I have had some unforgettable experiences along the years; some good some bad, but never a dull moment. I have been hosted by a truck driver and once, I spend an entire day looking for a ride only to walk my way to the nearest village and start afresh the next day. I spend a day in a luxury car while I was a pillion rider to a mad person and his royal enfield the very next day. I made some really good friends on the way and had to run away sometimes. I prefer hitch-hiking over other modes of transport not because it is efficient and cheap but to experience the journey to its very core; to meet and interact with new people and learn new things(I was amazed by the kind on information people have to give).
It is a strange feeling. To share tea, endless laughter, memories and life stories with people you know you will never meet again. A weird serendipity that you know comes with an expiration date. At times, the hosts leave a deep impression on your heart and you tend to absorb their kindness and opulence in your being.
Hitch-hiking has made me more confident and more receptive of new thoughts and culture. It has taught me that some risks are worth taking and some chances are worth taking because travelling is much more than window seat aspirations. So, get out on the road, lay that thumb bare or make a signboard that says 'anywhere but here.'
Somewhere between the start of trail and the end is the mystery why we choose to walk.