5,983
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
m
no edit summary
'''5-8-11''' is the fourth edition of the annual '''European Hitchhiking Gathering'''. It is going to take place in [[Kara Dere]] at the Black Sea coast of [[Bulgaria]]. ''(View it on [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=42.892231,27.899687&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.726391,90.263672&ie=UTF8&ll=42.885021,27.89712&spn=0.033206,0.088148&t=h&z=14 Google Maps].)''
==General==
=== Organisation & Discussion ===
* communication is done via the [http://lists.freeactive.net/listinfo.cgi/hitch-freeactive.net Hitch mailing list]
* finally there is a [http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=123117 CS meeting] as well, some more stuff needs to be added though, feel free to let yourself be promoted to an organizer and improve informations
* workshops and events are under discussion, for now place your suggestions here: [[Hitchgathering/2011/Workshops]]
* minutes from the [[Hitchgathering/2011/Magdeburg_MeetingMagdeburg Meeting|Magdeburg meeting]] are available
=== Timeline ===
#Different pre-meetings in [[Berlin]], [[Budapest]], [[Sofia]] and so on ... initiative welcome!#The gathering: 5/8/11#After-meeting in [[Turkey]]?
==Pre-meetings==
As time is passing by, it is time to start thinking about pre-meetings (and maybe after-meetings)...
Post about these in hitchgathering.org [http://hitchgathering.org/node/837 can be read here].
===Budapest===
''(date: 30-31 july, organizing: [[User:Maxijazz|Maxijazz]])''
'''Programs'''
*30th july:
Gathering at Gödör ([http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=hu&ll=%2047.498829,%2019.05408&spn=0.01,0.01&t=m&q=47.498829,19.05408 exact location]) and partying till we can, celebrating your arrival.
*31st july:
For those who want to continue the jurney of course it is hitchhiking. Fort he ones who would stay for another day, there will be some like a flash mob for promoting hitchhiking, and some other programs (under „construction” at the moment) and of course free programs (do what you want).
'''Accomodation'''
Accomodation is self-organised and for this use [http://couchsurfing.org CouchSurfing], [http://hospitalityclub.org Hospitality Club] or [http://bewelcome.org BeWelcome]).
Also if that does not work out and you would like to camp somewhere int he city it is suggested to sleep on some of the islands (like[http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=hu&ll=47.526389,19.047222&spn=0.1,0.1&t=m&q=47.526389,19.047222 Margit Island], [http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=hu&ll=47.553889,19.055&spn=0.01,0.01&t=m&q=47.553889,19.055 Hajógyári Island]) or the Buda Hills (places like [http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=hu&ll=47.502708,18.966136&spn=0.01,0.01&t=m&q=47.502708,18.966136 Normafa])
'''Contacts'''
===Sofia===
''(date: around the 2nd August, organizer: Boyan)''
===Vama Veche===
''(around the 3rd August, organizer n0id)''
===Varna, Organizational pre-meeting===
''(Monday 1st of August 11 am, in front of Black Sea Casino, 33 Bulevard Slivnica, Varna)''
We need to ensure that the logistics are handled so well that people won't have an urge to leave from Kara Dere too early. In an ideal situation we would be able to secure food, water and refreshments so that no one needs to leave the beach during the first 3 days of the gathering. During the organizational pre-meeting we will look into how we will arrange:
*Camping and sanitation (shit pits, shovels)*Food collection and preparation (dishes, fireplace, firewood)*Water and other refreshments (water tubes/canisters, intoxicating substances)*Solid waste management (trash bags!)*Logistics needed for program
We will also brainstorm together what kind of structure we could provide so that it's easy for people to self-organize the program for the gathering.
*Logistics: '''Martin''' +359 897 68 66 27 / Email: martin.christov(at)gmail.com / CS: [http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/martin.christov Martin Christov] / Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/martin.christov Martin Hristov]*Facilitation: '''Tomi''' / Email: tomi(at)mindyourelephant.org / CS: [http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/tomi.astikainen Tomi Astikainen] / Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/astikainen astikainen]
*Participants:**'''Ania''' +48 508 070 768 / Email: a.szutenberg(at)gmail.com / CS: [http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/ania_szuti ania_szuti]**'''Anselm''' +359 889 881 928 / CS: [http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/daans/ Daans]**'''Bernd''' / Email: bj970032(at)gmail.com / CS: [http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/nextstopjupiter/ nextstopjupiter] / Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/nextstopjupiter Nextstopjupiter]**'''Laura''' +372 567 451 44 / CS: [http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/laurazaar/ laurazaar] / Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com//laurazaar laurazaar]**Add your name and contact details please
Some questions to ponder... Can you bring cooking equipment, dishes, food, water canisters, a car, gasoline, tents, umbrellas, beverages, toys, games, instruments, your mother, or anything that might be useful? Do you work for an organization, a brewery or a food manufacturer who would like to that might want to provide freebies? Do you have contacts that might help?
==After-meetings==
Post about these in hitchgathering.org [http://hitchgathering.org/node/837 can be read here]. A visualisation of the possibilities on a google map can be found on a google map [http://goo.gl/70e5c here].
===Tallinn, Estonia===
Tomi and I came up with an idea to organize a small Hitchgathering post-meeting in Estonia. It could attract also people from Baltics, Poland and Finland who could not make it to the actual gathering in Bulgaria (5 August), like me (Ron).
We have secured a place to sleep but it's only limited for 10 people, so you have to hurry to send a couchrequest. The place is called Uus Maailm (http://www.uusmaailm.ee/). For the couchrequest, you have to send them to Erko Valk. But remember, only 10 can sleep there, but there are plenty of Couchsurfers in Tallinn.
*Participants so far:**Ron: ronaldsnb(at)gmail.com**Hannele: hannele.kand(at)gmail.com**Tomi: tomi(at)mindyourelephant.org**Ania: a.szutenberg(at)gmail.com**Saara: saara.lillqvist(at)gmail.com
===Savrane, [[Krusevac]], Serbia (August 8th-10th)===([[User: mileagainst|mileagainst]]) live in this lovely little village in central Serbia. It's on the way to Guca festival, so its a perfect sleep-over on the way to Guca. Mileagainst has some couch space and huge yard for tents. This post-gathering is confirmed. You can sign-up for it [http://hitchgathering.org/šavrane-krusevac-serbia-post-meeting here].
===Irakli, Bulgaria===
There is another lovely beach near Kara Dere, some 25 km south. It is a bit more populated and has a couple of bars and a shop. There is running water as well.
===Vama Veche, Romania===
A definite party spot with a nice beach and quite a few bars and restaurants, just outside Bulgaria on the Romanian side (North of Kara Dere).
===Kandira, Bulgaria===
There is a superb mountain hide-out near Krumovgrad. Details from Tomi (--[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] 17:29, 29 June 2011 (CEST)).
===Yeşiltaş, Turkey===
In South East Turkey there is a well-hidden village of 800 Kurdish people called Yeşiltaş. Its original Armenian name is Iştazin. There are about 80 houses that are not visible to the road. People are hospitable and they wish that more people would come there to see how they live and tell about their life abroad.
--[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] 17:29, 29 June 2011 (CEST)
===Georgia===Suggested by Mathieu Lecarpentier ([email protected]) -- there's the [[Academy of Free Travel|AFT]] house in Tbilisi between August 1 and September 30, so that'd be a great place to meet.
===Belgika fest in Bulgaria===
http://fest.beglika.org/en
Seems so great but it costs. There is an option to volunteer but you probably would need to sort things out in advance.
==TO DO=====Misc===
===Website work=======Translation====*French --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]
If you're a translator, browse the website in your language as much as possible.
Check out [[Hitchgathering/Website_translationWebsite translation|this page]] that explains how to translate what.
This is the order in which to translate. No point putting names there.
#Translate the menu structure (super-fast but counter-intuitive. Easier for geeks. Do read the [[Hitchgathering/Website_translationWebsite translation#Menus|Menu section of the page linked above]])#Translate the FAQ in your language (Quick and easy, you can even come up with your own FAQ)#Translate the interface (Not too straightforward, to do while browsing the website and you run into an English word or phrase in the middle of an otherwise translated page). [[Hitchgathering/Website_translationWebsite translation#Interface|Instructions from the same page]].#Translate the content (Anyone can do it, but long and painful)
====Other====* invent [[Hitchgathering/2011/Slogan | new slogans]]!
* add a timeline capability to reports and merge them into the 2010 timeline, remove reports
* make it possible to offer or request workshops ([[Hitchgathering/2011/Workshop suggestion for hitchgathering.org|Brainstorm page for Drupal geeks]])
** encourage people to suggest activities
** have a workshop list on the website
- I will take volleyball ball! - Ania_Szuti
===General communication===
Most of that is going to be on the internet. But offline comm is welcome if anybody can handle that.
*Write press material (now that we have the destination).**Bulgarian**Russian**English --[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] '''done'''**[[Hitchgathering/2011/NewsDE|German]] --[[User:Zenit|Zenit]] '''done, might need proof reading?''**[[Hitchgathering/2011/NewsFR|French]] --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]] '''done, might need proof reading?''**Polish**[[Hitchgathering/2011/newsHU|Hungarian]] --[[User:Maxijazz|Maxijazz]] '''done''**[[Hitchgathering/2011/newsFI|Finnish]] --[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] '''done, might need proof reading?''**Spanish --[[User:Ivers0n|Ivers0n]] '''done'''**''add language''
The press releases are ON THE WEBSITE (menu link "press"). If a press release has been written for your language and it is not on the website, put it there. The drafts are [[Hitchgathering/2011/news#News_Story_News Story .28long.29_29 -_April_2011April 2011|here]]
* get in touch with hitchhikers in different countries to have local contacts:
** add more... or add yourself
====Social media====
Most festivals spread through word of mouth. We can put that on steroids with all that social media thing.
List of micro-bloggers (twitter, identi.ca...) that actually use their account:
*twitter: sitarane
The idea is to follow each other, to make communication faster.
List of people to contact:
*http://www.ludovichubler.com/*The two Swedish kids that hitched across Eurasia --Elsy*Anick-Marie*Juan Pablo Villarino ? www.acrobatoftheroad.blogspot.com*http://followtheroad.com/en/
Other travel celebrities.
* Tom (Roadjunky)
====News spread where & when====
* [http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=12&post=8545425 CS Hitchhiking Group] ''14th April''
* [[Hitchgathering/2011/Finnish media contacts|Finnish media contacts]]
* Martins from Latvia and Tadas from Vilnius hitchhiking club
===Art===
''Waiting for some designs to emmerge''
** Distribute the files and print it in several places/countries (try to get it for free)
*track distribution and make it more open; make better use of them --[[User:N0id|N0id]]
===Workshops===
* organize some nice events and workshops: [[Hitchgathering/2011/Workshops]]
===Practicalities on the ground===
*There are two roads coming to Kara Dere. If you are coming from North (Varna) the first road is from the village Goritsa. The second is just before town Byala. We will try to get signs ready a few days before the meeting, at the latest.*If you take the second road, near Byala, there is a natural water source on the way. We should propably mark it so that anyone who comes can fill their bottles on the way. BE PREPARED TO SHARE WATER. It's the most precious resource at the gathering. If you can, please bring some extra water bottles and canisters. There are some fishermen at the North end of the beach who have extra canisters if we need more of them.*Dumpster-diving opportunities are next to non-existent. You can buy/beg food in nearby villages and towns. We should try to get a food sponsor to make this smooth. Setting up a fire on the sand should not be a problem as long as we don't cut down live trees.*Let's leave the place cleaner than it was when we came. Although the place is quite remote (some 5 km off the main road between Varna and Burgas) the Bulgarians know it's there and will be there for their holidays. Probably in August there will be tourists who don't give a shit. So, let's clean after them also. We'll make a common trash bin in one place and collect it with a car... if everything turns out fine, we should have at least one car in our disposal.*Kara Dere beach is loooong and we will probably pick the actual gathering spot just few days before when we get a few organizers (hitchhikers, participants) on the ground. I suggest we pick a spot near the natural water source that is on the south end of the beach.*If you have a camping shovel, bring it. However, we'll try to get a few Bulgarians nearby to contribute to the organizations and probably shovel is one of the first tools to fit in the equipment. We will make 2-3 shit pits so that we don't lay too many land mines here and there.*You can bathe in the sea, using sand as your soap. Only use organic products if you insist on real soap or shampoo.
==Being done=====Practicalities===*Boyan (Sofia): boqnbb (at) abv.bg*Martin (Varna): martin.christov (at) gmail.com*Tomi (on the road): tomi.astikainen (at) mindyourelephant.org*ADD YOUR NAME AND EMAIL IF YOU WISH TO HELP IN PREPARING THE SITE
===Art===
[[Hitchgathering/2011/Graphic|Brainstorm page about graphic design]]
* new logos and stuff ([[User:Sandra|Sandra]])
** Contact Robin about last year (you're reading this?): price, can we get the same offer? --[[User:N0id|N0id]]
==Contact==
* hospex camp organizers
** Flohfish --n0id (message sent, no response so far)
** Contacted: might bring 50-100 hitchhikers if we can synchronize with his race
==Visa info==
Unfortunately, Bulgaria/Romania are '''NOT''' within Schengen yet, which means additional visa oppression for people holding Russian, Belorussian, Ukrainian or Moldovan passports.
* Regulations for Russians (might apply for UA & BY as well)
**Romania: Must apply for a visa in advance, 5 days visa-free transit for Bulgarian, Cypriot or Schengen visa holders. Usual Romanian tourist visa undergoes similar procedure than for Schengen, thus invitation letter, insurance, work book & sufficient amount of cash on bank account needed to submit in the embassy (usual 50 Euro/day). '''Advise''': Get Bulgarian visa, and afterwards apply for (free) transit visa for Romania, if traveling from Ukraine/Moldova.
** Bulgaria:Must apply for a visa in advance, 36 hours visa-free transit for Romanian, Cypriot or Schengen visa holders. Usual Bulgarian tourist visa undergoes similar procedure than for Schengen, thus invitation letter, insurance, work book & sufficient amount of cash on bank account needed to submit in the embassy (usual 50 Euro/day). '''Advise''': See above.
** Turkey: New visa regulations for Turkey from April 16, 2011! Check embassy in advance!
* CHECK IF UKRAINE AND BELARUS HAVE THE SAME REGULATIONS
* Regulations for Moldovans
**Romania: Visa free (?) -need to get this confirmed --[[User:Platschi|Platschi]] 13:08, 14 April 2011 (CEST)
STILL TO DO:
* here is the info from the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs homepage, about the [http://www.mfa.bg/en/pages/view/85 visa regime](with the list of states witch need/don't need visa),[http://www.mfa.bg/en/pages/view/96 types of visas] and [http://www.mfa.bg/en/pages/view/94 charges]
==Web-presence==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchgathering Wikipedia article] created --[[Astikain]] 17:10, 14 April 2011 (CEST)
** Now, everyone, improve it please!
French: http://www.cafebabel.fr/article/33387/troisieme-festival-europeen-d-autostop-au-portugal.html
==Promotion: DIY!==
Some flyer designs have been made and an easy possibility to make flyers is to print
* Invent a new slogan for this year! http://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Hitchgathering/2011/Slogan&action=edit
==Done==
* make organisation more visible on hitchgathering.org: [[User:atopia|atopia]] (done by [[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]], thank you!)
===Press===
Press release written for:
*English*German*French*Finnish*Spanish
Always needs proofreading.
===Website===
* [[Reworking hitchgathering.org menu structure]]
** make hitchgathering.org/6810 point to 2010 and remove the menu
:I've looked into that and I'm confused. It's not a view, is it? It's a taxonomy trick. Can some drupal wizard shed some light? --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]
Sort of done, if not for the detail above. I simply removed the 2010 bit. It is now not accessible through menu, and as far as I know, through any other way than knowing the url. --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]
*The right column is too long --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]
** I removed the slogans from last year that were cycling under the title and replaced them with the countdown
** Removed both the "work in progress" block (since we do the orga chitchat on the mailing list AND the "who's new" block that I didn't see the point to. Comment if that makes you unhappy.
* It's hard for admins to track how each user type sees the website. --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]
** There's a new block visible only to admins that allows them to 'masquerade' any other user in one click.
*Clean up the permission/role system --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]
* Editing posts in plain text is annoying. In particular when one must include an image or a link. The html syntax is a big deterrent --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]
**I might get into WYSIWYG later, but I hate it and it's a lot of work. Instead, I set up the 'Markdown' syntax as default. It's a bit like the wiki syntax, but simpler and more intuitive.*Remove the coordination forum (that we decided not to use anymore in favor of the mailing list) and the old forums from view (no delete!) --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]*Thoroughly adapt the website to 2011. Views, menu... --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]
==The Location ==
The gathering will take place in Kara Dere, Bulgaria. Below is the description for the proposal.
Coords.: 42.892231,27.899687
Have a look at [[hitchgathering/2011/Pictures_of_BulgariaPictures of Bulgaria|Pictures of Bulgaria]]
====Pros====
*huge remote beach*water supply from a spring on the beach (''The issue of drinking water: There is a natural spring right on the beach. The only insignificant con is that the nice camping areas in the forest are a bit further on the beach on a 15 mins walk from the spring. But 10 liter tubes do a great job and daily "trips" are just a walk on the beach'')*perfect shade, as the beach borders with a marvelous forest, where it's cool all day long and in the night it's not windy and sandy *people there are generally nice *cheap!*equally near to (between) the two biggest cities (Varna, Burgas) on the coast line.*close to turkey*small "bar"(caravan) for beer, fish&chips, etc. on one end of the beach*few to none about the mosquito issue*the trumpet festival at Guča happens the week after 5/8/11, just 850km to the west
====Cons====
*40 mins walk on a dirt road to the nearest village for food supply (quite easy and pleasant though)
** There are cars passing by as well on this dirty road, so they can at least bring the bags with food.
*project for closing the area and building an "Eco Village" (decision and deadline unknown yet)*language barrier?
** I guess there are as many hitchhikers who don't speak Bulgarian as hitchhikers who didn't speak Portuguese. And I guess there are a lot more Russian speakers in Bulgaria than English speakers in Spain.
**language barrier is absolutely no problem, everybody knows what the thumb means, also city's names on road signs are nearly always in Cyrillic and Latin.*'''Many''' campers in summer*'''Forget''' about dumpster-diving here
===Discussion===
:Willing to organize a pre-meeting in [[Budapest]].. Question: should it be just before the gathering (5th August)?.. so all the hitchhikers who choose to go through Hungary could have like a 'pit stop', and if so what would be the appropriate date for it (5-10-15 days before)?--[[User:Maxijazz|Maxijazz]] 20:30, 4 April 2011 (CEST)
