Reykjavík, Island

24.11.2006, 13:29 CLST

Well, Björn and me had the plan to hitchhike north and visit a friend, a Hungarian guy we met in August and who now studies at a buisness school virtually right in the middle of nowhere, but we haven`t managed so far and that`s why I cannot tell you any spectacular adventures including hitchhiking... yet..
But I think you should get to read Flo's experiences and so I will write a bit about a "sort of hitchhiking experience" that I read about in the Icelandic Grapevine... There is this column of a black woman from New York, who married an Icelander 5 years ago and writes about her view on Iceland and its people. Last month she told about a past Sunday morning:


"Her name I cannot disclose. Since it happened I’ve had recurring nightmares about the dialogue that took place that morning. She awoke hung-over, a smidge sheepish from the previous night’s activities and utterly confused about her environment. The only problem was that her environment happened to be my living room sofa.

“Hi, do you know where you are?” I asked as I tried to comprehend how this anonymous woman ended up on the chocolate brown leather couch before me.

“No, not really,” she replied.

“Well, let me tell you. You and my husband shared a taxi last night. He said that you were so drunk (although this was quite an understatement from the way he described) he didn’t feel comfortable leaving you alone with the cab driver.”

A pregnant pause stood between us as I searched for an ashamed, “Oh yeah, that was me,” expression on her face. But her face remained blank and from the stare she gave me, it was clear that my “guest” was not up for a game of charades at nine in the morning.

“He told you that you could sleep on our couch last night,” I pronounced a bit more directly than the other informative words that seemed surprisingly sweet considering the position I was in.

After my brilliant rendition of an after-school TV special, I finally gave up and said, “You know what, why don’t you go and use the bathroom and then call someone to pick you up?”

“Yeah, okay,” she quickly agreed, as she escaped to a private sanctuary free from my gaze and the awkward silence.

After about 12 minutes of shuffling around the house, she proceeded to make her big exit – I had to stop her. Trying my best to muster up my most non-judgemental voice, I said, “You know, you really need to be careful. What you did last night was really dangerous.” The following statement that fell out of this young girl’s mouth could not have been more shocking. She took one step out of the door, turned to look me straight in the eye and with a most comforting smile responded, “Oh don’t worry; this is Iceland.” "


To me, this story is just such a good example of how Icelandic people deal with alcohol when they are planning to have a big night out at the weekend. After 2 o'clock on Friday and Saturady nights the bars and nightclubs of Reykjavík burst with completely wasted Icelanders... and now I mean REALLY REALLY wasted. People are so drunk that they tumble around, spill their drinks all over each other or burn you with their cigarettes. It's just enormous. Student life here is very weird when it comes to this... Icelandic students work their asses off during the week with most of them having not one, but two jobs. Then the weekend comes and for some of them getting pissed seems the only possible leisure time activity they can think of. They are so excessive and so much in contrast to their normally shy and reserved characters then. Kalli, one of our Icelandic friends from the kajaking club, asserted my impression that it's a breeze for the guys to pick up girls in the bars because a lot of them are so drunk that they don't know what they're doing. I usually come across at least one couple making out on the bar's toilet every weekend I go out. I find it shocking in what way the Icelanders come loose in these nights. And I am not the only one being irritated.. it constantly is an issue among the exchange students.

However, I think it is not fair to lump all the Icelanders together! The parties downtown are insane (we are having fun of course, or sometimes even having fun because of all those drunkards : ) ), which does not mean that all Icelanders go there and get wasted every weekend. Interestingly, our Icelandic mates, who are all really nice, are not very keen on hitting the clubs at the weekend... but which does not necessarily mean that they despise a couple of drinks..
It is just that there is quite a considerable number of my fellow Icelandic students who see no other sense in their weekends than blowing their brains away and waking up without being able to recall the past nights. I guess the Icelandic drinking behaviour also strikes foreigners so much because of the enormous transformations Icelanders undergo after a few drinks - from shy and locked people to excessive extroverts..
Well, anyway, it is often heard that northern European countries are big drinking nations. And maybe I would not even realize all these things if the beer prizes were lower and my personal beer consumption higher : ) !

Santiago, Chile

12.10.2006, 22:55 CLST

No matter in which country you are, the first time hitchhiking there always connected to a strange, insecure feeling. How are the people like? Is it dangerous? Or even: Is there anyone, who will stop for me?
My friend Philipe, Chileno, told me, that foreigners in Chile have the reputation of being trustworthy and therefor will get a lift quickly - especially they are easily recognised by blond hair. He did hitchhike through a great part of Southern America and always had good experiences. From this journey Philipe still keeps the telephone numbers of two truck drivers. So if ever someone of you wants to head to Peru or Argentina from Santiago - he can get you in contact.

Jean and I, trying to hitchhiking on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere.

However, my plan for the last weekend was to go hiking in the valley of Maipo with two friends from France. Already the preceding evening did we have doubts about where and when to take the bus. At the end 8.30 at the Terminal in Providencia seemed the most reliable information. Anyway the bus was already gone when we arrived their the next morning. Being flexible, we just took the next one heading to San Jose de Maipo. From there we decided to try our using the thumbs. This idea also seemed to please to a Peruanian family Jean meet in the bus. So, after having finally found a good spot, we ended up standing there with six people.
Waiting perhaps 15 minutes, a pick-up stopped, asking where we want to go. As we didn't really have an idea and there was only one road, we jumped on the back. This was just the perfect way to enjoy the valley in this hot weather, on the open air with the wind blowing around our heads.
At the next spot we also did not need to wait more then a quarter of an hour. The guy stopping was also heading off for the mountains and, as it seemed, a bit indecisive to go. Good luck for us, as he changed his destination to Baños Morales - the place we wanted to go to. Anyhow, he could not bring us all the way there. Already the last around 30 kilometre consisted only of a dirt road. The last bit to Baños Morales go steep from down the valley up the hill side. With all the three of us and our big mochilas the car was just unable to make its way up there. So finally we had to walk the last bit.

After arriving, we directly checked when the buses back to Santiago leave. Call us badly prepared, but all the buses until Tuesday were already booked out - as only two minibuses a day leave from here. So what else to do, but hitchhike back on Monday afternoon?
You cannot imagine that scenery. Three tourists standing on a street crossing in the middle of the mountains, nearly any sign of civilisation around, the dirt road dusty and hot, the valley surrounded by snowy mountains. If this was Europe, you would not suppose that any car would pass by in the next weeks. However, heavy traffic would definitely significant something else. But lucky us, just half an hour - or perhaps six cars - waiting, we got a lift - directly all the way to Santiago.

I guess I already told this once? But anyhow, if hitchhiking works it is just the greatest way to travel. Not talking about costs only, just the feeling of freedom with the great opportunity of meeting the strangest people and encounter the craziest adventures. This was definitely not my last time to hitchhike here in Chile.