22.8 (Day 22) Last days in Amsterdam + thoughts about the journey

My two days in Amsterdam were different. I was with my two friends, having a city holiday. I could leave my stuff to their hotel room and spend time in the city as a normal tourist, without a huge backpack and dust in my legs. We went to see a gig. I could sleep inside, on a soft, comfortable bed. I slept so well, by the way. The night was best in ages. My friends were so nice. I could sleep with them, to discuss deeply about things.

Late night, I went wandering my own, with harmonica. I wanted to explore, see the people going to their ways. I felt like I'm not part of their reality. Maybe I even wanted to feel alienated from them, an outsider. I enjoyed being alone. I went to look for food, a strange habit I learned. I found some chips. I went to play harmonica by the canal, like in some romantic movies. Nothing happened, however :/. I meandered in parks and met some alternative people to play guitar with. Some young, 16 year old people, hitch-hiked from east Germany! And I thought I was young :O.

I hadn't done check-in yet to the flight so I had to pay some additional bullshit, also for my backpack. But then, I was approaching Helsinki. Lights just closed down in the plane. Soon, I'm back home, alive, happy with new friends, and wiser.. well, hopefully. Life carries and supports you, wherever you go.

Mental attitude during the trip is different compared to normal routine life. Lots of energy, no worries, simple life. You are careless, positive and radiate good energy. People you meet usually come along for short times only, few days max. But they stay, at least in your heart. I remember all the people I met, so vividly. In petrol stations, borders, parks, some sketchy forest paths in the middle of the night.

I sometimes forget how my attitude was back then. I think, sometimes, I get that same, positive glowing feeling in my everyday life. And I remember how it was hard for me to adapt back, like there was no adventure anymore. That's depressing. But there are always adventures. You just need to see and search for them.

FINALLY, it might interest my dear readers, how much did all of this cost..
I counted everything, food, bus, plane tickets, money transfer costs, festivals, gig tickets, EVERYTHING. In three weeks, I spent 600e. For the first 8 days, I spent 54e.

Wednesday 21.8 (Day 21) Hamburg- Amsterdam

Last day of hitch-hiking, but not an easy one. I had to travel around 475 km before System Of a Down start its concert. I had around 12 hours time but I already had the ticket so it was necessary to be there on time.. but also awake! Hitching is a tiring activity sometimes.

For the first time during the trip, I had an alarm for morning, that I would succeed on my effort. I woke up 7 am, sun shined. Went straight to the petrol station looking for lift. I met two German hitch-hikers. They were just starting their trip. The boy even gave me a sandwich :). I asked for a lift around 1½ hours, until a young woman came to me and said she could drive me to Bremen. Wow! Young women rarely do that. It was nice talking with her. With her sport car, I got quickly to Bremen. She left me to a big petrol station. I went to look for a lift to Osnabrück, my next destination.

 After 1 hour, a big truck stopped there. It was loaded with pigs, probably going to a slaughterhouse. It was easy to notice them due to the noises. I went to see them. There were so many of them. I wanted to cheer them up a bit. Only thing which came to my mind was that I gave the rest of the raisins to them I had with me, so they could chew something sweet and tasty before getting slaughtered.

Finally, I got a lift from 3 elder people. They haven't ever took a hitch-hiker before. They were going to Osnabrück, to see their relative's newborn child. One of their children liked Finland a lot. They took plenty of pictures of me, because it was such a unique experience for them. I asked them to send those pictures to me but they never did, unfortunately :/.

Immediately after the lift, I spotted a car with the Netherlands-registration plate. This could go to right direction. There was a middle-aged woman filling that car. She was suspicious at first but accepted to take me when I said I'm from Finland. It was also the first time for her to take a hitch-hiker. She laughed to herself that her daughter will be shocked about this. She was clever and analytical. It was inspiring to talk with her. She drove me to Enschede, to a petrol station. She really gave me a good mood.

 After 10 min, I got a lift from a Danish truck driver. He couldn't speak English very well and wasn't very talkative, so I slept most of the time. He drove me to 10 km from Amsterdam. I thanked him a lot. After 5 min, I got a lift from a young guy who drove to Amsterdam city centre. He worked at Amnesty International and had done lots of things with the alternative music scene in Amsterdam. He said the atmosphere in there is going stricter. Local government isn't that liberal anymore and doesn't give space for alternative people to arrange events. He was cool.

Then, finally, I got to Amsterdam. Last destination reached, very smoothly. And it was only 2 pm.

Distance traveled for the day: 475km

Tuesday 20.8 (Day 20) Billund- Hamburg

I spent my night in Zadar airport. During security check, I had to give away my little Swiss knife, which had been traveling with me the last 10 years. It had come very handy in every situation. I should have known that this might happen but.. no can do.
Therefore, I got a bit sad. I started to make a hitching sign while waiting for the flight. One young guy noticed this and came talking with me. He was boheme, liberal, from Copenhagen and had also done hitch-hiking. We came along well. He was coming from the Rainbow-gathering. He said his father could give me a short lift from Billund airport, which was a positive surprise. We talked about structural flaws in society and democracy :). Pretty high-flown.
After arrival in Billund, we met a young nice group also coming from Lost Theory. A bit later I found out that my new friend's father wasn't able to give me a lift, but fortunately, the group we met were so kind to give me a lift to a petrol station near Vejle. It was along the highway, so I could easily get a lift towards south.

However, it wasn't as easy as I thought. I had to ask from many trucks and cars, lasting around 1½ hours. There was even one truck with Finnish registration sign!!
Finally, I got a ride from a car. He was a middle-aged man, and had given lifts before. I travelled around 40 km to south, to Kolding. There I got almost immediately a 10 km lift. They left me to a break spot for cars. After an hour of searching, Romanian truck driver drove me near to Germany border. He was funny and smart fellow. It's always interesting to hear critical thinking of one's home countries, this time Romania. The thing is interesting there. They have such a beautiful landscape, lots of natural resources, potential for tourism, but still the country's not doing very well. Of course heritage from Cold War and Ceausescu (the dictator) still effects.
The driver had this funny cigarette-making machine, which I hadn't ever used before. He didn't think he would return to Romania for a while. He lives in Germany, tries to search a fine lady and drives a truck around the neighbor countries. He had a dream of traveling around places and searching for old castles.

He left me next to truck toll, where the trucks continue their destination. I got a lift almost immediately. He was going to Hamburg but because of strict working hour-agreements, he couldn't continue any further because his daily working hours were finished. So he had to left me to break spot, about 70 km from Hamburg to north. I thanked him very much and he felt a bit sad because he couldn't drive me any further. I didn't expect this to happen but decided to continue because there was still light. However, there wasn't many cars at the break spot, which whom to ask.

I asked from an elder couple. First they were a bit suspicious but then they were able to help me. However, at the same time, another car stopped. I went to ask from the driver and he said he was able to drive me near Hamburg. I thanked the elder couple and jumped in to the car. He couldn't speak well English but I found out he was a car mechanic. He was extremely helpful. As we stopped to a petrol station around 10km from Hamburg, he came with me to search for a lift, but I said he doesn't need to do that. I thanked him and went to look for a lift to Bremen. It was already dark, so it's harder to find one. People think me as more suspicious (than normally).

One driver first said they were going to a different direction, but as we looked at the map, we found out his direction is even better than my route. He thought for a second and finally said the car is full....
I mean, why didn't he say that in the beginning? He gave me hope and then smashed it. Well, I just said how unfortunate and continued hitching for few minutes but got tired and motivation was  also gone. I went to look for a place to sleep, and found one behind the petrol station, in a little forest. First it was very pleasant but later I found out I should have used wool socks, because the night was already a bit cold

Distance travelled for the day: 286 km

Friday 16th- Monday 19th (Days 16-19) Festival life + Deringaj- Zadar

Lost Theory- festival life:

I won't depict details of my festival life, but I say some general and interesting events.

Festival area was a broad valley, surrounded by mountains covered by forest. There ran a river just next the festival area. It was part of a nature protection area. It was allowed to swim in the river, and the water was very refreshing under a hot climate. Nights were cold, though. 

Music was mostly psychedelic music, techno, house, minimal end experimental. And decoration was mind-blowing, especially during the night. Imaginary shapes pointed at the trees with using lights and different materials, with the music sounds. Rather surrealistic. And then all the people wandering around the area, dancing like beasts in their own flow throughout the night, chilling around. It was easy to meet new people and the atmosphere was international.

Afterwards I heard all the electricity was generated through aggregates. It was a big negative side, because the festival wanted to market itself as environmentally friendly. 

I had some sketchy meetings with people in weird environments. Well, they improved my self-consciousness and I could learn new things about myself, but one certain amazing event happened.
 During the last night, I couldn't dance anymore, it was around 4 am. First I thought of going to sleep, but instead, I started walking to the river, in the dark, with my head lamp. As I thought, there was a campfire, other side of the river. I walked over the dam with my barefoot, because the dam was underwater. I went next to the campfire. There were some French people, which couldn't speak English very well, and then a Bosnian guy. Others went sleeping and I kept on talking with the Bosnian guy. He loved the area, and nature in there. He had been there for ages and wanted to keep it pure and clean. Apparently, there was some debate that the area will be sold to someone, who would block open access to the place. We stayed awake till the sun rose, talking philosophical things, praising women (especially our mother's) and drinking beer. I went swimming to the cold river. It was magical cos' no one was around and fog rose from water. I heard only the sound of river rapids. I could even warm myself with the campfire. I said goodbye to the Bosnian guy and went sleeping.

On Monday, Lost Theory was over, and I had to get to Zadar somehow, cos' my flight was about to leave there on next day. I said goodbye to all nice people I had met there and headed for the parking area. I asked for a lift and had a sign. After a while, however, I decided to take a minibus there. I was very tired so it was an easy choice. There was also few other people in the bus. I slept almost the whole journey. After we arrived, we went to have a beer with one German guy, which was a chill thing to do. He had done WWOOFing, volunteering in an organic farm. I got interested in it and that's certainly one thing I will do in some point. I had also bought food from a shop so then I took a bus to the airport and slept my night over there. I slept on soft benches in a corner. There were also pillows. I decided to give them to other sleeping people, to make them feel a bit more comfortable.

Thursday 15.8, (Day 15) Sibenik- Deringaj

Let me tell something about Ivan. He used to live in Zagreb with his family. Eventually, apparently he got frustrated to the atmosphere of a city and alienation from nature. They decided to move to Sibenik's countryside, where he bought a piece of land and built a new home. They planted fruit trees, different vegetables, herbs, founded a chicken farm. Some of the bio waste, such as fruit peels, go to chickens. Chicken's feces act as fertilizer to the ground, so there's no need for artificial fertilizers. They have partly succeeded in closing the loop with waste. True waste management!! They also make wine by using grapes they have. Food they use is almost always produced nearby. Ivan said one particular sentence I remember: " Natural, green, but not extreme!". 

However, thing which harms me, when living in a countryside, is the necessary need for a car. And eating animals, which is, however, from organic and local livestock. Ivan is very interested in politics an bravely puts critique on politicians and arguments with them, which I support. For that reason, we had interesting conversations. He had also been in the Yugoslavian war. 

Ivan came to wake me up. Straight when I joined to others, I got a cup of coffee. They were going to buy some bread from a bakery. I joined with them with the cup and we drove to the bakery. Personnel were Albanian and professionals at doing such delicious breads. I stared at the products with my mouth open, with the coffee cup in my hand. Then buying some stuff for a big dinner with their relatives, which was going to take place in a national park. Our plan was that I continue hitching after we have had the dinner.

When we got back, we ate scrambled eggs (from the chickens of course!). Ivan had to say few times that I have to focus on eating, not talking. After breakfast Ivan showed the chickens. For the first time in my life, I picked up eggs straight from the chickens and could hold them in my hands. I felt so sincere. Then eating ficus straight from a tree.

Then, we packed all our stuff to cars and headed first for a traditional visit to a monastery island in the middle of a lake, near a national park. There was a mass going on. After the mass, we wished peace for each others and for the first time, I ate Holy Bread, albeit I'm not a Christian. We strolled around that beautiful place. Monks take care of the wonderful gardens they had over there. We returned back from the island and met more relatives, which were familiar and comfortable. Then we drove to an old, small, original village. 

Sitting in an old village

In the cellar, meat hanging with white mold on it

We went to a cellar. there were meat pieces hanging from the ceiling, with white mold culture on them. They were going to be delicious, in which the mold decays the meat and gives a certain taste. 

We continued to a former battleground, in which Ivan had been to, fighting for Croatia 20 years ago. It's odd to imagine the landscape in that way. There weren't any visual links to the war. However, there are still mines left in the ground. 

Then, we went to Krka national park. The whole family, consisting of relatives and friends, approximately 20 people, gathered together to eat. And what did we eat?? We ate a whole lamb. For the first time, I ate brains :P.

Wondering the right route to Deringaj

Company from youth to elders

Everybody's watching when vegetarian feasts on lamb meat

 I kind of forgot I had to continue hitching. Instead, I went swimming with others to a lake, a very special one, one reason why the place was a national park. There were waterfalls, little ones, so you could go under and get yourself a water massage. There was also an old hydro station, apparently the oldest one in Europe. Water flowed to a depression, so it formed a natural Jacuzzi. Of course I went there and well.. It was unbelievable! There was also a delta, which formed a diverse habitat for different species.

Then a coffee and after we drove away, to a little town which had a party because of the religious holiday. The town had a nickname: "Oklahoma City". The sun was already setting. I got worried that how can I continue hitching, if I'm going to be alone in the dark night of Croatian countryside. What happened?? Something unbelievable. They decided to drive me straight to the festival, distance being around 70km. The gratitude I felt had no limits. How can these things happen. They even gave me 3 liters of home made wine and a piece of lamb for provision! Younger ones came with me so I had to say goodbye to the ones who had taken so good care of me. We were all pretty tired. Finally, we got to the festival and it was the time for goodbye. For a while I felt as being a part of the family. I will never forget them. I can't ever show them the gratitude I felt. It was the end of one adventure and beginning of other one. I found my friends (from Finland) from the camping area and got very happy. I could even sleep in their tent. It was strange to speak Finnish with them. Soon I felt asleep. 

Travelled distance for the day: 121 km

Wednesday 14.8, (Day 14) Split - Sibenik

I woke up around 7 am at the ferry. I went to a deck to see the view. Croatian coastal line is just beautiful. Ferry was already approaching the harbor so I went to a bottom deck with my sign to ask for a lift to Zadar. After asking from many drivers, nobody could give me a lift forward. I stepped out from the ferry among others and went to harbor exit to hitch with a sign. I stood there around 20 min until a guy came and said it's a better spot a bit further. I didn't follow his tip, instead I went to search for a bus to Dugopolje. That was a place Hitchwiki.org recommended. Public transportation is rather feasible so I was okay with it. The driver was helpful and soon I could get out from the right stop, which was a petrol station. It was along a highway which goes partly to right direction.

So my aim was to reach Deringaj, where a psychedelic music festival called Lost Theory, was about to begin on the same day. I couldn't imagine the effort I had to do.. I started asking from the drivers on the petrol station. No result. Some of the people were going to different direction, somebody's car was full, somebody was going to Sibenik, somebody said the car was full although it wasn't. That's one thing which really frustrates me. But no can do. I decided to stay positive and polite. After an hour or two, I went to the road with the sign, with no result. I came back. I made a sign to Zagreb, if it would work better. One more hour. I was getting really desperate. And it was damn hot, like in Italy in August. My water reserves decreased and decreased. I got a 4km lift to a better spot, from a family. Although I just briefly met them, the woman promised to accommodate me if I sometimes arrive to Zagreb. It cheered me up a bit. They drove me near to a high-way toll, where all the cars have to stop and they go to right direction. However, there was a sign "no autostop" although it doesn't make any sense, because we don't cause any threat by hitching in front of a toll. Cars have to stop there anyway.

I wasn't alone. First there came a couple, other at least was from Poland. They also thought hitching in Croatia was surprisingly difficult which I had noticed. Then another couple, two boys also came there hitching. I stood there around an hour and came really really frustrated and tired. After eating only some fruits for breakfast, standing in front of the sun for 4 hours, there's nothing surprising about it.. I was also in a hurry, going to the festival. It was such a surprise for me that hitching can be so hard. On the first hand you meet amazing, helpful, local people but on the other hand, you might stand next to a road for many hours with no result, starving there. In those situations, it's hard to stay positive.

But finally!! A car stopped, an old van. I went straight inside. There was a middle-aged man. He was going to Sibenik. I decided to go because I wanted go forward, no matter how far. His name was Ivan. His English was okay enough, but he could still explain lots of things and I understood. While he was approaching Sibenik and I was supposed to take another lift to continue, he offered if I would like to stay with his family for the night. I thought myself for a while. I wanted to go to the festival but I was also very tired and hungry. Although I didn't know Ivan and I was alone, I decided to agree, because he seemed like an honest man. 

He showed me some big dried pieces of meat which were hanging in his friend's cellar. It was a bit gross, but I'm sure they were going to be delicious. I hope they weren't unlucky hitch-hikers.. Then we arrived to his home in Sibenik's countryside. He had built the whole house himself. I could clearly notice he had ideals of what is he doing. He had a garden with lemon, ficus and apple trees, grapes, herbs, melons and much more.. And chickens! Amazing..

We went inside to the living room and there was a part of his family: his wife, their daughter, daughter's boyfriend, boyfriend's mother, his sister and his sister's husband.. and me :D. Younger one's spoke good English but also his sister. They all smiled at me and soon I felt as being a part of their family for a while. They gave me a glass of juice. It felt like heaven.. I was so thirsty. And then we ate together. It was stew with vegetables and lamb. It was all local.

I was so hungry. First time in my life, I ate a kidney. . They kind of saved me and they must have felt hilarious when watching at me, eating like a starving little animal. Then some local dessert and different local wines, some of them they had made themselves.. Aahh, I wouldn't ever have imagined to end up in this miraculous situation.

Getting cured by lovely people

Then we went to Sibenik with a little group. They showed me historical places, such as a castle and medieval inner city area.. and a local supermarket!

Me, Ivan's daughter Tanja and his boyfriend Dario. View from the castle of
 Sibenik

It became dark and we returned back. We talked about politics and global issues. Ivan is very interested in those things which I like. Then I could explain my grass-root ecological thinking with a glass of home-made wine :D. I even think they understood me. Then I could go to sleep to a room, which was under construction, on an air-bed. And I slept so good. Skipping the festival on this day was definitely the right decision.

Distance travelled for the day: 87,7km

Tuesday 13.8 (Day 13) Ancona

A driver parked next to me in the morning, nearly drove to the fence in which my hammock was attached. even more, he looked at me weirdly. Next surprise was, that the noisy pigeons had shitted on my stuff. The ironic part was, the napkins I used for cleaning had two loving pigeons on the cover. Damn pigeons.. I wanted to empty some of the additional stuff so I left all the made hitching signs leaning on a wall.

I went to seek for a nice place to sit down and eat breakfast which consisted of a melon I bought from Naples. I also found some more cardboard. After walking through a horrible tunnel full of cars, I entered to the city centre. I bought some food and postcards from a shop. I sat on a nice promenade to write the cards. There was a lovely accordion player playing wonderful songs like Girl from Ipanema and Tango d'jealousie. It gave me such a good mood. Then a woman came talking with me. She wanted to give me one euro. Just because she wanted to. I accepted the donation with great gratitude, because she was really willing to.

After I went sleeping to a park for few hours, to have my siesta. Finally I continued my tour around the city, stopped to another park to make a hitching sign for Croatia. Apparently, it works as a good ice-breaker because a couple teenagers came talking with me because of their curiosity of my doings. They were really enthusiast as I told about my trip. They couldn't speak that good English but even helped me to carry my stuff when I started to go towards the harbor of Ancona. They gave me few euros and cigarettes. It's sweet when young people get so inspired. Maybe they will do something similar in the future. I had to wander around the harbor to search for boarding pass, but in the end I entered to the ferry (which goes from Ancona to Split). After enjoying one of the most beautiful sunsets from the ship deck and feeling the slight and warm wind, I went to look for a bench to sleep. I found a very comfortable and soft bench and could sleep quite well :).