Hitchhiking is the best option for poor travelers.
For the last 13 months Petrina Thong was hitchhiking from Sweden to Malaysia. 29-year-old girl left Stockholm in June 2015 with only $ 200. She wanted to see how far she can go. In the end, she came to my hometown Kuala Lumpur in July 2016, after traveling through 22 countries.
The writer-Director describes adventure as you challenge yourself. “When I last year went to Stockholm, I was going to explore the experience of hitchhiking, simply because I couldn’t imagine what it’s capable of it. I thought I can try, thinking that I’m on the road three to six months depending on how long I can live on $ 200. I stood at the roadside with a raised thumb and go where I was headed stopped the car. After I gave the universe the opportunity to discover where I sleep and eat,” recalls Barnett.
“To eat, I fished the food out of the dumpster near the cafe, and pounced on the leftovers, I asked the fruit shop, which it was impossible to sell. As soon as it was evening, I was looking for a place to stay with a tent, or I was invited to stay casual acquaintances. Petrina said that although many people are afraid to hitchhike, especially single women, she met wonderful kind people who were very happy to help her.
However, not without its scary moments. She had to cross the Iran-Pakistan border via Balochistan, which is quite dangerous. “Because of abduction of travelers I was not allowed to go alone. On the Iranian border, I got into a police car under escort of two armed men on a motorcycle. We got to the first checkpoint, after which I sat in a police truck. Drove to the next checkpoint. Had to wait forever. Then I was transferred to a military and he went with me to hitchhike to the next waypoint. From there I traveled on three military trucks,” — says the girl. According to her, it was quite the experience, perhaps the most intense in the entire trip. She was not even allowed to stand in an open area during a border crossing, and she had to jump from one truck to another.
Petrina said that one of the favorite moment was when she had met on the way a hippie-festival “rainbow” (Rainbow Gathering) in the mountains of Lithuania. This collection, which originates from the American Burning Man festival, brings together in a few weeks people from different countries to create a “utopia”. “Money has no value, the food is equally distributed among all, all one family,” says the traveler. — There is no hierarchy, is not allowed neither alcohol nor drugs, so you can enjoy only from life itself. It is very close to the roots. I fell in love with this strange community. Having no contact with the outside world, everyone is reunited with nature and build relationships with once strangers, sitting around the campfire and trying to keep warm or enjoying the sun after several rainy days.”
Way Petrini ran from Sweden through Europe via Denmark, Germany, Poland and through the Baltic States. She then traveled through Albania, Kosovo and Bulgaria to Turkey. From there it went to Iran, Pakistan, India, Thailand and got to the native of Malaysia. When she came from Europe to the middle East, many people wondered why she was traveling alone. “I was constantly asked why I was alone and where my husband, brother, boyfriend or parents. Asked whether the drawing frightened me, not alone if. In Asia it is not accepted to travel alone, especially among women.
Despite some obstacles, Petrina and advises other women to travel and hitchhiking. “I expected it to be really difficult journey, but when I look back, it doesn’t seem so horrible. Of course, there were many moments when I asked myself what the hell am I doing and why forcing yourself to go through this test, but now I have a new view of the world. The most important lesson for me was the fact that the world and the unknown is not so scary as they seem. People everywhere are incredibly kind and willing to help. Now I know that even if I get lost in a country whose language does not say, and I don’t have money, I’ll still be right.”
