I'm Jorge Hamilton, an Afro-Brazilian backpacker with a passion for adventure and a willingness to take (almost) any risk to keep traveling and learning about people, cultures, and countries.
My first hitchhiking experience was in 2020, in Israel. Growing up, my dream was to travel across South America as a hitchhiker, but when I learned that hitchhiking in Israel was common and rides were relatively easy to get, I made up my mind—I had to give it a try. It turned out to be an incredible experience, one I vividly remember for the adrenaline and fear it brought. Despite the challenges of being a Black person in a racist society, I had a good time. It was during the early months of the pandemic, so I made sure to show I was responsible by wearing a mask. I kept it on my chin while trying to get rides, knowing people would need to see my face to trust me, but once in the car, I wore the mask properly.
By early 2023, I felt ready to fully embrace life on the road and roam across South America as a wild rover. Though fear gripped me—I genuinely thought I might not return to Brazil as a live soul, but as a miserable corps—I couldn't let this dream remain dormant. I had to make it real.
In March that year, I started my journey from São Paulo, my hometown, to Florianópolis by bus. There, I decided to try hitchhiking again after a couple of years' hiatus. My first attempt didn’t go as planned—I only got one ride and had to take a bus most of the way to a distant beach. This initial setback taught me what to expect. The frustration of being ignored by passing drivers is something every hitchhiker has to accept. Hitchhiking demands immense patience, and that experience was my trial run.
Afterward, I traveled this way for almost a year, gathering gripping stories along the way—stories I now share as a testament to the highs and lows of a life lived on the road.