What's hitchhiking?

Hitchhiking, in few words, is to ask strangers for a ride on their vehicules. - As simple as that.

You just have to go near a good spot outside the city and use the "hitchhikers thumb" or a sign with the name of your destination.

Hitchhiker's thumb

And then you would say: What!? Is not that dangerous? Well, in fact walking on the street is dangerous, but not because of that you're going to stay at home forever!

Hitchhiking is amazing, and I'll tell you why:

1. It's free
2. You know very interesting people - and sometimes you still get in touch with them
3. You learn a lot from the people you know and the city you go
4. Sometimes this wonderful people you meet give you  water, juice, food or money - You start believing in humanity again
5. Sometimes, also they host you
6. You see more landscapes than a normal tourist
7. Sometimes you arrive to a city you didn't plan to go, but then you love it
8. You don't need to be "on time" on the road

Then, you'll think:
"Yeah, whatever! But I'm not young anymore".
Well, that doesn't matter! There're 80 years old people doing it! So, what are you wating for?

Also you can ask,
why would this people stop for me?
Well, in my personal experience these are the main phrases people told me:

1. "I can't leave a women by herself on the middle of the road"
2. "This is not a good spot, I'll take you to a better one"
3. "I'm a hitchhiker too"
4. "I used to hitchhike too!"
5. "I always pick up hitchhikers"
6. "You're going to my same destination"
7. "Are you lost?"
8. "Is forbidden to hitchhike here"

Mostly these is what people tell me, but the main reason is thay they want someone to talk with :) So, the people who stops for you are Wonderful! Because it's also a risk for them to stop as same as is a risk for you to get in. So everything is about trusting people and trust in your instincts.

* "Hitchhiking" in other countries:

Argentina: "Hacer dedo"
Brazil: "Ir de carona"
France: "Faire du stop"
Peru: "Tirar dedo"
México: "Pedir ride"

-These are the phrases I know by experience and because I met people from there, I don't copy paste from other websites ;) 

What's Couchsurfing?

Couchsurfing, my dear friends, is the most amazing thing that could ever happened to me!

<<Couchsurfing is a global community of 6 million people in more than 100,000 cities who share their life, their world, their journey. Couchsurfing connects travelers with a global network of people willing to share in profound and meaningful ways, making travel a truly social experience.>> Couchsurfing.org

So, in my words, is the biggest global network which conects amazing local people, willing to open the door of their houses to a complete stranger and share some days with him/her, and curious traveleres, willing to know more about a city by meeting local people and staying at a complete stranger place. That kind of TRUST from both parts is just amazing! 

Just to be clear, CS is more than just a free place to sleep. Is about making friends for a life time! So, get out of your confort zone and do something! Go around traveling and meet this awesome people who are waiting to meet you! Or if you can't, invite some travelers at your place and you'll see that it would change your life. Furthermore, if you can't host or able to travel, you can always join the CS meetings or invite travelers to hang out with you, they would appreciate it!

* Some important words:

1. Host: Is the awesome local person who will host you.

2. Surfer: Is the awesome traveler who will stay at your place.

3. Couchrequest: The way how you send a request to a local so you can stay at his/her place.

4. CS meetings: There're awesome events in almost every city that you can join and meet travelers and locals.

5. Couch: Is where the traveler is going to sleep. It can be a couch, a bed, the floor, mattress, hammock, whatever you can provide at your place.

6. CS: Short for CouchSurfing (https://www.couchsurfing.org/)
7. References: Is one of the safety features this website provides. You can see about others people experiences with one person and also you can leave a references so people can decide if trust or not trust in that person.

By the way, here is my profile if you want to check it ;) 

https://www.couchsurfing.org/people/grace.echevarria/

First day in Europe!

Day #1

"One of the gladdest moments of human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of routine, the cloak of many cares and the slavery of home, man feels once more happy.” – Richard Burton

15/08/13

Just arrived in France – Charles de Gaulle Airport in PARIS!  After a 12 hour flight, I was feeling tired, but super excited about my new life in Europe.

Lima - Paris

I said good-bye to the new friend I met on the plane and I started looking for my luggage and a way to get to the train which was supposed to take me to LYON.

After 2 boring hours in the train, I got to Lyon at the Gare Part Dieu! So, next step? Tried to get some free wi-fi. - By the way, in France "free" is a company and is not actually free.-  And lucky me, there was real free wi-fi at the station.

Paris - Lyon

I sent a message to my hosts and followed their instructions to get to their house. 

1. Take the tram T3 - Which was just outside the station, but I was too stupid to realize that, so it took me a while to get in.

2. Decendre á l'arret "Gare de Villeurbanne" - Villeurbanne is by the way, other city, but is so near to Lyon that if you cross the street you're there.

3. Wait for one of my hosts to pick me up.

While I was waiting for my host with all my big luggage, I realized I didn't pay for the tram, and then I realized I didn't see anyone paying, just one guy. I felt guilty, but then I forgot about it.

Finally I saw Meryem (my super nice host) coming. I met her on COUCHSURFING - You can check my post about it here. - and she and Pierre (her husband) offered me to go to CLERMONT-FERRAND - my final destination-  with them and share car expenses - the name of this in french is "covoiturage"-. I agreed, so they also offered to host me for one night.

Meryem and her lovely cat

Meryem was from Morocco and Pierre was french. They were such a great couple! Also they had a little beautiful cat! - I just love cats!. We shared nice talks and they invited me a  tasty dinner at their house.

Delicious dinner made by Pierre and Meryem

DAY: 1

MONEY SPEND: 0 euros.
ALCOHOL: Some wine
PEOPLE I MET: 3