Hitchhiking through the Maritimes - and I need a travel partner
Hey all,
I'm a 22-year-old female university student, and soon I'll be heading off for a hitching trip through Atlantic Canada. The plan is to bounce between a couple of WWOOF stints, which allows me to catch my breath, enjoy free lodging and food, meet some farmfolk, volunteer and learn some homesteading skills, and enjoy the scene at a slower pace. When I'm not WWOOF'ing, I want to explore a few of the major Maritime cities and small towns, as well as a couple of nature parks. I might periodically couchsurf.
I'm hoping to travel for about a month, starting in Toronto and ending in St. John's (then coming home). I'm just bringing the basics: a light pack, a sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, a tarp or a tiny tent, three changes of clothes, and a few tools/etc. Since I don't want to hitch after dark, I might have to stealth camp relatively often. But as far as discomforts go, I think it's pretty mild and I kind of enjoy that sort of thing.
I'm leaving on this trip regardless, since I don't mind being alone. But it would be much better with a partner. The safety aspect makes me a little nervous, and the experience is more interesting when it's shared (no matter with whom). Waiting a long time for a ride can be especially lonely by yourself, and there are some challenges that are easier shouldered with a partner. And I just wanna be able to nudge someone's elbow and point out something cool.
I'm looking for someone around my age (19-30), but otherwise I'm not picky. As long as you have a positive attitude and don't mind getting a little scuffed up.
How about it? We have roughly a month of summer left! Let's do this.
P.S. I always seem to hear very negative and positive opinions about hitching, with seldom anything in-between. Oddly enough, the warnings and finger-wagging usually come from people who've never hitched and never plan to hitch - while the positive stories come from hitchhikers themselves (many of them solo females, I might add). I know hitching is inherently dangerous because you're putting yourself in a vulnerable position, but I don't think the roads are rife with psychopaths and opportunists. A healthy dose of common sense, vigilance, and a knife/pepper spray as backup are usually enough to keep you safe. And a partner, of course. So c'mon!
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