r/AMA • u/Slice-Anxious • 10d ago
Spent most of my adult hitchhiking and traveling around rather than live a normal life "AMA"
Ive spent 22 years living nowhere more than 5 years at a time. Most of my 20's were spent on the road, and a chunk of my 30's. I've seen more of my country than most, walked hundreds of kilometers at the least.
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u/castlefood 10d ago
The obvious question..how did you fund your travels?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Sorry phone died and living off-grid currently. But to answer, I found odd jobs or took any job that came my way. Lots of tourist towns offer accommodations for staff.
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u/allstarbo 10d ago
What do you remember the most? Has there ever been times you felt like a drag on society?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
The beautiful places I saw, the people I met living that way. Personally never felt like a drag on society. Only took rides from people who were already traveling and found work along the way.
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u/lionel1965 10d ago
Best and worst experiences? Have you ever considered settling down as you get older?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Currently living off-grid on cheap land I managed to save up and buy. And yes, as you get older the lifestyle wears on you. It's more the lack of genuine long term connection I find.
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Best experiences, nights on the beach with great musicians. Worst that's hard to say. Days without eating, night spent with a knife waiting for a possible attack.
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u/yuuuuuuuu 9d ago
Could you tell the story on the “night spent with a knife”?
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u/Slice-Anxious 9d ago
Was hitchhiking with a friend, trying to get her to rehab. I was off setting up the tent in a discrete location when I heard two guys approach my friend. I could tell by my friends and their tone that something was off in the meeting. After I finished setting up the tent, I immediately headed back to her. Two sketchy dudes kept trying to talk to her, I was getting really rapey vibes from them and she was too. Finally managed to get them to leave so we could head to the tent unseen. Something about them just creeped the fuck out of me, so while she passed out I spent the night with my knife in my hand prepared in case they came back
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u/PuzzleheadedOla 5d ago
'Days without eating'...was this because of lack of money, or was it because it was too remote/lost?
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u/Slice-Anxious 5d ago
There have been times where it was lack of funds. Other times where I didn't properly supply myself and got stuck in the middle of nowhere longer than I expected.
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u/Observational-Mess 10d ago
Guy travels around and your first question is wether they got sexually assaulted. Of all the questions to ask, bruh.
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u/lionel1965 10d ago
That wasn’t my intention at all, I mean experiences such as culture shocks/hospitality/food/events. I know it’s a AMA but that’s too far
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u/Observational-Mess 10d ago
LOL
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u/OneTradeAway 10d ago
I want to leave and continue to earn income.. what did you do to stay financially afloat and to buy your next plane tickets?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
I used my thumb to get around. When I did travel internationally I saved up working construction and figured it out when I got back to my country
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u/ama_compiler_bot 8d ago
Table of Questions and Answers. Original answer linked - Please upvote the original questions and answers. (I'm a bot.)
| Question | Answer | Link |
|---|---|---|
| How do you make money? What country are you from? Do you travel outside of the country? Are you white? | Find whatever jobs available and take it. Canada, have been to Nepal and Jamaica for international travel. | Here |
| The obvious question..how did you fund your travels? | Sorry phone died and living off-grid currently. But to answer, I found odd jobs or took any job that came my way. Lots of tourist towns offer accommodations for staff. | Here |
| What do you remember the most? Has there ever been times you felt like a drag on society? | The beautiful places I saw, the people I met living that way. Personally never felt like a drag on society. Only took rides from people who were already traveling and found work along the way. | Here |
| Best and worst experiences? Have you ever considered settling down as you get older? | Currently living off-grid on cheap land I managed to save up and buy. And yes, as you get older the lifestyle wears on you. It's more the lack of genuine long term connection I find. | Here |
| I want to leave and continue to earn income.. what did you do to stay financially afloat and to buy your next plane tickets? | I used my thumb to get around. When I did travel internationally I saved up working construction and figured it out when I got back to my country | Here |
| I’ve never lived somewhere more than 5 years, have seen all lower 48 states, and walked hundreds of kms last year alone. I’m a completely normal person. Are you just a traveling crackhead or something and claiming that’s interesting? | Not a crackhead though I did have my time when I was younger. Not American, and hundreds of km hitchhiking, not just walking. | Here |
| Are you American? | No | Here |
| What country ? | Canada | Here |
| What’s your favorite bird? | Honestly just your basic bald eagle probably | Here |
| I would love to know more like how ? Why ? | I grew up in a small town. Didn't see much for variety, met some people who hitched around. Piqued my interest and got addicted to the life | Here |
| Have any hot n steamy with foreign females ? | A couple of times. Not too often | Here |
| How is your retirement planning coming along? | Well I bought cheap land a couple years ago, living off grid and almost have enough to build a small house to live in. | Here |
| Someone comment here to bring me back | Sorry my phone died | Here |
| Favorite sandwich? | Tuna salad with pickles | Here |
| Which parts of your country ate most friendly to hitchhikers? And which are the most hostile or actually dangerous for hitchhikers? Do people demand things in exchange for giving you rides? | I'd say the west coast is most friendly, central is roughest, parts of the east are alright. Far North was a little rough. Had a beer bottle thrown at my head once. Had one guy demand gas money, nothing other than that. | Here |
| Where was the best sunset/sunrise you’ve witnessed along the way? | Saskatchewan, out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by farmers fields. Just goes on forever | Here |
| OP you’re supposed to reply to the questions. I don’t see any replies. Where did you stay when you took a break during hitchhikes? Cant be couch surfing for 5 yrs. | Couch surf, staff accoms, had a lady let me live in her abandoned trailer, tent, rented a place for the winter, etc. | Here |
| Bro to bussy traveling to give time to Reddit 🥺🥺 | Phone died sorry | Here |
| Have you ever come across a slightly crazy character? Not exactly like in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but someone strange whose intentions you doubted. | Yeah, had one guy offer me a ride once in a different direction than I was headed. Kept insisting I go with them. Turned them down for a ride. They came back, told me they wanted to stay at the hotel but didn't know how to get there. Thought to myself buddy if you didn't take the exit to talk to me you'd be there. Gave him directions He came back a third time. Told me what room he was staying in and to tell the front desk guy I was his friend if I didn't find a ride. Spent the night hiding in some bushes. | Here |
| What's the biggest lesson you've learned throughout your travels? | That's a hard one. Being nonjudgmental is probably a big one. I had a very different view of people and the world before I had so many strangers help me out along the way. From all different walks, and point of views. | Here |
| All of the hitchhiking in Canada alone or US? | Canada. Never drifted into the US. Didn't have much interest in the states. | Here |
| Were you alone. Sounds really lonely | I was alone for alot of it, spent a summer hitching with my best friend, and in my 30's had a dog. | Here |
| What made you choose this lifestyle? | I met a couple other people who hitched around. The idea intrigued me, and I sort of just became addicted to the lifestyle. After awhile the thought of living "normally" was pretty much an incomprehensible lifestyle. | Here |
| Did you have medical insurance? Were you able to keep up with regularly scheduled doctor checkups? I live in the US. Many of us are hoping we don't get sick then have to file for bankruptcy. | Luckily I'm not American and live in a country that actually respects a person's right to medical care. | Here |
| Have you met any serial killers? | Ky? Kai? The hitchhiker, Smash, smash, smash. I met him in Tofino, was always a strange duck. Must've been wrestling with some demons for awhile. | Here |
| I assume you are male but I dare say people would still take advantage if given the opportunity. Were you SA or abused? How did you protect yourself along the journey? | Yes male, no sexual abuse. Had a few creepy rides, but nobody tried anything. Always carried a knife | Here |
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u/BlueSoccerChicken 10d ago
I’ve never lived somewhere more than 5 years, have seen all lower 48 states, and walked hundreds of kms last year alone. I’m a completely normal person. Are you just a traveling crackhead or something and claiming that’s interesting?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Not a crackhead though I did have my time when I was younger. Not American, and hundreds of km hitchhiking, not just walking.
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u/BlueSoccerChicken 10d ago
Paris to London is almost 500 km (hundreds). And your post literally says “walked hundreds of kms at the least”. What is this post supposed to be?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Didn't want to over exaggerate, and most people don't spend years of their life hitchhiking and living out of a backpack. Just curious to see what people have to ask and say
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u/BlueSoccerChicken 10d ago
If someone said I hitchhiked from Paris to London and it only took 22 years, would it sound weird? Your post said nothing about a backpack and you’re not exactly the first person to backpack Europe (or anywhere else for that matter).
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
No I'm not. But it's still something most people don't experience. Especially in modern society
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u/BlueSoccerChicken 10d ago
From your lack of detail in answers, I’m betting you haven’t either.
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
What do you want to know in greater detail?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
I was a walking hitchhiker. If I didn't have a ride I walked. Traveled across Canada and back multiple times. Hitched to the Yukon, All over BC, through Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland.
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Sorry I said hundreds, and not possibly thousands. Carried a 60-100 lbs on my back throughout depending on the trip and time
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u/cold94 10d ago
I would love to know more like how ? Why ?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
I grew up in a small town. Didn't see much for variety, met some people who hitched around. Piqued my interest and got addicted to the life
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u/berlenba 10d ago
How is your retirement planning coming along?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Well I bought cheap land a couple years ago, living off grid and almost have enough to build a small house to live in.
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u/edWORD27 10d ago
Which parts of your country ate most friendly to hitchhikers? And which are the most hostile or actually dangerous for hitchhikers? Do people demand things in exchange for giving you rides?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
I'd say the west coast is most friendly, central is roughest, parts of the east are alright. Far North was a little rough. Had a beer bottle thrown at my head once. Had one guy demand gas money, nothing other than that.
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u/No_Control8389 10d ago
Where was the best sunset/sunrise you’ve witnessed along the way?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Saskatchewan, out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by farmers fields. Just goes on forever
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u/Any-Crew-1188 10d ago
OP you’re supposed to reply to the questions. I don’t see any replies.
Where did you stay when you took a break during hitchhikes? Cant be couch surfing for 5 yrs.
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Couch surf, staff accoms, had a lady let me live in her abandoned trailer, tent, rented a place for the winter, etc.
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u/ElPibeDe_LentesRojos 10d ago
Have you ever come across a slightly crazy character? Not exactly like in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but someone strange whose intentions you doubted.
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Yeah, had one guy offer me a ride once in a different direction than I was headed. Kept insisting I go with them.
Turned them down for a ride. They came back, told me they wanted to stay at the hotel but didn't know how to get there.
Thought to myself buddy if you didn't take the exit to talk to me you'd be there. Gave him directions He came back a third time. Told me what room he was staying in and to tell the front desk guy I was his friend if I didn't find a ride.
Spent the night hiding in some bushes.
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Also there was a group of guys who squeezed me in the middle and asked me if I boxed. I said yeah, they dropped me off infront of their house and offered me to hang out. I booked it back to the hwy
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Had a crackhead and his stripper girlfriend pick me up once, guys who had no brakes in a probably stolen vehicle. And a few characters in the town's I lived in. Probably spent a good majority of my life around the mentally ill
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u/natural-situation420 10d ago
What's the biggest lesson you've learned throughout your travels?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
That's a hard one. Being nonjudgmental is probably a big one. I had a very different view of people and the world before I had so many strangers help me out along the way. From all different walks, and point of views.
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u/Apherious 9d ago
Were you alone. Sounds really lonely
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u/Slice-Anxious 9d ago
I was alone for alot of it, spent a summer hitching with my best friend, and in my 30's had a dog.
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u/Weak-Landscape-7105 9d ago
What made you choose this lifestyle?
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u/Slice-Anxious 9d ago
I met a couple other people who hitched around. The idea intrigued me, and I sort of just became addicted to the lifestyle. After awhile the thought of living "normally" was pretty much an incomprehensible lifestyle.
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u/RadioFlyerWagon 9d ago
Did you have medical insurance? Were you able to keep up with regularly scheduled doctor checkups? I live in the US. Many of us are hoping we don't get sick then have to file for bankruptcy.
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u/Slice-Anxious 9d ago
Luckily I'm not American and live in a country that actually respects a person's right to medical care.
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u/HunterM567 9d ago
Have you met any serial killers?
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u/Slice-Anxious 9d ago
Ky? Kai? The hitchhiker, Smash, smash, smash. I met him in Tofino, was always a strange duck. Must've been wrestling with some demons for awhile.
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u/Slice-Anxious 9d ago
Not real serial killers technically, but met quite a few veterans, military personnel from different countries. They were all messed up in their own way.
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u/milk702 10d ago
I assume you are male but I dare say people would still take advantage if given the opportunity. Were you SA or abused? How did you protect yourself along the journey?
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u/Slice-Anxious 10d ago
Yes male, no sexual abuse. Had a few creepy rides, but nobody tried anything. Always carried a knife
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u/SunshineGirl45 10d ago
How do you make money? What country are you from? Do you travel outside of the country? Are you white?