Resources for Hitchhiking, Cycling, or Anything Adventurous...

Solo Female Hitchhikers: women shouldn't be afraid to hitchhike. My advice on staying safe.


External Links for general info & reference

Digihitch and Hitchwiki - particularly their country-by-country info sections

Bike Forums - a lot of good discussion for those planning to take off on a bicycle

Aire de Camping - map to free camp sites all over France

World Championships of Hitchhiking, put on by the St. Petersburg Autostop League. Anyone want to form a team?

Google Maps Distance Calculator - because Mapquest doesn't work in Africa

Pack List


Key Items - Hitchhiking in Africa

  • Mosquito net
  • Books (or an e-reader - I have a Kindle which is the only electronic I carry and consider it invaluable)
  • Meds (particularly pepto-bismal and malaria treatment pills - I took nothing preventative)
  • Sunscreen (very little needed, just do as the locals and cover up)
  • Camera (cheap digital point and shoot)
  • Waterproof stuff sacs - like these from MEC
  • Moneybelt, although at some point I sewed two pockets into either side of my bra - moneybelts a theif might know about, but bras with hidden pockets are out of mind (sorry guys)
  • Water-purifiers (that I never ended up needing)
  • Flashlight (headlamps are best)
  • For clothes, shoes etc I buy in-country - dress like the locals! In third-world countries there are always used western clothing markets.
  • My pack was my mom's from the eighties. Its good only fashioned canvas, and although Ive had to do repairs on it here and there I wont trade it in until it literally falls apart. See a picture here.
  • A good knife: As much for self defence as for peeling mangos. Clip it to your bra-strap, best woman-only hiding spot that men wont suspect.
  • Lighter & matches
  • Surge protector/batteries/chargers? I try to stick to AA batteries, but sometimes chargers are needed. See this page for a list of voltage/plug types around the world

Other Trips

I've decided to bring a tent and sleeping bag on the current leg of my travels  through Eastern Europe to Central Asia etc. This is primarily because Im aiming for more 'wild' experiences - hiking, camping, survival - and less hanging out in villages like in Africa (although that was great too). I chose the MSR Hubba, which together with my sleeping bag means my camping gear weight is under 3kg - pretty great!

For cycling, basic tools, spare inner tube and a repair kit were the most crucial additions to my Africa hitchhiking gear, although eventually when a wonderful friend - James from the Tour d'Afrique - gave me a tent I used it daily. Clip-in shoes were also a blessing once discovered. 

That said, I went many hundreds of kilometers before having any of this. Hardcore cyclists often boast of fancy touring bikes, fancy gadgets, and months of preparation. I had zero preparation time, and my bike was a $90 Chinese made imitation mountain bike I picked up when I randomly walked into a used Zambian bike shop. It got me by. Yes, I went slower, suffered too much at the begin, and my knees fought a war (since the bike wasn't properly sized), but it got me by. You can do anything if you try, so don't let lack of experience or a bike that isn't up to Tour de France standards put you off.