Last weekend, I woke up early in the morning in the bus, the next from Riga to Moscow. In the cabin, heeled to one side, almost everyone was still asleep, and only early aunt quietly talked among themselves:
- A long standing?
- Yes, it is high time.
Outside the window as quietly as their speech was rain. On both sides of the highway stretches impassable forest. A wheel of the bus drivers tapped a big wrench. I fell asleep for another hour. But even after this time, the scenery and sounds around not changed. For some reason, no one could say what area of the country we butted. Eat tired of rumors, and I decided to turn to "our age of high technology." Google-locator is not particularly encouraged: 350 km from Moscow, the federal highway M9, Tver region. The nearest village to go an hour. I got out of the bus to smoke and learned that sleepy drivers manually sifted through each wheel of the bus. Thought fly off a slippery road in Russia ditch at the speed of the wheels will fall off pulled him thought that we had to catch another car and it was hitchhiking. After a trip to Latvia my purse would not mastered a taxi for 350 km.
I finished his cigarette, simultaneously recalling stories of his friend hitchhiker who is constantly chasing a stop in Europe, and often traveled before so from Irkutsk to St. Petersburg and back. During one of his travels he met a "fateful car" somewhere near Voronezh. As usual, the driver with my friend talking. The latter told him about himself, and an hour later conversations, it became clear that driving a car uncle of my friend. He categorically stated that now carries his nephew to his guests to St. Petersburg, despite the fact that the newly cousin was originally going to Irkutsk. Such a turn of events, my friend took it as a sign and already on the way to visit determined that soon finally move to the northern capital. And so it happened. His whole family some time later moved from Irkutsk to St. Petersburg.
But in my case fateful drivers required. I just had to get to Moscow alive and as quickly as possible. Under the gaze of my fellow passengers off the bus, full of sarcasm, I stood on the sidelines and strongly raised her hand, sticking his thumb up. Admittedly, their sarcasm was justified: the car on this track was an hour on a teaspoon, and for the most part - the wagon. And against the backdrop of a broken bus with a bunch of passengers I looked not very convincing. But I must be very lucky. A few minutes later, I heard the voice of my friend behind him, "Look, someone is reversing! You still catch the car. "
I opened the door to an old nines, asked whether the driver will drive to Moscow. He said he was on the way, and then I saw his face does not inspire confidence. But the wave of euphoria after the luck I grabbed her bag off the bus, taking under his arm friend and decided to rely on case. First hitchhiking - it is very exciting, I must say. In my head a million scenarios scrolls as you robbed, raped, quartered, tortured, demand ransom, as you inadvertently driver rams by a passing truck. But, as they say hitchhikers, the driver - is the most harmless thing that can happen to you on the road. Mainly saves what he has to drive a car without being distracted for a long time. As a rule, drivers pick up hitchhikers, just to chat and to diversify the monotonous trip interesting conversationalist. Experience from other travelers said that often on the roads and rob all the trouble does not bode drivers, and suddenly found himself near Gopnik. Well, at the expense of rape, then advised the girls did not get into the car and one in the front seat. With our driver happened, probably the lesser evil - he only fell asleep at the wheel. And it should be noted that each of us with my friend could not sleep at night in the bus.
Save the situation could only coffee or arranged by us, fellow travelers, entertainment for the driver. Coffee he refused, manly otnekivayas from his own weakness: "No, I did not fall asleep. So ... I think about something my, that's slow blink ". Therefore it was necessary to resort to the second option. And what they do not talk to distract the driver from sleep? And then, what is hitchhiking without interviews, road fables and all sorts of stories! In the so-called Academy of free journeys, this kind of school hitchhikers (yes, they have even more schools!), There is a basic rule. Hitchhiking - it's not a freebie, not extreme and not a sport, it is a science and a way of learning about the world, including through the man, who agreed to throw you. And this rule is embedded a lot of sense. Each talkative driver - this anthology of stories everyday, this guide not only in the countryside, but maybe even for life. As someone who you can see the first and last time in his life, he can, for example, to talk, to share emotions. Drivers usually - people unsophisticated and responsive.
We do not pour out their souls, but our driver seemed to have forgotten about the dream. He defiantly poke a finger on either side of the car, talking about the fact that in this or that place it was before. He grinned Superman talked about dashing 90-s on the road and about how he fought with their lawlessness, robbing drunk drivers polfurgona sprat and documents (to teach it). He told an amazing story about the power pyramid, someone once built Novorizhskoye highway, which in the most severe frost does not freeze water, and to enter the street it is covered with ice crust. At home I found out that this pyramid Hunger, named after the man who set it up. It's kind of like pseudoscientific, water really does nothing but legends have gone far in the nation.
Took us to Moscow, the owner of nine cordially said goodbye to us and wished us all good. I gingerly handed him some money, they say, is you do for gasoline and thank you very much. Timidly, because, on the one hand, I was full of zeal to thank the person is clearly not the rich, who rescued. On the other hand, I knew that here Rush these papers with water marks all the romance hitchhiking his entire principle, the essence and thus corrupts selfless person. Who knows, maybe next time he will not agree to lift children caught in a difficult situation for a reason, saying: "I am here to pay this much, and you damn freeloaders! "In any case, this trip proved that the world is not without good people.
Upon arrival, I became interested in the topic of hitchhiking and, to his surprise, found that people around the world not only to travel that way, but gather the whole world expedition hitchhiking and arrange championships. And they can participate either. The most famous schools in Russia - St. Petersburg League of hitchhiking mentioned earlier Academy of Free Travel (it produces, by the way, many fascinating books on hitch-hiking) and the Moscow School Autostop under the leadership of the famous traveler Valery Shanin, made his first circumnavigation in just $ 280. The entire list of such schools can be found here.
Hitchhiking - employment exciting, risky and, honestly, addictive. Dreams, say, evrotripe stop living in the hot heads desperate travelers, but few of them are solved on such an adventure. Someone scares the hard way (and it really is not easy), the likelihood of unpleasant adventures, difficulties with border crossings and so on. But only those who are at risk, drink this cocktail snaps from road dust, the driver's tales, casual dating, unknown places and Spouting life. It changes the location of all points of view, entrenched in certain areas of your universe, he discovers the real reality. And I do not know about you, but someday I will force myself to collect a backpack, sleeping bag attached to it, take a friend (rape, I still still afraid) and go on the road, holding up his thumb as a symbol of great adventures that await in the way of any stranger.