4
edits
Changes
no edit summary
== The Big Island ==
Thumbing around the Big Island can be heaps of fun especially since it is not as crowded with seasonal tourists as some of the other more frequented islands. Rides often come in the form of "Hop in the back bra" from locals driving large pick-up trucks. Rides can also be ways of getting to meet locals and avoiding being the Haole (a term used to describe foreigners and white people).
Beware that the east side of the Island can almost certainly expect rain at some point during the day all year round, while the west side may be boiling hot and dry for weeks. Don't be afraid to use the Shaka sign, the unmistakable pinky and thumb salute. It is the ultimate symbol of aloha and local culture in Hawaii. The Big Island is probably one of the best and easiest places on the planet to hitch a ride. On the Eastern side of the island you will probably not wait more than ten minutes for a ride, and if you are waiting longer than that it will most likely be due to a lack of cars driving by (this is especially true on back roads that don't see much traffic. The few people that do drive by, however, will be more than willing to pick you up in most cases). The Eastern side of the island (especially the Pahoa area) is full of 'hippies' and Rainbows, so you will always be in good company and will definitely meet people while hitching, whether they be people who pick you up or others you run into on the side of the road while thumbing. There are also a number of intentional communities and communes in the area, and a lot of them will be more than happy to allow people wandering through the area stay for a night or two in exchange for a bit of cash or worktrade. There are also TONS of farms in the area that are always looking for people to worktrade (WWOOF is huge here, so you can also use the WWOOF Hawaii site to find farms). Accommodations will range from just a space in a field to throw up a tent, to little shacks, to cozy rooms in the house with food provided. Simply ask people who pick you up and other hitchhikers if they know of any worktrade opportunities and you will definitely find something.Both truck bed rides and rides in the cabin of cars are common here. Expect great conversation with people you never would have even imagine existed. The locals on this side of the island can be somewhat hostile, and it seems a lot of the island's Meth problem originates here. Be wary of locals offering you rides. There are the occasional nice locals, but you just have to be careful and vibe out the situation. If they sketch you out for WHATEVER REASON refuse the ride. You can be sure someone else will stop for you soon after, so it isn't much of a sacrifice. The Western side of the island isn't quite as hospitable, but it is by no means a bad place to hitch. Wait times here will be longer--it is not uncommon to sit on the side of a busy highway for at least an hour waiting for a ride--but it isn't unbearable and you will definitely get picked up even if it takes slightly longer. You won't always be waiting forever, though. There were times where I stuck my thumb out and had people pull over thirty seconds later. The Western side is just a bit more unpredictable, I suppose. This is definitely due to the fact that the Western side is where all the resorts are located and where all the tourists tend to stay. You will most likely get confused/dirty looks from tourists driving by, but these can be quite amusing and these looks provide entertainment for a lot of the hitchhikers in the area. Just ignore them and wait a little bit and someone will stop for you eventually. On this side of the island truck bed rides are more common, but you can still find people who will pick you up in the cabin of their cars as long as you don't look like a creep. Just smile and wave and be friendly and you will be fine. Worktrade isn't as big on this side of the island, but it is still there, you will just have to search harder to find it. Again, ask around. There are also lots of deserted sections of beaches that are safe to camp on for extended periods of time here (hint: if you need a place to crash near Kona ask other hitchhikers/people who pick you up about 'Seventy Nines' beach at the 79 mile marker and hopefully someone will point you in the right direction). I personally have camped on some of the beach parks in the resort area, which seems counter intuitive, but because they are ritzy most of the homebums (crazy homeless people who are usually aged 35+) avoid these areas, making them extremely safe. These spots are not good for long term camping, but if you get stuck in the Waikoloa area for whatever reason you can just wait until after dark and head to a closed off beach park. Just find a place that is out of sight, set up your tent, and set your phone alarm to wake you up around 5:30 or 6:00 am before the park is opened. Locals on this side of the island were, in my experience, much more friendly than the locals on the Eastern side and were very very kind to me. Again, vibe out the situation and don't be afraid to refuse rides, but on this side of the island you shouldn't have problems with the locals. It is possible to hitch the rest of the island with relative ease, but some areas of the island don't get much traffic and it can be difficult to get rides in these areas. The Southern portion of the island can be kind of tricky. I had no problem getting to Volcano National Park from Pahoa, but once there I had an '''EXTREMELY''' hard time getting out. I was trying to head west to get to the southern most tip of the island to visit Green Sands (one of only two green sands beaches on the planet), but no one was stopping to pick me up. I would say 95% of the traffic in this area was tourists heading back from visiting the Volcano and none of them had any interest in picking up a hitchhiker. I thumbed for '''FIVE HOURS''' with absolutely no luck, and eventually had to set up camp in a National Park Campsite for the night. You had to pay to camp there, but since I had no money I could not pay the fee, so I simply set up camp and fell asleep and was woken at around 6 am by a little Hawaiian man asking if I had paid. I said I had no money and explained I had gotten stuck there and he seemed confused but he left me alone after that. I then had to wait for two or three more hours before FINALLY getting a ride out of Volcano from some locals. The locals in the Southern areas of the island were EXTREMELY friendly and hospitable to me and showed me nothing but kindness and aloha. Once you get past Volcano and into the smaller southern towns (Naalehu, for example) you should have no problem getting rides. South Point road is easy to get to but, since it is a ten mile road that leads to nowhere and is mostly frequented by tourists, you will have to wait a long while to find someone to take you down it. The Northern area of the island can be hitched, but it is so remote that you may not want to attempt it. The bus service is by far the best way to travel through the northern areas of the island. The bus is a $1 and runs a few times a day and goes all around the island.I had success in hitching from Kona to Hawii, the northern most point on the island. Traffic here can be scare, but it isn't too bad. Again, don't look like a creep and you will be fine. For all other areas in the Northern part of the island I would, again, recommend the bus. The bus stops at every little town in the north on the Hilo-Kona route and the ride is absolutely beautiful.
== Law ==