6th of January, 2022.
I really don’t like hitchhiking in gas stations. But sometimes I have no choice. Budapest is not that far and right in this direction, and still, after a long time, nobody it seems to be going there. When I ask this guy who looks cool, he tells me to be going not so far but he could drop me there. For me, anywhere out of big cities is better, so I accept.
He is going to visit his parents, but first he will make a stop somewhere. He also likes to travel but mostly, he likes to be away from the city during the weekends, He always go to hike in the mountains and camping in there. He is a forest engineer and he hitchhiked before during his travels. What I didn’t expected is that he would drop me in the highway. At least he gives me a chocolate bar when he leaves.
The worst part is that there is a huge queue of cars to take this exit. And of course everybody is starring at me
A van stops. The guy says he is going to Budapest. Sometimes I get doubtful about van drivers. Quite a few times they were not nice.
The van driver does not speak English so we don’t talk much. But he seems OK. He tells me about his family and work. When we get to the border I am a bit nervous. I know that Hungary is quite a tough country. But the police offices with whom I talk are surprisingly nice. We pass in a different cross, special for trucks and vans. Beside us, there are huge queues for the cars.
After all the checking and with our passports stamped, in the last inspections for the van, problems. It seems he doesn’t have the right documents for the product he is transporting. He gave some Euros for the police officers we passed by before but it seems that in here is not working. After being in the border for over one hour, a very rude woman officer start to guide us through some barriers, back to the Serbian side. What? The guy is kind of telling me this but only because I asked. Why he didn’t tell me this before. I get out of the van, take my bags and tell him I am clear to go an I cannot go back to Serbia. But by the time I do this, we are already back into the Serbian side. Fuck!
I get nervous and start to cry a bit. Stupid. I try to talk with a few different police officer but they are all either new, or ignorant or their English is not good enough. While I am waiting for answers, I see how the police officers don’t give a shit to the people waiting in their cars. I see groups of police officers talking while the queues of cars are just getting bigger and bigger. They even start to honk their horns in unison.
A young and beautiful female officer comes and talks to me. When I explain to her what happened, she starts to tell me I can get a bus to the next town, and gives me the directions. She is very nice. Finally someone in command comes. I tell her what have happened in less than one minute. She only gives a simple look one my passport and gives me back saying: “You can go!”. Oh, Loki! What a wonderful world it would be only if it was filled with smart people…
I am glad, of course, but still quite pissed because now is 6 p.m., it is dark already, and how the hell can I hitchhike? I don’t want to take the bus.
The lady in the exchange place is very kind and tell me the bus it costs only 2 Euros. The bad news is it comes only at 7.30 p.m. I cry a bit more.
But then I decide to do something. When I see a guy exchanging some money and I notice he comes from a car with a woman, I decide to ask him if they could drop me in the next town. He is German and promptly say I can come. Wow!
I talk a little bit with them and explain what have happened. They are going to spend the night in a hotel after the next town, which for me is perfect!
Once in there, I ask the receptionist if I can use their wi-fi. She directs me to the restaurant. The couple who drove me here come in while I am doing my researches. I am facing a horrible stomach ache. They offer to pay me dinner! How lovely! I have rice with beans and some salad. I really enjoy but it would be much better if I was feeling well.
I will have to hitchhike in the gas station again! There is no other way.
With my directions, I start to walk, in the middle of the darkness, towards my camping spot. It seems crazy at the beginning, but at the same time it is a nice feeling to be doing these because I have to and without being terrifying of it, it makes me feel good about myself.
I had made a plan to camp in some woods, half way to the gas station. But when I get in there, it is too close to a house, so I decide to be a bit outside of the woods. I know there is a bigger forest not too far from here, but I am tired and don’t want to walk more. But I also know I shouldn’t make my camping outside a forest, otherwise the chances of my tent getting frozen by the frost are bigger. I should have listen to my senses.
The place where I camp is horrible and bumpy. I have a very uncomfortable night. Next morning my tent is extremely frozen and inside it is even more wet than the last time. Sometimes I can be so stupid…
Walking to the gas station, I pass by the bigger forest where I could have camped and wow! It is such a nice place! With a flat and comfy floor, all covered in a green grass and not frozen at all! Lesson learnt. I hope…
