photo credit: 23kelly

“Brisbane rhymes with Lisbon. That’s probably the first thing you learn when you visit the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland: It’s not “”briz-bane,”" it’s “”BRIZbin.”" It’s also a good spot for hitchhiking, as the Aussies are an incredibly friendly and open people. I never encountered any hostility there. Still, further west in Australia is more ripe for finding rides; as the country becomes sparse and rural, people become more understanding about the need for a ride. They realize they might be the last car you see for a good long while, and as a result, are more generous about picking you up.

Sydney, on the other hand, is far too urbane and people are less open-hearted. It’s more like a U.S. city that way.

In general, when hitchhiking around the globe, the rural areas, or even urban areas in countries still connected to their rural roots, are going to be easier places to find rides. And countries with bad winters or the opposite, bad deserts, are going to have drivers willing to see giving a ride as a real rescue, because they don’t want to see you get stranded.

Rio de Janeiro is a terrible place for hitchhiking. The crime rate is insanely high, and everyone knows it, so sticking your thumb out just makes you look suspicious. It also makes you a target for crime, so you’re basically getting it from both ends: You’re seen as both criminal and victim. Taxis aren’t expensive in Rio so, in the city proper, that’s the way to get around. The beaches, especially Ipanema, are friendly for foot travelers, and you can do the beach bum thing, but don’t try hitchhiking as a lifestyle in Rio, or Sao Paulo for that matter. Once you get into more rural areas (again) like Minas Gerias or, especially, Bahia, people are much more generous with their rides.”