Hi everyone I thought I would use the tag ‘introduceyourself’ on this blog seeing I wasn’t aware of how useful it can be for a newbie steemer.
Today I’d like to outline some quick tips on how to get around affordably and easily around BC, Canada and Canada in general. So Canada is a really really big country. Some people spend years road tripping this place, it’s just so damn vast. As BC is adventure and outdoor capital of Canada and often a popular holiday destination my post is from my experience I had getting around there.
Hitchhiking is a safe and popular method of transportation in Canada! Stick your thumb and leave your fears behind and get ready for totally new experience of getting around. The idea may seem very daunting for some but I’m going to outline a few tips that will help you get picked up quicker and stay safe!
- Always always always be mindful of areas cars are able to pull over and not cause an accident to the cars behind them. Don’t just pick any spot. The perfect spot would include some of the following. A large gravel or clear area to the side where cars can pull over and a speed zone where cars are not just zipping by you and are able to slow down easily (traffic lights or before large bends are also good)
- A big smile and a readable sign of where you want to go. A simple Sharpie and notpad in your backpack is plenty. Just make it bold and neat!
- I can’t stress enough how much a positive mind reflects on your face. If you’re happy people are way more likely to stop. People will stare and you might not get picked up for an hour but SOMEONEWILL ALWAYS STOP! I like to pop headphones on and headbob to the music to keep my positivity up and it always worked. Spin the sign, do a dance and have some fun, no one likes a grouch.
- While I did hitchhike on my own, I would advise females to find a buddy to travel with. Canada is a super safe place to do it though and if there was place for a female solo hitchhiker it would be there. In particular Vancouver Island is known for its very easy going attitude and you’ll get picked up instantly by some lovely people.
- If you’re a guy on your own. Find a girl to buddy up with. Your chances of getting picked up is way higher.
A really good companion app is Hitchhiking Maps. It shows on a GPS map little locations and ratings of past users experiences. It was invaluable when I had no idea where the hell I was. Mark on your maps.me map (refer to my first blog if you’re unsure what this is)
Ok so hitchhiking not your cup of tea? I get it, it can seem pretty daunting and there are other ways of affordably getting. Pop a Ride is similar app to the European Blabla rideshare. People post the location of where they are going (and mention oneway or return) with a price tag. The app is very transparent and has a rating system similar to uber given to them by other riders. I used this a couple times for longer journeys and it was very helpful.
If your location you desire is not available on the app another alternative is to check Craigslist.com. Here lots of people post essentially the same thing. It’s less transparent but I still had no issues using it.
My next tip might be a bit cringe worthy but it definitely works, tinder! I had a lot of success writing in my bio who I was (country I’m from, being foreign really helps), my travel journey with a promise of good stories and stated I was looking for a friend to help get me from point A-B. Give it go as another option!
My last tip is to simply ask people at your hostel. A few people I met in hostels were doing day trips around in either their car or a rented car. In today’s society where you walk into a hostel living space its pretty daunting. Everyone is wired in on their phones or laptops (pet hate of mine) and it may seem like you might be bothering them, but in reality these people are just using technology as a comfort bubble to cope with the anxiety of meeting new people. Be that person who goes first! The easiest way I made people disconnect was to simply make an observation and go from there. For example one guy has his Gopro out and I asked whether he had some cool photos from that day. Turns out he went bungie jumping that day (probably the easiest thing to sound genuinely interested in) and sure enough we got talking and he had a car that he offered to do a day trip in the next day. Heres a few quick tip I got from reading ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ which is a valuable tool for helping you get what you want from people without manipulation.
- Put on the best smile when you say hello. No shit right? Well I think it’s something that is overlooked often. If you are mindful of doing it every time you say hi to someone the habit will stick.
- Be genuinely interested in what they have to say and maintain eye contact. It shows you are fully present in what they have to say. People like this!
- Be an active listener, not a passive one! This means you are not thinking of what to say next when they are speaking and that you are fully engaged in what they are saying. Your face lets off micro gestures you are not even aware of when you are passively listening. Be active by doing micro contributions “mmm interesting” “yes” “oh” “wow” “nice!”. I used to be guilty of passive listening and I certainly say that I have a good time of making new people I meet like me because of this.
Steemit Worldmap: [//]:# (!steemitworldmap 49.165543 lat -123.941231 long Affordable Transportation Travel Tips in British Columbia, Canada. d3scr)
Have fun, stay safe and stay curious.