The mission: hitchike from Madrid to Frankfurt
The reason: attend a mini Zen retreat (five participants, three days, lots of breathing), meet Europeans, not spend squillions on buses and trains.
The timeframe: Wednesday 22nd August to Tuesday 28th August
The logistics: Because most people going long distances are on one of the many many motorways, the best hitching spots seem to be busy petrol stations or tollgates. Asking people directly for rides is quite a nice change from the old thumb too
Format of report: There is a little game called 'The Rose and the Thorn' I used to play with my flatmates in Dunedin. Everyone selects one 'rose' qnd one 'thorn' experience from their day.
Day One: Wednesday 22nd August
Thorn - Walking to the 'Madrid Lighthouse' in 30 degree heat for a rare ariel view of the city before I left only to find it closed until further notice.
Rose - Understanding the Spanish of Jesus the Spanish truck driver as he explained to me about the windfarm (200 turbines, popular with the public) we were passing as we neared Zaragosa en route to Barcelona.
Day Two: Thursday 23rd August
Rose: Crossing the border between Spain and France at the South-East end of the Pyrenees. I'm sad to leave Spain but I love the fact we just drive straight through as if the border was as intangible as a line of dust. I love the EU!
Thorn: The intense heat and rattling din of Tomas the German's Mercedes truck. He is a great guy, a horse breeder who started his own company to publish his thesis, but that cab was torture. I had to get out at Nimes. I'm making good time anyway.
Day Three: Friday 24th August
Thorn: Again it is a goodbye, this time to Migal the Czech, another truck driver by trade, on a mammoth road trip from his home in Marseilles to a town beginning with 'B', past Prague to visit his family. We share very little spoken language but he is great company. He let me navigate.
Roses: The massive broadleaf forests around Southeast France and the Rhone valley are a very pleasant surprise. And round about 11pm, my ride drops me at Frankfurt airport for a train to the city. I made it... early!
Thanks to the wonderful http://www.hitchwiki.org for giving me both general tips and advice for getting out of Madrid.
1 comment:
Dear Ewan! I love your rose for day one. I absolutley love it when I can actually understand the people at school when they speak. Japanese is hard. But it makes it all seem worth while just for that little bit. What I love even better is being able to say something back!! That gives me a nice wee warm feeling. :) In other news, I have lost my Kiwi accent, and have gained a combination of canadian and american sounds with bastardised japlish grammar... YAY!
Much love, many hugs and best wishes for your travels!!
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