A hitchhiker's guide across the Baltics in one day.
Day 1
I still don't know how I pulled it off.
Leaving Tallinn a little later than expected, 11:45. Ran to Viru Center and caught a Number 18 bus. By the time I got to the southern outskirts, it was 12:15. Started hitching immediately. Had a marker, but failed to find cardboard. No light-colored clothing. Only had my thumb. Defied all hitchhiking rules that I previously researched.
Outside of Rimi supermarket, most cars were heading into town. Waited for 30 minutes or so in the cold. Unsure of my location, I walked back 500m towards the city, found another petrol station. Again people headed into town and not out. There were traffic lights but they only turned red when cars had to cross on the perpendicular crossing, and intervals were too short. Cars were often moving too fast. It'd been raining for 1 hour now. Horrible location. My confidence was waning, not a particularly good start.
But traditions are there for a reason. I stood in front of the traffic lights, thumb up. Finally a car stopped, guy said I can take you 10 km up front. "Oh yes just take me!" A guy who just wanted to help other guys out, respect.
Hitchhiking 101: take what you can get. Worry 10km later.
So 10km later, I was really in the middle of nowhere. At a ramp on the highway. No towns near me whatsoever. I murmured, What have I done to myself? It was raining harder. Sky was grey.
But here's the thing, I was next picked up in less than 10 minutes. He was passing by Parnu. Within 30 minutes in the car I pretty much learned about his whole life, all through broken English.
Lesson 2: You're more likely to get picked up in the middle of nowhere.
"I had 2 wives, one divorced. I work in Tallinn but visiting my mom in the south. I'm from the south. In south Estonia now, no work! My daughter lives in Helsinki, my son translates technical books in Berlin! I used to work in the sea; been to the US, all of Europe. Yea! I want to go to Vietnam, Japan, China, travel for one year."
"Good life! How much do you make?"
"1000 Euros/month. I work from time to time. But I have house, car, eat cabbages, carrots, in retirement now! Don' expect much. Do you like Muslims? Bomb, blast [hands leave wheel and made bomb gesture], no good!"
"Oh no they are good, just some you see on TV aren't good. You like Soviet times?"
"Today, no work in village. In Soviet times, better! Everyone had work. I worked one, two, three, four days to buy a bicycle. That was very good for the children. Today, you have to work one month to get a bike!"
"What you think of Russia"
"Russia has trouble, politicians corrupt. Small people own most land. Putin good for Russia, bring them out of trouble. Today Estonia also corrupt, politicians take money from people!"
Interesting insights. Parnu was about 130 km away. Stopped at a turn, bid farewell and I went on with my journey. It must have been 2:30 or so? I made myself some fish sandwich that I could not quite get over with throughout the Baltic trip.
Thumb up again, and 5 mins later a mini van picked me up, said I can drive you maybe 10km. Father and son. Father a fisherman.
"So you met our prime minister! What you think of him?"
"I think he has insights. You like him?"
"Ye, in general."
"Fish trading good business?"
"Ye we have special species we sell to Germans, Russians. Pretty good."
"How's life here?"
"Not too bad. I can travel 3 times a year. The town is a little boring, but you live with it."
Again I was dropped at a corner. Somewhat middle of nowhere, but location was relatively good. A little after traffic lights and cars were traveling slowly. Thumb up again. But no one seemed willing to stop. Some military trucks passed by. Looked at my phone clock: 15:15 I was still in Estonia, not a good sign. I had to get to Lithuania by nighttime.
30 minutes later, a car stopped by.
"[Estonian]... 20km...[Estonian]"
"OK!"
Later we passed by a sign and he said, "Haademeeste." I had no map, so that meant nothing to me.
By now I noticed a trend, drivers are quite good at leaving you at strategic locations where you are likely to get a ride while not hindering their journey. Like this guy dropped me at a petrol station.
As I studied the big map at this , I noticed two guys walking into car with Latvian plate.
"Yo man! You going to Riga?"
Affirmative, so I went with these two guys who worked for Soviet cattle trading company. Noticed that they spoke Russian.
"We're Russian speakers, we're of Russian origins. So in Latvia two nations, Russian and Latvian, what about Hong Kong?"
"Uh, we have mostly Chinese, some guai los, Pakistanis, Indians, quite a few Philipinos." Hong Kong actually has diversity, I realized. My turn to throw a question.
"So what do you think your identity is?"
"We're Latvians." No hesitation there.
Stopped by Baltic coast for a break:
Rather nice.
At Riga outskirts, I noticed a rather different scene from the old town. It seems somewhat like an abandoned Soviet city, Soviet residential blocks scattered randomly.
18:00, sunlight still on. I thought I would get down there in 2 hours no prob? Walked a bit and hopped on a car in 2 minutes, direction Kekava, but needed to get to Bauska.
Lesson 3: location, location, location. Back in Tallinn I fluctuated too much. Gotta pick the right spot and be patient, always with a smile hanging. Here in Riga there were traffic lights with cars going straight or taking a turn. I walked up to cars at red light, on second round one picked me up.
Not so easy. He took me up front to Kekava, and there I walked back and forth for an hour, impossible to get a ride. Bauska was only 55 km away! The problem was that most traffic was local.
Lesson 4: lots of local traffic means it's a wrong spot. Also when you see families and women drivers, don't even bother.
And there was this Russian speaking guy who finally picked me up, drove me 4km or so? Down to the Kekava roundabout. "Good luck!" were the last words.
Luck indeed I needed. 10 minutes later a guy stopped. A young guy driving and mid-aged man.
"I'm Latvian. You?"
"Hong Kong."
"[handed me a bottle] Vodka, Russian, good!"
"[had a shot, laughs] yes good. speciba."
"Speciba Russian, no! Baldes in Latvian!"
Few more shots then on. He also had this very addictive sugar coated cherry liquidity interior sweet, apparently Latvian.
"Hesburger, fast food, no good!"
More hysterical laughs together.
At this point the radio played "i'm a woman you're a man," and he starts singing humming and swinging his body. Quite a surreal scene, but I was just enjoying my vodka.
They brought me to Iecava. Vodka guy came out greeted me farewell, final shot. 24km to Bauska where I could hitch another ride, but it was getting dark, almost completely. Street lights were still not up. I was at a petrol station, but no cars would stop, not in the dark.
A guy from petrol station drove out, I waved him down. He was going 5km, I was like whatever just take me.
Lesson 5: take whatever you can get, but not always.
When the 5km came, sky was completely dark and I was sort of in the plains entering a forest road. This was literally the middle of nowhere, and I had no light patch so no one could see me. I tried waving and jumping whenever cars came. Waved my phone around. But then again, no one stops at night. I should have known this.
It was 20:30. The 5km driver was smart, left me at a bus stop, and there was still bus service to Bauska, 24km away. Next bus: 20:51, I made sure I didn't miss it. Almost did, glad bus driver saw me.
1 Lat bus fare. Take note, it's worth around 1.2 pounds!
Whatever. I got to Bauska. Texted my couchsurfing host Paulius by this time, and he told me exactly where to go for hitch. Good thing he did this route before.
Still had to cross border and get to Panevezys. Went to the petrol station at Bauska Paulius mentioned. Took a leak, came back out, a BMW with Lithuanian plate. Would this be my lucky night?
Talked to the driver. He was heading to Kaunas, not quite passing by Panevezys. Is it possible to make an exception? Asked his wife, affirmative! last 84km in a BMW!
Walked into the car, their son was sleeping. Clearly was against the family don't take hitchhikers rule. I guess all rules have exceptions. I was thinking at this point, if I had my big Central Asian beard back in Summer, don't think they would have taken me. So shave!
And what a surprise. He had an octocopter in his trunk, one of a kind in Lithuania. It was used to take birds eye view photos of Lithuania. His work represented the country at the Shanghai Expo! I showed him Ceslovas Jursenas's (guy served in parliament for 22 years) name card.
"Oh you met him, cool. He knows my work for sure!"
A link to his site can be found here. Prepare for dropping your jaw!
During the ride, his friend, apparently a Lithuanian tycoon or successful businessman, talked to me on the phone, asking whether I knew a good Chinese cook, if so give him the contacts. Laughs from the whole car. Rather surreal conversation; something that seems to always happen.
84km in BMW is what I call a jackpot, and the driver was even more of a jackpot. He gave me a photo book as a good-bye present. So here I am with what my couchsurfing host Paulius described as one of the best photo books in Lithuania.
Lesson 6: Timing timing and timing. If I hadn't gone to the toilet, waited for the bus at that certain time, and they didn't get to the petrol station at that moment, I would not have met them. But then again, this just applies to everything else in life right?
Panevezys, Lithuania, at 22:30. Had a pint. What a good day. And hence I made it through 2 borders in 9 rides.
I still don't know how I pulled it off.
Leaving Tallinn a little later than expected, 11:45. Ran to Viru Center and caught a Number 18 bus. By the time I got to the southern outskirts, it was 12:15. Started hitching immediately. Had a marker, but failed to find cardboard. No light-colored clothing. Only had my thumb. Defied all hitchhiking rules that I previously researched.
Outside of Rimi supermarket, most cars were heading into town. Waited for 30 minutes or so in the cold. Unsure of my location, I walked back 500m towards the city, found another petrol station. Again people headed into town and not out. There were traffic lights but they only turned red when cars had to cross on the perpendicular crossing, and intervals were too short. Cars were often moving too fast. It'd been raining for 1 hour now. Horrible location. My confidence was waning, not a particularly good start.
But traditions are there for a reason. I stood in front of the traffic lights, thumb up. Finally a car stopped, guy said I can take you 10 km up front. "Oh yes just take me!" A guy who just wanted to help other guys out, respect.
Hitchhiking 101: take what you can get. Worry 10km later.
So 10km later, I was really in the middle of nowhere. At a ramp on the highway. No towns near me whatsoever. I murmured, What have I done to myself? It was raining harder. Sky was grey.
But here's the thing, I was next picked up in less than 10 minutes. He was passing by Parnu. Within 30 minutes in the car I pretty much learned about his whole life, all through broken English.
Lesson 2: You're more likely to get picked up in the middle of nowhere.
"I had 2 wives, one divorced. I work in Tallinn but visiting my mom in the south. I'm from the south. In south Estonia now, no work! My daughter lives in Helsinki, my son translates technical books in Berlin! I used to work in the sea; been to the US, all of Europe. Yea! I want to go to Vietnam, Japan, China, travel for one year."
"Good life! How much do you make?"
"1000 Euros/month. I work from time to time. But I have house, car, eat cabbages, carrots, in retirement now! Don' expect much. Do you like Muslims? Bomb, blast [hands leave wheel and made bomb gesture], no good!"
"Oh no they are good, just some you see on TV aren't good. You like Soviet times?"
"Today, no work in village. In Soviet times, better! Everyone had work. I worked one, two, three, four days to buy a bicycle. That was very good for the children. Today, you have to work one month to get a bike!"
"What you think of Russia"
"Russia has trouble, politicians corrupt. Small people own most land. Putin good for Russia, bring them out of trouble. Today Estonia also corrupt, politicians take money from people!"
Interesting insights. Parnu was about 130 km away. Stopped at a turn, bid farewell and I went on with my journey. It must have been 2:30 or so? I made myself some fish sandwich that I could not quite get over with throughout the Baltic trip.
Thumb up again, and 5 mins later a mini van picked me up, said I can drive you maybe 10km. Father and son. Father a fisherman.
"So you met our prime minister! What you think of him?"
"I think he has insights. You like him?"
"Ye, in general."
"Fish trading good business?"
"Ye we have special species we sell to Germans, Russians. Pretty good."
"How's life here?"
"Not too bad. I can travel 3 times a year. The town is a little boring, but you live with it."
Again I was dropped at a corner. Somewhat middle of nowhere, but location was relatively good. A little after traffic lights and cars were traveling slowly. Thumb up again. But no one seemed willing to stop. Some military trucks passed by. Looked at my phone clock: 15:15 I was still in Estonia, not a good sign. I had to get to Lithuania by nighttime.
30 minutes later, a car stopped by.
"[Estonian]... 20km...[Estonian]"
"OK!"
Later we passed by a sign and he said, "Haademeeste." I had no map, so that meant nothing to me.
The E67 Via Baltica is arguably one of the best projects EU gave the Baltic states.
As I studied the big map at this , I noticed two guys walking into car with Latvian plate.
"Yo man! You going to Riga?"
Affirmative, so I went with these two guys who worked for Soviet cattle trading company. Noticed that they spoke Russian.
"We're Russian speakers, we're of Russian origins. So in Latvia two nations, Russian and Latvian, what about Hong Kong?"
"Uh, we have mostly Chinese, some guai los, Pakistanis, Indians, quite a few Philipinos." Hong Kong actually has diversity, I realized. My turn to throw a question.
"So what do you think your identity is?"
"We're Latvians." No hesitation there.
Stopped by Baltic coast for a break:
At Riga outskirts, I noticed a rather different scene from the old town. It seems somewhat like an abandoned Soviet city, Soviet residential blocks scattered randomly.
Bad image quality, through a window filled with bird shit.
18:00, sunlight still on. I thought I would get down there in 2 hours no prob? Walked a bit and hopped on a car in 2 minutes, direction Kekava, but needed to get to Bauska.
Lesson 3: location, location, location. Back in Tallinn I fluctuated too much. Gotta pick the right spot and be patient, always with a smile hanging. Here in Riga there were traffic lights with cars going straight or taking a turn. I walked up to cars at red light, on second round one picked me up.
Not so easy. He took me up front to Kekava, and there I walked back and forth for an hour, impossible to get a ride. Bauska was only 55 km away! The problem was that most traffic was local.
Lesson 4: lots of local traffic means it's a wrong spot. Also when you see families and women drivers, don't even bother.
And there was this Russian speaking guy who finally picked me up, drove me 4km or so? Down to the Kekava roundabout. "Good luck!" were the last words.
Luck indeed I needed. 10 minutes later a guy stopped. A young guy driving and mid-aged man.
"I'm Latvian. You?"
"Hong Kong."
"[handed me a bottle] Vodka, Russian, good!"
"[had a shot, laughs] yes good. speciba."
"Speciba Russian, no! Baldes in Latvian!"
Few more shots then on. He also had this very addictive sugar coated cherry liquidity interior sweet, apparently Latvian.
"Hesburger, fast food, no good!"
More hysterical laughs together.
At this point the radio played "i'm a woman you're a man," and he starts singing humming and swinging his body. Quite a surreal scene, but I was just enjoying my vodka.
They brought me to Iecava. Vodka guy came out greeted me farewell, final shot. 24km to Bauska where I could hitch another ride, but it was getting dark, almost completely. Street lights were still not up. I was at a petrol station, but no cars would stop, not in the dark.
A guy from petrol station drove out, I waved him down. He was going 5km, I was like whatever just take me.
Lesson 5: take whatever you can get, but not always.
When the 5km came, sky was completely dark and I was sort of in the plains entering a forest road. This was literally the middle of nowhere, and I had no light patch so no one could see me. I tried waving and jumping whenever cars came. Waved my phone around. But then again, no one stops at night. I should have known this.
It was 20:30. The 5km driver was smart, left me at a bus stop, and there was still bus service to Bauska, 24km away. Next bus: 20:51, I made sure I didn't miss it. Almost did, glad bus driver saw me.
1 Lat bus fare. Take note, it's worth around 1.2 pounds!
Whatever. I got to Bauska. Texted my couchsurfing host Paulius by this time, and he told me exactly where to go for hitch. Good thing he did this route before.
Still had to cross border and get to Panevezys. Went to the petrol station at Bauska Paulius mentioned. Took a leak, came back out, a BMW with Lithuanian plate. Would this be my lucky night?
Talked to the driver. He was heading to Kaunas, not quite passing by Panevezys. Is it possible to make an exception? Asked his wife, affirmative! last 84km in a BMW!
Walked into the car, their son was sleeping. Clearly was against the family don't take hitchhikers rule. I guess all rules have exceptions. I was thinking at this point, if I had my big Central Asian beard back in Summer, don't think they would have taken me. So shave!
And what a surprise. He had an octocopter in his trunk, one of a kind in Lithuania. It was used to take birds eye view photos of Lithuania. His work represented the country at the Shanghai Expo! I showed him Ceslovas Jursenas's (guy served in parliament for 22 years) name card.
"Oh you met him, cool. He knows my work for sure!"
A link to his site can be found here. Prepare for dropping your jaw!
During the ride, his friend, apparently a Lithuanian tycoon or successful businessman, talked to me on the phone, asking whether I knew a good Chinese cook, if so give him the contacts. Laughs from the whole car. Rather surreal conversation; something that seems to always happen.
84km in BMW is what I call a jackpot, and the driver was even more of a jackpot. He gave me a photo book as a good-bye present. So here I am with what my couchsurfing host Paulius described as one of the best photo books in Lithuania.
Lesson 6: Timing timing and timing. If I hadn't gone to the toilet, waited for the bus at that certain time, and they didn't get to the petrol station at that moment, I would not have met them. But then again, this just applies to everything else in life right?
Panevezys, Lithuania, at 22:30. Had a pint. What a good day. And hence I made it through 2 borders in 9 rides.
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