I had read a lot of positive reviews on African safari vacation packages and so I finally decided to take a trip to Kenya. Naturally my expectations were a little too high and in a way I expected to be treated like royalty. But I am pleased to say that the trip actually exceeded my expectations. I got to see whatever I had planned and much more. If I asked my guide to see a particular animal one day he’d show it me as soon as possible and sometimes even in the next few minutes. And this isn’t the half of it. After a long day outdoors I got a relaxing massage at a spa in my lodge and it actually over looked the plains and I could see elephants roaming in the distance as well. Each day was different but exciting and wonderful at the same time as we were taken to different places and explored different habitats.
All the excitement of world travel, of being an “acrobat of the road,” is enhanced dramatically when the travel is free of cost. This happened to me for a while when I won a sweepstakes, providing airfare and accommodations in Singapore. I was able to change my departure date despite a recalcitrant airline, and so I extended my stay. After a thrilling 4-day stay in Singapore, all expenses paid, I resumed my normal, more frugal, mode of travel, and hitchhiked through parts of Asia I had never previously explored.
Since I did the rest of the trip on my own, it’s not actually fair to see the travel was entirely free of cost. However, airfare is usually the majority of my cost so it was huge. Plus, in Singapore, I was at the kind of fancy hotel I normally avoid to save money, and MAN it was fun seeing how the other half lives! It was gorgeous, with fabulous views, and comfortable in every possible way, down to the thread count on the bedsheets.
“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.”