being hitchhiked

Yes, I confess. I like hitchhiking. And yes, before I ever dared to hitchhike for the first time, it scared me so massive that I thought I would be raped and killed by the first trucker who would come along. But one day a friend took me to go hitchhiking and (inner thankfulness for life guaranteed!) I got infected by travelling in foreign cars and countries for free. (No need to say that I am still alive and unraped, right?).

Hitchhiking is one thing. Being afraid to hitch as a lone woman and stepping over that. Talking to people who never htchhiked and who tell you how dangerous it is while they never got picked up in the cold by some tea-sharing iranian trucker or by the lively family that takes you to the sea for swimming before releasing you to your destination. Standing, waiting, hoping.
But another thing is being hitchhiked. The moment when you want to go by feet through a city like Istanbul and some taxi driver stops and wants to take you somewhere. You refuse, either because you don't want to pay the money or you like walking. But he insists on taking you to the place where you need to go for free. And even after the drive he doesn't ask for money but rather invites you out for a tea. It just happened three times to me so far. Enough to believe, that the world is open to hitchhikers. No matter if they hitchhike or are being hitched.

Some tipps for hitchhikers:
-there are some sites which might make it easier for you to find good places to hitchhike from in Europe: http://hitchbase.com/ oder
-there are even ways to hitchhike boats: http://www.cruiser.co.za/crewfinder1.asp
-the safest and easiest way seems to go to petrol stations on the highway and close to that and talk to people. Then you can choose who you want to go with (families, couples, women...) and the cardrivers can get a general idea about you and are more willing to take you than if you just stand somewhere with a sign
-if you don't feel safe enough, go with someone else or text/ tell the number plates of the cars you're going with to a friend by SMS or a phone call. Next to someone knowing where you are, the driver will feel that you are connected to others and might shy away from any inappropriate offers.
-have fun. no matter if you hitchhike or if you are being hitchhiked!