The Journey

Pretty much out of nowhere, Johana and I decided that we were going to try hitchhiking to Budapest for the week—and that’s exactly what we did! We had been talking about doing it together for some time. We had the week free from work at the castle, the weather was perfect, and Budapest wasn’t that far away. So, we packed our bags and hit the road!

It was my first time doing this. Johana had many years of experience already, as this had been her main mode of transit throughout the Americas and Africa during her own journey. She knows all the tricks, but the key is to just smile 🙂 I was definitely a bit nervous at first. I had never relied on strangers for anything before, so this was a big move for me. But I’m very glad I did it! This little adventure surprised both of us with how smoothly it went, and it very much restored some faith in humanity—seeing so many strangers go out of their way to help us.

Starting off in our little town was going to be the hardest part. We live in a tiny village with little traffic to begin with, and even less headed toward the Austrian/Hungarian border. We found the best spot we could that would allow people ample time to see us and safely stop if they wanted to help. The key is to place yourself in the path of people who are already headed where you want to go. It’s also helpful to know the major towns along your route, so if someone is only going to the next town over, you know it’s still a ride worth taking—without having to refer to a map.

We got a lot of smiles from people passing by, and a few stopped for us, though most were only going a short way or to towns that wouldn’t move us to a better spot. After an hour, however, a schoolteacher and his son on their way to a town near the border offered us a ride!

The man was very curious about where we were headed and went out of his way to put us in a spot where we could easily be picked up again. From there, it only took about five minutes before someone else stopped and offered to take us to the next town over. He was just on his way to work, and again, this man went out of his way to put us in a good spot.

Another five minutes later, a third man offered to give us a ride to Győr—which already covered most of the journey. We accepted the ride, but unfortunately, we didn’t end up in the best spot to continue hitchhiking easily.

We were dropped off at a rest stop on the highway connecting Budapest and Bratislava. Perfect in theory, but in reality, the rest stop was very quiet, with almost no one coming through. It would have been far too dangerous to try hitchhiking directly along the highway, as traffic was moving fast and stopping would have posed a hazard.

So we decided to move to the next closest town and try waiting at the entrance to the highway instead. The problem was that we now had to walk two hours off the highway and through farmland to reach this town. It was a very hot and sunny day, but we didn’t have much of a better option.

Thank God we had that umbrella to save us a little bit from the sun! The schoolteacher who picked us up had given it to us, worried it might rain. It didn’t save us from any rain, but it definitely helped keep us cool on our hike through the random farms off the highway.

Hours later, we made it to town and found a good spot to try for a ride to Budapest. This is where I found my rhythm for hitchhiking—I wasn’t nervous anymore at all. I just had fun making people smile as I put on a show with my thumbs, trying to get their attention.

We had a few people stop for us, but the guy who finally picked us up was a huge surprise. He stopped once and asked where we needed to go. He was headed in a completely different direction—far away from Budapest. Naturally, this wouldn’t work for us. But about ten minutes later, he pulled up again and said, “Budapest it is!” Crazy!

In all her years of hitchhiking, Johana had never had someone completely change their destination for her. We were in shock—but stupendously grateful at the same time. We rode along the back roads, learning bits of history and facts about Hungary on our way to Budapest. By the time we arrived, we were glowing with joy—not just that we’d made it, but at how generous everyone had been to us. Thank you to everyone!

We’ll definitely be doing more hitchhiking adventures this summer whenever we get the chance. After all, I’ll need the practice before we make it to Japan 😉

Budapest

I know I keep saying that each city in Europe I visit is more beautiful than the last—but wow, once again, Budapest does not disappoint. It is stunningly beautiful and grand, with the River Danube cutting through the heart of the city. We stayed in District 1, right next to the Fisherman’s Bastion on top of the hill.

It was a wonderful week in Budapest. Johana and I were lucky to know someone who lives here and suggested all the best spots in town. Easily our favorite was the jazz club after 10 o’clock. After the shows, there’s usually a late-night set with free jazz that you can just walk in and enjoy. We also really loved visiting the Hungarian Museum of Commerce and Hospitality!

We had a really cozy Airbnb for the week too—complete with a bathtub and air-conditioning, which we’d rarely seen in Europe. We spent a few relaxing evenings inside watching more Downton Abbey (we’re totally hooked now, lol).

In closing, another epic adventure for our story! We’ll see where we go next 👀