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|hitch = <rating country='id' />
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Hitchhiking is a widely spread practice in '''Indonesia''', nevertheless it might be hard to get a free ride at times if you can't communicate that you actually do want to hitchhike - the problem is not that people don't know about hitchhiking, but it's just odd if "Bule" (western people) do it and you appear need to disperse the thought you just might be a confused tourist, the easiest help to communicate is to direct you to a bus. Once you get the gist, hitchhiking might go very smoothly on all the islands: on Java, according to those few hitchhikers who went there, you hardly wait ten minutes before you get a ride. Traffic is very slow though, and if you want to cross the whole country and get a full picture of Indonesia, it is not convenient to take a mere 1 month visa.
The thumb isn't used in Asia for hitching and a sign isnt really necessary. Instead of sticking out a thumb wave down each car as if you were signalling for them to slow down. It can be helpfull though, especially if you don't speak indonesian, to have a sign saying "Nebeng". Nebeng is a javanese slang term that is used to ask fo a free lift - there are a lot of javanese people all over indonesia, so its a usefull term also outside of java. Alternativly you can use "Numpang" which means to be a passenger, but not necessarily free. Pick ups and trucks are generally fine though, motorcycles are hitchable but the most likely to ask for money. If the car is decorated with plush, it's definitly a taxi and even if they offer you a free ride, bear in mind that everyone else in the car is paying!
