26th to 28th August, 2017.
Hitch-hiking in UK it is not just difficult because people are not that used to but also because the roads do not help at all! Or they are too small without hard-shoulder or when you realized you are already in a motorway. So I decided buy an advanced ticket in Fishguard from Cardiff to Sailsbury (Stonehenge) and from there to Portsmouth. From Fishguard to Cardiff I would try to hitch. The problem is that the station at Fishguard was closed in the morning (or maybe do not even there is someone selling tickets there). So I just took my way in direction of the Fishguard Fort, the first “attraction” / thing I would do.
It took me less time than I though to get in there, the only problem were the hills. They were impossible! I thought I would die over there. But I did not (really?). And I got at the Fort! It is a nice place, nice view, I took a nice picture and then I left. The way back to the place were I planned to hitchhiking also took me less time that I though.
I spent over 40 minutes in there! The cars from the Ferry were coming. I could know because of how following each other they were coming. But no one was stopping.
Then a nice man with his son stopped and said that was not going to Cardiff, but would let me in a better place to hitch because in there nobody would stop. So I get in and he left me in a P (a place specific to people park in the road). After a couple of minutes a couple stopped to me: Gary and Rhiannon. He graduated in History and her in Archaeology. Magnificent!! They were very cool and we have a lot in common. We talk about politics, technology, feelings, past and future, language… such a nice time! They were going to Cardiff to the “Doctor Who experience”. After over two hours travelling we finally get in there. I stay in a gas station in the centre and they follow their way.
I was walking around when I did the most stupid thing ever: I saw this Brazilian restaurant and decided go inside to check. It was not that expensive but I know that I had just a few pounds with me and the credit card was almost empty. So what should I have done? After asked about the menu and the price, I should left. But I have pretty sure that some kind of stupid dumb pride on me does not let me leave and I decided eat in there. The whole meal with the tips coast me 20£. It was a small dish, but the fried crispy cheese was very good. But now there’s a thing: in the other day, I discovery in the worse way that my pounds were actually Stirling Pounds (from Scotland), and even they being part of the s-a-m-e UK, most of the places out of Scotland, do not accepted them. Ridiculous! The thing is I putted a 20 Stirling pounds note inside of that black small book of the bill and said I do not needed change (tips) so I got up and left. I did not see what was the reaction of them when they saw the note. Maybe they were one of the few places which accept them. Maybe they were not. What would happen if they had seen before I left and refuse to take? It was the only money I had, beyond the Euros, of course. I do not know. What happened after that it was I kept blaming myself, very hard, for been so stupid in decided to eat there. Never more. Yeah, I know, I know, maybe I “had” to eat in there because it would be the only place around where I could use the Stirling Pounds? Maybe.
So of course I was in a bad mood after all, what made me did not like Cardiff anymore. But now remembering, I’m pretty sure it is a nice place, and at least the Bay is very beautiful and you will have a few thing to see and do there. Do not miss it!
I went to the Bay where it was happening some kind of event, with a lot of people and children. I walked around, had bad luck with the pictures, got too tired and frustrated. The good thing was when I was going over there, I passed for some small places beside the train line, like small squares of grass, separated from each other by thick bushes and with a tree in the middle, to hide the rail way a bit. In one of them I saw a small tent and unfortunately a lot of garbage around it. That made me decided to make my camping in another one but closer to the Bay, so I would not have to walk too much. The plan (at the moment) was crossing the city in the morning and get in a place to hitch. Yeah, Gary make me believe that would not be that difficult to get a hide to Sailsbury. I should follow my intuition and my plan. But I know they do not did in purpose. They were just trying to help.
Before make my camping, I went to the famous big (exaggerate) theater near the bay and have my shower in the sink of the bathroom. It was full of people, since it was a public one and as I said there was this event in there. I did not care, of course, but everyone keep looking at the girl in her bras washing her arms and neck with hand soap and dry it with towel paper.
By lucky there was a Sainsbury Local in the corner and I bought a bread, a soft cheese and a box of juice (that tropical fruits one that I tasted in Leamington Spa and I loved!) all for less than 4 Euros. And I had dinner and breakfast.
With the camping done I was a little concern because I was around 10 metres from the street. I could hear people passing and talking as they were just beside me. And in the other side, across the rail way, some youths with loud music and loud voices as well. I knew the train would stop in some time at night… At this time you have to think that people do not know if those ones inside, are men or women and how many they are. Also, if you are camping it is because you do not have the money to pay a Hostel, so there is nothing to be stolen. I know that it is not that easy and we never know what crosses people’s mind but we have to try.
In the middle of the night, I heard a noise. I left my soft cheese outside, in a plastic bag, because definitely would be colder there. That was the noise I heard: the plastic bag. Of course it was some four legs animal, probably a dog, because a person would just take out the bag and eat. But when you are alone in the middle of the night in your tent and heard something, you could think that was the real Manson Family in there who just came for you.
In the morning I am pretty sure I heard some steps but nothing happens. Out of the tent, my soft cheese it was in the entrance of the way that leads inside the trees and it was closed so definitely it was a dog or other kind o animal but not a human being.
I passed from a Tesco, saw some carbon box and ask for a few. Now I just had to make my sign. It was the best one ever: very big and visible and after the words “Sailsbury – Stonehenge” I drew a very nice picture of the stones. It did not help me at all because after over one hour and nobody stopping one of the guys who lived around come to me and said no one would stop, that my better chance would walk a little more and bla bla bla. I did it but I should not. He was right about the spot: it was better and all the cars going in Sailsbury’s direction cross there, but there was not a good place for them to stop for me. So after a few minutes under a very strong sun, I walked in different directions looking for a better spot: and nothing.
I had to take the worse but my last alternative: to buy a ticket. Bus or train. Of course I went for the bus first but was almost 5 o’clock and the last one left around 2 o’clock. Train it is then. It coast me more than 32 bucks! Fucking shit trains system! I used my card, cheering to be approved. I know I had over 40 bucks on it but there was the convert fee that I had no idea how much would coast me. It works! And I still have 4 bucks in the card.
Another quickly shower in the station bathroom and ready to leave Cardiff for ever.
