Well, my final stretch of the journey meant i was down to$15.60 and only 1100km’s to go... As i headed towards the highway (probably about 10km from where i was staying) i was looking for a good place to start flashing my sign. I have noticed that people generally don’t pick up hitchhikers in town, but more on the outskirts and in the middle of nowhere. My first ride was from Kylie, who was on her way to Brisbane to visit her sister while here kids were at school. We had a lovely time chatting and the journey finished all too soon, as she dropped me off at a good stop on the freeway. After about 15mins of flashing my sign, Kim stopped for me. She was on her way to the Gold Coast and wanted me to have a good experience in the area so she decided to pick me up. I was on a mission in the Gold Coast – i had to collect some surfing fins for Gavin – and Kim dropped me off only about 1km from where i needed to be! I hung out there for a bit waiting for the salesman, and once the deal was sealed i was dropped off in a really bad spot for hitchhiking, although in the right direction at least. After walking a few kilometres and stopping a couple of times to stick out my thumb or flash my sign, i decided to get on a bus and ask him to drop me off at a good spot. The bus driver was very friendly, and the lady sitting next to me couldn’t stop chatting to me and reminding me of the backpacker murders... Just before the stop where i get off another guy got on the bus also asking to be dropped off at the hitchhiking spot. So when we arrived there, the bus driver pointed out to us where we needed to go. Jason and i chatted a bit and tried hitchhiking together – but there were no takers. He did show me how you can make hitching fun by flashing a leg – of course it was only funny if he flashed a leg, so i wasn’t even going to try that avenue. He then decided to head further back along the road and i decided to head further forward along the road in the hope of finding a better spot. After what seemed like forever, i saw Jason heading in my direction with all his things – he actually had way more than me!! – and not long after he had put his stuff down about 100m from me, a car stopped to pick him up. I thought how lucky he was to get his ride – but the numpty was too busy faffing with his lugguage and he didn’t even see the car pull over, so it drove off... but his misfortune was my fortune as Quail then pulled over for me instead! Once again we had a lovely chat and the ride was over all too soon! She was hesitant about dropping me off in the middle of nowhere, but that is what i preferred as my experience told me that it was more likely to get a lift that way. As we said our goodbyes, she gave me small fluffy panda bear as a gift. As she had dropped me off at the exit where she had to turn off, i then walked about 500m so that i was past the exit and in a place where there was plenty of room for someone to pull over.
Now i had my Sydney sign out, looking for the big ride! And it happened within 10 minutes. Gordon reversed about 100 meters, after deciding to pick me up. Gordon was delivering a Big Bear Chopper to Melbourne for his boss, and so inside the van was this mahoosive motorbike and the smell of petrol. We lobbed my bags in the bag and hit the road. The initial conversation was about his and his sisters negative experience hitchhiking and once again, the backpacker murders. This definitely put me on edge as i wasn’t quite sure why i was hearing all this... was it to give me an idea as to what lay ahead for me? Or, was he just being straight up? Thankfully it was the latter!
As he was driving right past Sydney he could give me a lift all the way there, but he was stopping at a motel to sleep for about 6 hours. I had a choice about what i could do... carry on hitching or sleep in the motel room with him. After a few hours on the road with him, i felt comfortable enough to sleep in the motel room and made a nice comfortable nest for myself under the table. I was also able to have a shower – which was really necessary after the long day in the sun... For dinner i had some peanut butter sandwiches and a cup of tea, Gordon gave me some of his paella, so i ate around all the meaty bits. I slept like a log and woke up all groggy eyed at 3am. We departed at about 3.40am – although at this point the clocks had changed, so it was actually 4.40am. I tried to be a good companion, making conversation, trying to stay awake. There were a few moments when his driving made me a bit nervous, but i just tried letting it go as there was not much i could do about it... I was really grateful as daylight arrived – along with the beautiful sunrise – as the kilometres to Sydney disappeared behind us. We stopped off at a garage for a toilet stop and to purchase some breakfast. From there it was only about 90km to Sydney! Woohoo! My drop off point arrived sooner than expected... the turnoff to Sydney was still some 23km from the city centre, but as Gordon still had a long drive ahead of him i insisted that he drop me off there. I then walked for a couple of kilometres, and although it was clearly a residential area, there didn’t appear to be that much in the way of public transport, as the bus shelter showed times only for a night bus... so i kept on walking. After a while i stumbled upon a train station – and the train went all the way to the city centre! Luckily the ticket was only $4.60, as it left me with $1.70 in my purse! From the train i caught a brief glimpse of Sydney Opera house as we entered the city centre. From the train station it was quite easy to find my friend Mike, with whom i was to stay, as he had sent me about 6 text messages with directions.
Although my hitchhiking experience was a good one, i have not written much about the people who stopped for me that i refused to get in the car with. On this trip there was only one guy that i refused to get in the car with and that was because there was an unpleasant odour in his car as i opened the door – and this time it wasn’t the weed. I noticed that it was with the people that i hesitated about getting in the car that i said no to, and the others i didn’t hesitate... I don’t know what would have happened had i gotten into the car with the others, but i prefer not to know and be safe than to just to be desperate and go with anyone. My mother always drummed into me not to hitchhike, so i never did until my late 20’s in Europe.
So kids, if you are thinking of just hitchhiking to get from A to B, i would suggest you don’t, not at least until you have some more life experience that is going to help you in making the decision who it is safe to get a lift with and who not. Be safe!
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