Every backpacker you meet these days would perhaps tell you a story about their travel experiences, especially on how they moved around from one town /city to the next. Hitchhike as commonly known by backpackers is apparently one of the costless ways to move around and if you asked, someone possibly would tell you their experience. What I find amusing is the different views people have about it. Its safety and security seems to be a major concern whenever I happen to raise the topic. You see it is not something new I am casually talking about it here; I was also way advised not to think about it before my travels by a close friend so I can understand why there are many mixed feelings. Does this mean societies are not the same anymore compared to the days when our parents and grandparents grew up?
I recall couple of conversation with travellers who told me about their success stories and thought how brave they were, especially to hear it from female travellers. To be honest there were some moments along my travel route that I thought I should try it out but possibly with the company of another traveller.
In one of my early travels in the North Island of New Zealand I decided to take a hitch- hike with a co-traveller from the National Park hostel where we were staying for 3 days to a nearby village town called Okahune and if we had walked it would have taken us 35 km but it was not the risk S and I were risking to take especially after 9 hours of hiking the Tongariro crossing the previous day. With some helpful hints given by the charming English accent receptionist we settled for the idea of hitchhike. Not knowing who he/she might be we anxiously walked down to the main highway; standing on the left side of the lane we each took turns to raise our thumbs across the road signalling our desperation for a free ride. How peculiar was that? Self-conscious and thinking of what our family might be thinking about our idea, we persevered for less than 10 minutes until we hit the lucky jackpot.
Running few metres down the roadside we met the lady driver who kindly offered us a ride as she was on her way to Wellington. Without any delays we hopped into the car, introduced ourselves and chit-chatted as she drove us to the Okahune village which took about 31 minutes. Thanking our generous driver we farewell her as she continues her long drive to the capital.
We were warned prior to our visit to Okahune that it might be quiet and as assumed we see number of shops closed and less than 100 dwellers. There wasn’t much happening except for the New World grocery shop which happened to be busier than the others.
On a perfect sunny day on the main street we capture the view of Mt Ruapehu carpeted with sketches of snow that resist to disappear this summer. Imagine what it’s like during Winter in this town. As Okahune is the gateway to Mt Ruapehu’s ski fields during winter, where skiers and boarders flock in to entertain themselves you would expect more people to be here than this season.
We browsed around for about 2 hours and then decided it was time to catch the next hike to the hostel before we were caught by the approaching showers.
Who gave us the next ride is another story I would die to tell you as it has connections to my homeland (P.N.G).
I recall couple of conversation with travellers who told me about their success stories and thought how brave they were, especially to hear it from female travellers. To be honest there were some moments along my travel route that I thought I should try it out but possibly with the company of another traveller.
In one of my early travels in the North Island of New Zealand I decided to take a hitch- hike with a co-traveller from the National Park hostel where we were staying for 3 days to a nearby village town called Okahune and if we had walked it would have taken us 35 km but it was not the risk S and I were risking to take especially after 9 hours of hiking the Tongariro crossing the previous day. With some helpful hints given by the charming English accent receptionist we settled for the idea of hitchhike. Not knowing who he/she might be we anxiously walked down to the main highway; standing on the left side of the lane we each took turns to raise our thumbs across the road signalling our desperation for a free ride. How peculiar was that? Self-conscious and thinking of what our family might be thinking about our idea, we persevered for less than 10 minutes until we hit the lucky jackpot.
Running few metres down the roadside we met the lady driver who kindly offered us a ride as she was on her way to Wellington. Without any delays we hopped into the car, introduced ourselves and chit-chatted as she drove us to the Okahune village which took about 31 minutes. Thanking our generous driver we farewell her as she continues her long drive to the capital.
We were warned prior to our visit to Okahune that it might be quiet and as assumed we see number of shops closed and less than 100 dwellers. There wasn’t much happening except for the New World grocery shop which happened to be busier than the others.
On a perfect sunny day on the main street we capture the view of Mt Ruapehu carpeted with sketches of snow that resist to disappear this summer. Imagine what it’s like during Winter in this town. As Okahune is the gateway to Mt Ruapehu’s ski fields during winter, where skiers and boarders flock in to entertain themselves you would expect more people to be here than this season.
We browsed around for about 2 hours and then decided it was time to catch the next hike to the hostel before we were caught by the approaching showers.
Who gave us the next ride is another story I would die to tell you as it has connections to my homeland (P.N.G).
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