me to a junction which leads to Brno, my next destination.
It was damn hot. I sweated like a pig. Shower would be a good thing. I went hitching to the junction, but it didn't last a lot, because I noticed a small lake. I had to go there! And I went, although it probably was a bit shitty but I didn't care. It felt amazing. I got completely new mood after that. I went to a different place with my sign. I had to wait long. I was just about to change a place, but then a car stopped. Two polish brothers going to Prague through Brno. Afterwards they took me because they thought I was local and could tell them how to navigate :). Fortunately they thought that. Well, I had a map, which helped them. The other brother was bugged because he could drive only 130-150km/hour. In Poland they can drive around 200km/hour. Such a pity.
They left me to highway next to Brno. No reply from Couchsurfers in Brno so I continued further. I walked a short distance to a road to Wien. There were nice fields by the road and it felt tempting to go there. However, I made a sign and after 45min, I got a lift to Mikulov from a man who is a martial arts teacher. He had also been in the army in few places and in war. He was a nice guy. He drove me to a petrol station, where I started to search for lifts, but got bored very soon. I met a Polish and a Russian truck driver and they offered a beer and a bit food (luckily not rekkamiehen pastilleja). We had a strong moment with the Russian driver and brotherhood between Finland and Russia. He loved Turku :).
Then sleeping. I went to a bush nearby. Trees were spiky. I put my hammock but the trees didn't bear my weight. I was there only with my underpants and I got really pissed. I changed the trees but it didn't work either. For a while, I went to the ground with a sleeping bag but it was so damn hot and mosquitoes so I just had to go elsewhere. I found bigger trees and finally it worked. I was so tired..
Distance travelled for the day: 394km
I went to look for more cardboard inside the shopping centre to make signs. The cashier of the cafe in which I asked from confused a little bit but could give me. She wasn't the only person who got confused when they met me. Odd questions, speaks English, blonde hair, a big backpack etc.
It was damn refreshing to stay a while in an air conditioned shopping centre. Then back out to the petrol station to ask lifts. One car full of Russian people were willing to go drinking with me when I said I'm from Finland. Unfortunately that was all I could communicate with them. I just got a ride to Katowice so I decided to continue forward rather than going drinking. It would have been an experience, though. The driver was a young man and his mother. He studied engineering and could speak English so I got a good picture of the city where I was about to go. Katowice is an old industrial region in Poland. There was a market place just next where they left me. I collected more cardboard and bought a vegetable kebab with 5 zlotys (1,2e!!).
There was a bus going straight to Gliwice, a place near to the road to Ostrava (Czech Republic). I decided to try black riding. Bus was full of people so it was a bit difficult to be there with so much stuff. I stopped in one place which I assumed was right, went to buy some food and started to make hitching sign. In the end, the place wasn't the right one. Various people came talking with me and wished luck for me. It gives always a good feeling when random people want to support you. I took a next bus to Zabrze, asked from people how can I get to the highway. I took a third bus to Knurow. There was a man and a woman in the bus (didn't know each other) who helped me a lot. Woman spoke good English and got interested when she heard me. They wondered with themselves the right spot to hitch. I just stared and wondered what on earth are they talking about. Then they helped me to stay on the right stop and advised to right direction and spot (which was a roundabout). How can they be so helpful?
While I was walking to a roundabout, which goes to the highway, a car suddenly stops in front of me. First I didn't put a notice on it, but then a young man comes out of the car and starts shouting at my direction. I looked behind but saw no one. He really meant me. He asked if I needed a lift to Ostrava. I didn't even really use my sign before, so how could he know? I got a bit suspicious and asked again if he really was going there and he said something about the highway. He also didn't speak much English. I thought this is by far the best chance I will get so I jumped in. He also seemed reliable, however very enthusiastic.
As soon as I got in, he asked me to take two Paulaner's from the backseat. For a moment I was like: What? But yeah. He had a whole package full of Paulaner Weissbier. Namm!! First I took only to myself, because he was driving but then he wanted to himself as well. Well, he knows what he's doing. It was chill. Driving along the highway, drinking weissbier. No worries, hakunamatata.
After all, he wasn't driving to Ostrava. He made some phone calls to get me a new lift. He drove to a resting place along the highway and started asking from the drivers there. Finally, a couple with a baby agreed to take me further. If he wouldn't have asked from them, probably they wouldn't have taken me, because of the baby. Before I jumped to new car, he gave me another weissbier and two 1,5l bottles of mineral water, just because he wanted. I just can't believe it's true. I bless this guy! Do these people really exist? They're not just in the movies. I gave him one of my Muse bills. He would have reserved more.
The couple had a radio phone in their car, which they used to ask lifts from the trucks. Finally, they asked from another car in traffic lights (with Czech plates). They could give me a lift. During the traffic lights, I moved my stuff to the other car, thanked the couple and went inside. There was a man with his wife and an elder couple. They were sympathetic. I could see a bit of mountains in the horizon. They left me to a junction which leads to Brno, my next destination.
It was damn hot. I sweated like a pig. Shower would be a good thing. I went hitching to the junction, but it didn't last a lot, because I noticed a small lake. I had to go there! And I went, although it probably was a bit shitty but I didn't care. It felt amazing. I got completely new mood after that. I went to a different place with my sign. I had to wait long. I was just about to change a place, but then a car stopped. Two polish brothers going to Prague through Brno. Afterwards they took me because they thought I was local and could tell them how to navigate :). Fortunately they thought that. Well, I had a map, which helped them. The other brother was bugged because he could drive only 130-150km/hour. In Poland they can drive around 200km/hour. Such a pity.
They left me to highway next to Brno. No reply from Couchsurfers in Brno so I continued further. I walked a short distance to a road to Wien. There were nice fields by the road and it felt tempting to go there. However, I made a sign and after 45min, I got a lift to Mikulov from a man who is a martial arts teacher. He had also been in the army in few places and in war. He was a nice guy. He drove me to a petrol station, where I started to search for lifts, but got bored very soon. I met a Polish and a Russian truck driver and they offered a beer and a bit food (luckily not rekkamiehen pastilleja). We had a strong moment with the Russian driver and brotherhood between Finland and Russia. He loved Turku :).
Then sleeping. I went to a bush nearby. Trees were spiky. I put my hammock but the trees didn't bear my weight. I was there only with my underpants and I got really pissed. I changed the trees but it didn't work either. For a while, I went to the ground with a sleeping bag but it was so damn hot and mosquitoes so I just had to go elsewhere. I found bigger trees and finally it worked. I was so tired..
Distance travelled for the day: 394km
sunnuntai 25. elokuuta 2013
Friday, 2.8. (Day 2) Kaunas-Chestochowa
I woke up from the bush. Sun shined. It was chill. I ate a bit of dried fruits, packed my stuff and went to the petrol station to ask a lift towards Warsaw from the drivers when they fill their cars. After 30 min, I got a 5km lift to a next petrol station from a young guy. After a while, one man agreed to take me to a 3rd petrol station, which was along the highway to Poland, so it should be much easier to hitch from there. I started hitching with a sign along the highway, because the petrol station itself was totally empty. Sometimes a car stopped near for another reason and they refused to take me. After an hour, a truck stopped and took me to Polish border. He was a Russian man and couldn’t speak English. I had to try my Russian again. I almost fell asleep.
After he left me to the border, I wandered around a little to find a good spot. It was damn hot and I was tired. Few polish guys I met advised me to go to a place where drivers take breaks. Drivers said either no, or they were going to another direction. One car demanded 100e to drive me to Warsaw. I refused politely. I went to the road just before the border with a sign. It started to rain a little bit. I started to feel a bit desperate and almost smoked a cigarette but I could say no to the temptation because it would have felt like surrendering.
After 15min, a little truck stopped and agreed to take me straight to Warsaw. I felt so glad. Against all odds. He offered me a cigarette. It felt again as a reward. He couldn’t speak English that much but he laughed a lot and I could communicate quite easily with my gestures. He let me sleep because I was so tired and even apologized for bumpy roads. During the middle way, we went eating traditional Polish food. He wanted to offer that meal for me and refused when I said I could pay. How can he be so kind? The food was so good. Creamy soup with sausage and boiled eggs in it and sausage with sauerkraut and fries. And Coke! I’m 90% vegetarian but during this trip I loosed it a bit, to make things easier.
So, I travelled in Warsaw, trying to search for the place to Katowice which Hitchwiki.org recommended. I had to ask from many people and they were very willing to help. One Polish guy came talking with me while hitching and we travelled by bus to a better place to hitch. After finding the recommended spot it was already dark, but only after 5 min, a car stopped and took me to Chestochowa, to a petrol station only about 60km from Katowice. I had had enough of hitching for that day so I went to nearest park, in the middle of trees and bushes behind a big pipeline, put my hammock and went sleeping.
Travelled distance for the day: 637km
Thursday, 1.8. Beginning of my journey + info and preparations (Day 1), Helsinki-Kaunas
What: Hitch-hiking alone from Finland to Italy to see a friend. To Croatia to a music festival. To Amsterdam to a gig.. and something else.
When: 1-22.8.2013.
Kilometres by hitching:
Tallinn-Caserta (3158km): http://goo.gl/maps/tYvCP .
Split-Deringaj (204km): http://goo.gl/maps/mHST0. Billund-Amsterdam (736km): http://goo.gl/maps/Xglav.
Split-Deringaj (204km): http://goo.gl/maps/mHST0. Billund-Amsterdam (736km): http://goo.gl/maps/Xglav.
Preparations for the journey:
- a backpack, a shoulder bag
- a sleeping bag
- a hammock
- clothes in a plastic bag (to prevent
getting wet), also pair of wool socks, gloves, a buff scarf, a towel
- pair of sandals, pair of sneakers
- a raincoat
- a headlamp
- earplugs
- cardboard and crayons for hitching
signs
- matches
- a mobile phone, a charger
- bandages, plasters, painkillers
- desinfection liquid, toilet equipment
- a waterbottle
- a camera
- a roadmap of Europe
- Finnish- Russian dictionary
- dried reindeer meat, dried fruits,
nuts, coconut oil
- a traveller belt
- sewing equipment
- a spoon and a plate
- a blowable pillow (from wine
container)
- a swiss knife 2X
- a compass
- a cotton bag
- readings
- Muse bills collected from the band's
gig as a memory of me
- Couchsurfing requests sent to few
places
- Tips written up from Hitchwiki.org
Helsinki- Kaunas
Families, especially young children, stared at me with my backpack. The ferry terminal in Helsinki was crowded. I used my Swiss knife to cut cardboard for hitching signs. Children kept on staring at me.
On the ferry, I met Mara, a man between 50-60 years old. He was talkative, easy-going, plays guitar and I could sense the life experience when he talked. He got interested about my music projects and was willing to help and support when I return back from the trip. He offered long-drinks, because he had too many, and played my harmonica. He gave a good start and feeling to the journey I was about to begin. It decreased my excitement. He also gave me a sailor’s bag, just in case if I would have a need for it. I also found out that I had forgot my camera’s battery at home. Damn it, but no can do.
I went in front of the drivers cabin to ask a lift to Riga/Kaunas. I was too late. They had already gone down to the truck level. I went down there to ask, but didn’t get any. However, I got stuck between the trucks, because there was very little space between them and I had lots of stuff with me. They started to start the engines. I started to panic. Such a poor end for me. Finally, I could struggle myself out and return back to upper levels. A slight depression came out. After trying so hard with no result. I also found out that my water bottle had dropped out while struggling out between the trucks. I met Mara again. He was a bit tipsy and offered some more long-drinks to cheer me up.
I was in Tallinn around 2pm. I started to hitch from the harbor and after 30 min, I got a lift from a truck. Driver’s name was Sergei, from Russia. I got so excited that it was hard to get in the truck. He couldn’t speak English, so I had to try to remember some words in Russian. In Latvian border, he got me to another truck to drive me further by using radio phones they have with them in every truck. Second truck driver shouted “Davai, davai!”. And so we continued. He was also Russian and couldn’t speak English. I played some harmonica in the truck :). It rained a while outside and I was relieved because I didn’t have to be there.
Travelled distance for the day: 557km
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