Casa Robino

For me it is definitely a no-go as I am at home waiting for a person whose doors are inside, but this year it is again time for a European Hitchgathering. The tradition stays in place as this one is already our fifth, and again in another corner of the continent, Lithuania.

Fore more info, head to the website http://hitchgathering.org and stick up your thumb.

dear fatih akin, on behalf of female hitchhikers: thank you for showing us as we are ---

strong, daring, assertive, emotional, patient, crafty, perceptive, resourceful, and still "real".

i love these stereotypes.

hey guys, how can I join you? I'm going to hitchhike through Latvia, Poland, Czech, Germany and Netherlands. Is it possible to stay in Casa for a some days before my way back?

Only 36 days away... Who knows if I make it this year. I am sure it's gonna be a great festival!

And the one in North-America is due even sooner... in a couple of weeks.

Artwork is by artymori

The Academy of Free Travel (AFT) sounds vaguely Casa-esque, but more temporary and exclusively for hitchhikers. Apparently they have set up hitchhiker houses (in the past) in 3 Russian cities, Kyrgistan, Tajikistan, and Egypt. I hear the next one is to be in Tbilisi, Georgia. An English AFT page is here, with links to other pages in Russian, and a CouchSurfing thread is here, including a couple people who have stayed at AFT houses.

Hugs!
~George

I had an experience last weekend that gave me perspective on a lot of peoples' fear of hitchhikers.

Yes we were stupid. It was a dark, rainy night on a coastal highway (HW-1 in California). Our headlights flew past a figure on the side of the road. We only saw him for a split second - just enough to see him gesturing frantically with his thumb.

"I usually don't pick up hitchhikers. But you don't look like the usual hippie... "

The 40-something man opens the door of the fancy car he drives to make an impression on his clients.
I'm in. comfortably sitting in the rear. with my shoulders finally relying on something smoother than a rock.

It was fun to sleep for few days in a tent under zero degrees and winking stars fighting to be brighter than the orange moon. Listening to the birds talking to each other the whole night.

Voting for this year's (and #4 already!) hitchgathering in Europe, taking place at the 5th of August, was great fun again. So many different people putting forward their well-researched proposals but from the beginning the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria got a head-start. At one moment it was even leading with 42 percent! Not any of the other locations was able to come even close to that.

It seems also to be the case that another gathering will take place in North-America. Last year saw a small meeting, but nevertheless it took place! This year the date is set for July 15. Location yet to be decided. Check na.hitchgathering.org.

It's interesting to observe people who don't want to take hitchhikers. Maybe they think I'm dangerous (do I really look scary..?) and dirty. Or maybe it's just very lovely to have some empty seats in your car to look at. I don't own a car, I don't have a clue.

Back since a week! A great place to come back to, casa. The list to explain why is long. I am always surprised to see what changed, and always come back to the same conclusion: it is similar like before, but also different. And this time, it has certainly 'matured'! I am really thankful to all who keep this place moving further...

So, I found this poster just now that I wanted to share, without going sentimental. The text is known by some of you maybe, but the poster I had never seen before. No clue where it comes from, and who made it...