https://hitchwiki.org/en/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Camoverride&feedformat=atomHitchwiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T06:21:59ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.32.3https://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Armenia&diff=103053Armenia2022-07-20T12:41:25Z<p>Camoverride: armenia and turkey are both super safe</p>
<hr />
<div>{{infobox Country<br />
|country = of Armenia<br />
|map = <map lat='40.212440718286466' lng='45.2197265625' zoom='7' view='0' country='Armenia'/><br />
|language = Armenian (Eastern Dialect)<br />
|capital = [[Yerevan]]<br />
|pop = 3,231,900<br />
|currency = Dram (AMD)<br />
|hitch = <rating country='am' /><br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Armenia''' is a country in Western [[Asia]], as the whole of the Caucasus sometimes also called a part of Europe or the unofficial cultural border between the Western world and the Orient.<br />
<br />
Hitchhiking here is very easy. Hitchhiking here is done by waving your hand to the ground to an oncoming car, but sticking out your thumb works just fine as well. Some drivers might want to charge some money and sometimes you might get picked up by unmarked taxis without knowing - however, if before you get into the car you make clear you are not going to pay you can avoid misunderstandings at the end of the ride. <br />
[[File:Beautyofarmenia.jpg|400px|thumb|left|The beautiful landscape of Armenia makes hitchin' here quite enjoyable]]<br />
Hitchhiking in Armenia is also for locals one of the best ways to get around. Public transport is not very good and only goes to bigger cities, and the mini-vans are usually overcrowded. That is why people hitchhike a lot. The fun thing about this is that you can find yourself hitchhiking with, for example, an elderly couple of around 80 years old. The other side of this is that people usually give a small amount of money to thank the driver. When you're not planning on paying, tell the driver beforehand. Prices are usually around 500 dram (<1 euro) per 50 km. <br />
<br />
The main point of consideration is the poor road conditions, altitude changing and cars that brake down quite often. This means despite the fact that the country is small (so no extreme huge distances) and the people will pick you up fast, you should not calculate with traveling very fast by hitching.<br />
<br />
<br />
== Sleeping ==<br />
<br />
In most of Armenia one can put up a tent and sleep comfortably. Do be cautious however about pitching a tent near the Azeri border especially in the North East, where a section of the road is technically the border! It is sometimes possible to stay with Armenians, but they are often unwilling hosts. The nation's Kurdish population, on the other hand, is extremely hospitable.<br />
<br />
Sleeping outside is possible without any big problems. But in october it starts to be cold.<br />
<br />
Cheap but adequate hotels cost 5,000 to 6,000 dram, and it is possible to bargain at hotels.<br />
[[File:Broken.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Nothing extraordinary]]<br />
Monasteries are more often than not mere cultural monuments, and not permanently inhabited by monks. At night, guards makes sure everyone leaves.<br />
<br />
== Border Crossings ==<br />
<br />
There are three border crossings with [[Georgia_(country)|Georgia]], through the towns of Ninotsminda (Georgia), Dmanisi (Georgia) and Bagratashen (Armenia). There is frequent traffic between these countries, especially between [[Yerevan]] and [[Tbilisi]]. The Bagratashen-crossing won't give you much trouble - border guards are OK and it will most probably take you less than 10 minutes to cross it. <br />
<br />
It is not possible to cross the border to [[Turkey]] or [[Azerbaijan]]. Near the border to Azerbaijan there can be unsecured fields of land mines and sometimes the conflict at this border escalates.<br />
<br />
[[Armenia]] has one border crossing with [[Iran]], [[Meghri-Nordooz border crossing|Meghri]]. You have to be a bit careful on this border, if you are hitchhiking from Iran, as there is 5 kilometers of forbidden zone, which means that it's only possible to move there by transport. Border guards might force you to take a taxi if you try to walk across.<br />
<br />
[[Nagorno-Karabakh]]- If you go to Nagorno-Karabach there is only one pasport control (Karabach one). On borders police will give you adress of ministry of foreign affairs in Stepanakert where you have to go and make your Karabach visa. These borders are ok and there shouldn´t be any problem to go to Karabach or back to Armenia. <br />
== Getting in ==<br />
<br />
Citizens of EU states and USA do not need a visa to enter Armenia and can stay in the country for up to 180 days per year. Armenian visa is cheap and can be easily obtained on the border. You do not have to have one in advance but you can get it at the border. The border guards will give you a form to fill out. The visa itself will cost 3000 AMD (EUR 6) for 21 days. 5 minutes after you gave the form and the money you will get a nice visa. <br />
<br />
Check [http://mfa.am/en/visa/ the VISA section of the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia] to see visa requirements for Armenia. <br />
<br />
One can be subject to more attention and interrogation with an Azerbaijani visa in the passport. Turkish stamps are in general no problem. <br />
<br />
{{IsIn|Western Asia}}<br />
[[Category:Armenia|*]]<br />
[[de:Armenien]]<br />
<br />
[[File:Nr1spot.jpg|400px|thumb|left|Typical spot to hh at the end of a village]]<br />
<br />
==Language==<br />
<br />
As in majority of Caucasus, but even more, vehicular language is Russian. You really hardly will find people speak English, but if you speak Russian you won't have any problem to make yourself understood by people, of any age.<br />
Armenian language is quite hard, both in pronunciation and vocabulary. As [[User:Fedecicco |Fedecicco]] didn't speak Russian, he had to learn it a bit, as for Georgian. Here some useful words:<br />
<br />
* Barev - Hello (informal)<br />
* Barev dzez - Hello (formal)<br />
* Our ek gnum? (oor aik gainoom?) - Where do you go?<br />
* Pokh - money<br />
* Anvchar? (anvaichar?) - For free?<br />
* Anooned incheh? (anoonait eenchaih?) - What's your name? (informal)<br />
* Inch e dzer anuny? (eenchaih dzer anoonaih?) - What's your name? (formal; or when asking someone older than you)<br />
* Vortegh e ... ? (vortaigh ai..?) - Where is ..? <br />
* ...ka/chka? - Is/isn't there ....? <br />
* joor - water<br />
* hats - bread <br />
* meerk - fruit <br />
* hesht - easy <br />
* dehjvar - difficult<br />
* yerp? - when? <br />
* inchpes? - How?<br />
* inchoo? - Why?<br />
* araj - before<br />
* heema - now<br />
* heto - later<br />
* kareek - need<br />
* Aysor - today<br />
* yerek - yesterday<br />
* vagheh - tomorrow<br />
* or - day<br />
* geeshair - night<br />
<br />
Placing "che" before the verb works as negation. For example, gheedaim - I know -> che gheedaim - I don't know.<br />
<br />
* oozoom em ... - I want ...<br />
* asel - to tell<br />
* knel - to sleep<br />
* khmel - to drink<br />
* ootel - to eat<br />
* oknel - to help<br />
* tsoort - cold<br />
* shok - hot<br />
* haskanal - to understand <br />
* haskanoomem - I understand<br />
* chem haskanoom - I don't understand<br />
* dandagh (dundugh) - slow<br />
* arag - fast<br />
<br />
== Personal Experiences ==<br />
<br />
"[[Turkey]] gets a lot of attention as being a hitchhiker's paradise, but Armenia is even better. Although Turkey is delightful, you will get even faster rides, be forced to eat even greater amounts of free food, and meet even more people than in Turkey. I have hitchhiked in dozens of countries, and Armenia was the best." - [[User:vmpfc1|vmpfc1]]<br />
<br />
<br />
" I hitchhiked around whole country and I have to say that Armenia is hitchhiking paradise. No one asked me for money. I also hitchhiked few taxis and they took me for free. I´ve never wait long time, usually few minutes. Country is very beautiful and people are very hospitable. They invited me few times for a dinner or for a night to their house. But for sure it´s much better if you speak Russian(or any other slavonic language, it´s similar). In this moment I hitchhiked in 26 countries and Armenia was the best. " (September 2016)<br />
<br />
<br />
"Hitchiking in Armenia is easy, even if my first experience wasn't that good. I left from Tbilisi to Yerevan in an armenian car and, being on "georgian mood" I forgot to ask about paying so the situation was a bit tricky and paid 1000 Drams (2$). But after that I was hitchiking without any problem, even taxi cars for free (35km) with an old man in Lada. People were happy to meet and talk. Russian helps a lot, or at least google translate. Get a SIM card, is 1000 Drams for 1GB. Big Advice: DON'T hitchhike from Yerevan to Batumi via Gyumri. It takes much time, the roads aren't good (on both sides) or some roads are closed. It took 17h without big waiting times. Going via Tbilisi is easier and much faster (5h to Tbilisi + 5h to Batumi, and lets say one hour in Tbilisi to cross the city)." - May 2017 [[User:Lex404|Lex404]]<br />
<br />
<br />
"I never had to wait long and only once the driver said he would take me for money. I had some problems with men in southern Armenia, in the more isolated areas (I'm a solo, female hitch hiker). I travelled from Borjomi to Yerevan, via Gyumri, without any problems, just that the road isn't very smooth. Returning to Georgia from Armenia, I had difficulties getting a ride to Tbilisi from the border town on the Georgian side." May 2017<br />
<br />
== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==<br />
<br />
{{nomadwiki}}</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User:Camoverride&diff=84867User:Camoverride2016-11-18T00:08:41Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>Born and raised in the United States, camoverride began hitchhiking in Japan and later expanded his interests to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.<br />
<br />
==Thumbs Up==<br />
<br />
He has successfully hitchhiked in the [[United States]], [[Japan]], [[Armenia]], [[Nagorno-Karabakh]], [[Georgia]] (the country), [[Abkhazia]], [[Turkey]], [[Kosovo]], [[Albania]], [[Montenegro]], [[Cyprus]] (North and South), [[Israel]], [[Palestine]], [[Oman]], the [[UAE]], [[Myanmar]], [[Taiwan]], [[Thailand]], [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Poland]], [[Sweden]], [[Iraq]] (Kurdistan region), and [[Somaliland]]. He recommends visiting Muslim countries, traveling without plans, and bringing a towel.<br />
<br />
Estimated total distance hitchhiked: 8,000km.<br />
<br />
==Highlights==<br />
<br />
Hitchhiked into the abandoned city of Agdam in Nagorno-Karabakh and sneaked into a vacant minaret. Hitchhiked across the Island of Cyprus and then illegally crossed into Varosha, a city abandoned during the Cypriot Civil War. Lived as a homeless hitchhiker in Japan for a month. Hitchhiked in Somalia. Hitchhiked into the Palestinian Territories, met tons of friendly locals. Was accidentally employed as a farm assistant in rural Armenia while hitchhiking. Hitchhiked the immense almost-empty (20 lane) freeways in Naypyitaw, Myanmar's dystopian capital city.</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Armenia&diff=84264Armenia2016-08-20T14:26:18Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{infobox Country<br />
|country = of Armenia<br />
|map = <map lat='40.212440718286466' lng='45.2197265625' zoom='7' view='0' country='Armenia'/><br />
|language = Armenian (Eastern Dialect)<br />
|capital = [[Yerevan]]<br />
|pop = 3,231,900<br />
|currency = Dram (AMD)<br />
|hitch = <rating country='am' /><br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Armenia''' is a country in Western [[Asia]], as the whole of the Caucasus sometimes also called a part of Europe or the unofficial cultural border between the Western world and the Orient.<br />
<br />
Hitchhiking here is very easy, and safer in comparison to [[Turkey]]. Hitchhiking here is done by waving your hand to the ground to an oncoming car, but sticking out your thumb works just fine as well. Some drivers might want to charge some money and sometimes you might get picked up by unmarked taxis without knowing - however, if before you get into the car you make clear you are not going to pay you can avoid misunderstandings at the end of the ride. <br />
[[File:Beautyofarmenia.jpg|400px|thumb|left|The beautiful landscape of Armenia makes hitchin' here quite enjoyable]]<br />
Hitchhiking in Armenia is also for locals one of the best ways to get around. Public transport is not very good and only goes to bigger cities, and the mini-vans are usually overcrowded. That is why people hitchhike a lot. The fun thing about this is that you can find yourself hitchhiking with, for example, an elderly couple of around 80 years old. The other side of this is that people usually give a small amount of money to thank the driver. When you're not planning on paying, tell the driver beforehand. Prices are usually around 500 dram (<1 euro) per 50 km. <br />
<br />
The main point of consideration is the poor road conditions, altitude changing and cars that brake down quite often. This means despite the fact that the country is small (so no extreme huge distances) and the people will pick you up fast, you should not calculate with traveling very fast by hitching.<br />
<br />
<br />
== Sleeping ==<br />
<br />
In most of Armenia one can put up a tent and sleep comfortably. Do be cautious however about pitching a tent near the Azeri border especially in the North East, where a section of the road is technically the border! It is sometimes possible to stay with Armenians, but they are often unwilling hosts. The nation's Kurdish population, on the other hand, is extremely hospitable.<br />
<br />
Cheap but adequate hotels cost 5,000 to 6,000 dram, and it is possible to bargain at hotels.<br />
[[File:Broken.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Nothing extraordinary]]<br />
Monasteries are more often than not mere cultural monuments, and not permanently inhabited by monks. At night, guards makes sure everyone leaves.<br />
<br />
== Border Crossings ==<br />
<br />
There are three border crossings with [[Georgia_(country)|Georgia]], through the towns of Ninotsminda (Georgia), Dmanisi (Georgia) and Bagratashen (Armenia). There is frequent traffic between these countries, especially between [[Yerevan]] and [[Tbilisi]]. The Bagratashen-crossing won't give you much trouble - border guards are OK and it will most probably take you less than 10 minutes to cross it. <br />
<br />
It is not possible to cross the border to [[Turkey]] or [[Azerbaijan]]. Near the border to Azerbaijan there can be unsecured fields of land mines and sometimes the conflict at this border escalates.<br />
<br />
[[Armenia]] has one border crossing with [[Iran]], [[Meghri-Nordooz border crossing|Meghri]]. You have to be a bit careful on this border, if you are hitchhiking from Iran, as there is 5 kilometers of forbidden zone, which means that it's only possible to move there by transport. Border guards might force you to take a taxi if you try to walk across.<br />
<br />
== Getting in ==<br />
<br />
Most EU- citizens and US- citizens need a visa to enter Armenia. Don't worry, it is very easy and cheap to obtain one. You do not have to have one in advance but you can get it at the border. The border guards will give you a form to fill out. The visa itself will cost 3000 AMD (EUR 6) for 21 days. 5 minutes after you gave the form and the money you will get a nice visa. <br />
<br />
'''From the 10th January 2013 on EU Citizens DO NOT need a visa for Armenia anymore. You can stay visa-free up to 180 days.'''<br />
<br />
Check [http://www.visitarm.com/visaArmenia.html this website] to see if you need a visa for Armenia. <br />
<br />
One can be subject to more attention and interrogation with an Azerbaijani visa in the passport. Turkish stamps are in general no problem. <br />
<br />
{{IsIn|Western Asia}}<br />
[[Category:Armenia|*]]<br />
[[de:Armenien]]<br />
<br />
[[File:Nr1spot.jpg|400px|thumb|left|Typical spot to hh at the end of a village]]<br />
<br />
==Language==<br />
<br />
As in majority of Caucasus, but even more, vehicular language is Russian. You really hardly will find people speak English, but if you speak Russian you won't have any problem to make yourself understood by people, of any age.<br />
Armenian language is quite hard, both in pronunciation and vocabulary. As [[User:Fedecicco |Fedecicco]] didn't speak Russian, he had to learn it a bit, as for Georgian. Here some useful words:<br />
<br />
* Baref - Hello<br />
* ur es kenu? (oor ais kainoo?) - Where do you go?<br />
* Pokh - money<br />
* pokh che? - for free?<br />
* arnunitencha? (arnooneetainchah?) - What's your name?<br />
* vorteghr e ... ? (vortaighr ai..?) - Where is ..? <br />
* ...ka/chka? - Is/isn't there ....? <br />
* joor - water<br />
* atz - bread <br />
* meerk - fruit <br />
* hesht - easy <br />
* dehjvar - difficult<br />
* yerp? - when? which? what?<br />
* inchpesh? how<br />
* inchoo? why?<br />
* araj - before<br />
* ima - now<br />
* heto- later<br />
* karik - need<br />
* Aeesor - today<br />
* yerek - yesterday<br />
* vaghra - tomorrow<br />
* sor - day<br />
* gheeshaij - night<br />
<br />
che (chai) before the verb works as negation so gheedaim - I know -> che gheedaim - I don't know.<br />
<br />
* oozoom em ... - I want ...<br />
* asel - tell<br />
* knel - sleep<br />
* khmel - drink<br />
* ootel- eat<br />
* oknel - help<br />
* tsoort - cold<br />
* shok - hot<br />
* hasranoom - understand (che hasranoom - I don't understand) <br />
* dandagh (dundugh) - slow<br />
* araghr - fast<br />
[[trash:Armenia]]<br />
[[visa:Armenia]]<br />
[[nomad:Armenia]]<br />
<br />
== Personal Experiences ==<br />
<br />
:"[[Turkey]] gets a lot of attention as being a hitchhiker's paradise, but Armenia is even better. Although Turkey is delightful, you will get even faster rides, be forced to eat even greater amounts of free food, and meet even more people than in Turkey. I have hitchhiked in dozens of countries, and Armenia was the best." - [[User:vmpfc1|vmpfc1]]</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Armenia&diff=84263Armenia2016-08-20T14:25:13Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{infobox Country<br />
|country = of Armenia<br />
|map = <map lat='40.212440718286466' lng='45.2197265625' zoom='7' view='0' country='Armenia'/><br />
|language = Armenian (Eastern Dialect)<br />
|capital = [[Yerevan]]<br />
|pop = 3,231,900<br />
|currency = Dram (AMD)<br />
|hitch = <rating country='am' /><br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Armenia''' is a country in Western [[Asia]], as the whole of the Caucasus sometimes also called a part of Europe or the unofficial cultural border between the Western world and the Orient.<br />
<br />
Hitchhiking here is very easy, and safer in comparison to [[Turkey]]. Hitchhiking here is done by waving your hand to the ground to an oncoming car, but sticking out your thumb works just fine as well. Some drivers might want to charge some money and sometimes you might get picked up by unmarked taxis without knowing - however, if before you get into the car you make clear you are not going to pay you can avoid misunderstandings at the end of the ride. <br />
[[File:Beautyofarmenia.jpg|400px|thumb|left|The beautiful landscape of Armenia makes hitchin' here quite enjoyable]]<br />
Hitchhiking in Armenia is also for locals one of the best ways to get around. Public transport is not very good and only goes to bigger cities, and the mini-vans are usually overcrowded. That is why people hitchhike a lot. The fun thing about this is that you can find yourself hitchhiking with, for example, an elderly couple of around 80 years old. The other side of this is that people usually give a small amount of money to thank the driver. When you're not planning on paying, tell the driver beforehand. Prices are usually around 500 dram (<1 euro) per 50 km. <br />
<br />
The main point of consideration is the poor road conditions, altitude changing and cars that brake down quite often. This means despite the fact that the country is small (so no extreme huge distances) and the people will pick you up fast, you should not calculate with traveling very fast by hitching.<br />
<br />
<br />
== Sleeping ==<br />
<br />
In most of Armenia one can put up a tent and sleep comfortably. Do be cautious however about pitching a tent near the Azeri border especially in the North East, where a section of the road is technically the border! It is sometimes possible to stay with Armenians, but they are often unwilling hosts. The nation's Kurdish population, on the other hand, is extremely hospitable.<br />
<br />
Cheap but adequate hotels cost 5,000 to 6,000 dram, and it is possible to bargain at hotels.<br />
[[File:Broken.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Nothing extraordinary]]<br />
Monasteries are more often than not mere cultural monuments, and not permanently inhabited by monks. At night, guards makes sure everyone leaves.<br />
<br />
== Border Crossings ==<br />
<br />
There are three border crossings with [[Georgia_(country)|Georgia]], through the towns of Ninotsminda (Georgia), Dmanisi (Georgia) and Bagratashen (Armenia). There is frequent traffic between these countries, especially between [[Yerevan]] and [[Tbilisi]]. The Bagratashen-crossing won't give you much trouble - border guards are OK and it will most probably take you less than 10 minutes to cross it. <br />
<br />
It is not possible to cross the border to [[Turkey]] or [[Azerbaijan]]. Near the border to Azerbaijan there can be unsecured fields of land mines and sometimes the conflict at this border escalates.<br />
<br />
[[Armenia]] has one border crossing with [[Iran]], [[Meghri-Nordooz border crossing|Meghri]]. You have to be a bit careful on this border, if you are hitchhiking from Iran, as there is 5 kilometers of forbidden zone, which means that it's only possible to move there by transport. Border guards might force you to take a taxi if you try to walk across.<br />
<br />
== Getting in ==<br />
<br />
Most EU- citizens and US- citizens need a visa to enter Armenia. Don't worry, it is very easy and cheap to obtain one. You do not have to have one in advance but you can get it at the border. The border guards will give you a form to fill out. The visa itself will cost 3000 AMD (EUR 6) for 21 days. 5 minutes after you gave the form and the money you will get a nice visa. <br />
<br />
'''From the 10th January 2013 on EU Citizens DO NOT need a visa for Armenia anymore. You can stay visa-free up to 180 days.'''<br />
<br />
Check [http://www.visitarm.com/visaArmenia.html this website] to see if you need a visa for Armenia. <br />
<br />
One can be subject to more attention and interrogation with an Azerbaijani visa in the passport. Turkish stamps are in general no problem. <br />
<br />
{{IsIn|Western Asia}}<br />
[[Category:Armenia|*]]<br />
[[de:Armenien]]<br />
<br />
[[File:Nr1spot.jpg|400px|thumb|left|Typical spot to hh at the end of a village]]<br />
<br />
==Language==<br />
<br />
As in majority of Caucasus, but even more, vehicular language is Russian. You really hardly will find people speak English, but if you speak Russian you won't have any problem to make yourself understood by people, of any age.<br />
Armenian language is quite hard, both in pronunciation and vocabulary. As [[User:Fedecicco |Fedecicco]] didn't speak Russian, he had to learn it a bit, as for Georgian. Here some useful words:<br />
<br />
* Baref - Hello<br />
* ur es kenu? (oor ais kainoo?) - Where do you go?<br />
* Pokh - money<br />
* pokh che? - for free?<br />
* arnunitencha? (arnooneetainchah?) - What's your name?<br />
* vorteghr e ... ? (vortaighr ai..?) - Where is ..? <br />
* ...ka/chka? - Is/isn't there ....? <br />
* joor - water<br />
* atz - bread <br />
* meerk - fruit <br />
* hesht - easy <br />
* dehjvar - difficult<br />
* yerp? - when? which? what?<br />
* inchpesh? how<br />
* inchoo? why?<br />
* araj - before<br />
* ima - now<br />
* heto- later<br />
* karik - need<br />
* Aeesor - today<br />
* yerek - yesterday<br />
* vaghra - tomorrow<br />
* sor - day<br />
* gheeshaij - night<br />
<br />
che (chai) before the verb works as negation so gheedaim - I know -> che gheedaim - I don't know.<br />
<br />
* oozoom em ... - I want ...<br />
* asel - tell<br />
* knel - sleep<br />
* khmel - drink<br />
* ootel- eat<br />
* oknel - help<br />
* tsoort - cold<br />
* shok - hot<br />
* hasranoom - understand (che hasranoom - I don't understand) <br />
* dandagh (dundugh) - slow<br />
* araghr - fast<br />
[[trash:Armenia]]<br />
[[visa:Armenia]]<br />
[[nomad:Armenia]]<br />
<br />
== Personal Experiences ==<br />
<br />
:[[Turkey]] gets a lot of attention as being a hitchhiker's paradise, but Armenia is even better. Although Turkey is delightful, you will get even faster rides, be forced to eat even more free food, and meet even more people than in Turkey. I have hitchhiked in dozens of countries, and Armenia was the best. - [[User:vmpfc1|vmpfc1]]</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Armenia&diff=84262Armenia2016-08-20T14:22:58Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{infobox Country<br />
|country = of Armenia<br />
|map = <map lat='40.212440718286466' lng='45.2197265625' zoom='7' view='0' country='Armenia'/><br />
|language = Armenian (Eastern Dialect)<br />
|capital = [[Yerevan]]<br />
|pop = 3,231,900<br />
|currency = Dram (AMD)<br />
|hitch = <rating country='am' /><br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Armenia''' is a country in Western [[Asia]], as the whole of the Caucasus sometimes also called a part of Europe or the unofficial cultural border between the Western world and the Orient.<br />
<br />
Hitchhiking here is very easy, and safer in comparison to [[Turkey]]. Hitchhiking here is done by waving your hand to the ground to an oncoming car, but sticking out your thumb works just fine as well. Some drivers might want to charge some money and sometimes you might get picked up by unmarked taxis without knowing - however, if before you get into the car you make clear you are not going to pay you can avoid misunderstandings at the end of the ride. <br />
[[File:Beautyofarmenia.jpg|400px|thumb|left|The beautiful landscape of Armenia makes hitchin' here quite enjoyable]]<br />
Hitchhiking in Armenia is also for locals one of the best ways to get around. Public transport is not very good and only goes to bigger cities, and the mini-vans are usually overcrowded. That is why people hitchhike a lot. The fun thing about this is that you can find yourself hitchhiking with, for example, an elderly couple of around 80 years old. The other side of this is that people usually give a small amount of money to thank the driver. When you're not planning on paying, tell the driver beforehand. Prices are usually around 500 dram (<1 euro) per 50 km. <br />
<br />
The main point of consideration is the poor road conditions, altitude changing and cars that brake down quite often. This means despite the fact that the country is small (so no extreme huge distances) and the people will pick you up fast, you should not calculate with traveling very fast by hitching.<br />
<br />
<br />
== Sleeping ==<br />
<br />
In most of Armenia one can put up a tent and sleep comfortably. Do be cautious however about pitching a tent near the Azeri border especially in the North East, where a section of the road is technically the border! It is sometimes possible to stay with Armenians, but they are often unwilling hosts. The nation's Kurdish population, on the other hand, is extremely hospitable.<br />
<br />
Cheap but adequate hotels cost 5,000 to 6,000 dram, and it is possible to bargain at hotels.<br />
[[File:Broken.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Nothing extraordinary]]<br />
Monasteries are more often than not mere cultural monuments, and not permanently inhabited by monks. At night, guards makes sure everyone leaves.<br />
<br />
== Border Crossings ==<br />
<br />
There are three border crossings with [[Georgia_(country)|Georgia]], through the towns of Ninotsminda (Georgia), Dmanisi (Georgia) and Bagratashen (Armenia). There is frequent traffic between these countries, especially between [[Yerevan]] and [[Tbilisi]]. The Bagratashen-crossing won't give you much trouble - border guards are OK and it will most probably take you less than 10 minutes to cross it. <br />
<br />
It is not possible to cross the border to [[Turkey]] or [[Azerbaijan]]. Near the border to Azerbaijan there can be unsecured fields of land mines and sometimes the conflict at this border escalates.<br />
<br />
[[Armenia]] has one border crossing with [[Iran]], [[Meghri-Nordooz border crossing|Meghri]]. You have to be a bit careful on this border, if you are hitchhiking from Iran, as there is 5 kilometers of forbidden zone, which means that it's only possible to move there by transport. Border guards might force you to take a taxi if you try to walk across.<br />
<br />
== Getting in ==<br />
<br />
Most EU- citizens and US- citizens need a visa to enter Armenia. Don't worry, it is very easy and cheap to obtain one. You do not have to have one in advance but you can get it at the border. The border guards will give you a form to fill out. The visa itself will cost 3000 AMD (EUR 6) for 21 days. 5 minutes after you gave the form and the money you will get a nice visa. <br />
<br />
'''From the 10th January 2013 on EU Citizens DO NOT need a visa for Armenia anymore. You can stay visa-free up to 180 days.'''<br />
<br />
Check [http://www.visitarm.com/visaArmenia.html this website] to see if you need a visa for Armenia. <br />
<br />
One can be subject to more attention and interrogation with an Azerbaijani visa in the passport. Turkish stamps are in general no problem. <br />
<br />
{{IsIn|Western Asia}}<br />
[[Category:Armenia|*]]<br />
[[de:Armenien]]<br />
<br />
[[File:Nr1spot.jpg|400px|thumb|left|Typical spot to hh at the end of a village]]<br />
<br />
==Language==<br />
<br />
As in majority of Caucasus, but even more, vehicular language is Russian. You really hardly will find people speak English, but if you speak Russian you won't have any problem to make yourself understood by people, of any age.<br />
Armenian language is quite hard, both in pronunciation and vocabulary. As [[User:Fedecicco |Fedecicco]] didn't speak Russian, he had to learn it a bit, as for Georgian. Here some useful words:<br />
<br />
* Baref - Hello<br />
* ur es kenu? (oor ais kainoo?) - Where do you go?<br />
* Pokh - money<br />
* pokh che? - for free?<br />
* arnunitencha? (arnooneetainchah?) - What's your name?<br />
* vorteghr e ... ? (vortaighr ai..?) - Where is ..? <br />
* ...ka/chka? - Is/isn't there ....? <br />
* joor - water<br />
* atz - bread <br />
* meerk - fruit <br />
* hesht - easy <br />
* dehjvar - difficult<br />
* yerp? - when? which? what?<br />
* inchpesh? how<br />
* inchoo? why?<br />
* araj - before<br />
* ima - now<br />
* heto- later<br />
* karik - need<br />
* Aeesor - today<br />
* yerek - yesterday<br />
* vaghra - tomorrow<br />
* sor - day<br />
* gheeshaij - night<br />
<br />
che (chai) before the verb works as negation so gheedaim - I know -> che gheedaim - I don't know.<br />
<br />
* oozoom em ... - I want ...<br />
* asel - tell<br />
* knel - sleep<br />
* khmel - drink<br />
* ootel- eat<br />
* oknel - help<br />
* tsoort - cold<br />
* shok - hot<br />
* hasranoom - understand (che hasranoom - I don't understand) <br />
* dandagh (dundugh) - slow<br />
* araghr - fast<br />
[[trash:Armenia]]<br />
[[visa:Armenia]]<br />
[[nomad:Armenia]]<br />
<br />
== Personal Experiences ==</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Nagorno-Karabakh&diff=84261Nagorno-Karabakh2016-08-20T14:21:10Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div><br />
The '''Nagorno-Karabakh''' Republic (NKR; Armenian: Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Հանրապետություն Lernayin Gharabaghi Hanrapetut’yun), or '''Artsakh''' Republic (Armenian: Արցախի Հանրապետություն Arts'akhi Hanrapetut’yun) is a de facto independent republic located in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the South Caucasus. It controls most of the territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast and several Azerbaijani districts adjacent to the borders of [[Azerbaijan]] with [[Armenia]] to the west and [[Iran]] to the south.<br />
<br />
Officially, it is Azerbaijani territory but Armenia kind of sees it as part of their country, and probably around 99% of the people living here are from Armenian origin. <br />
<br />
===Cities===<br />
* [[Stepanakert]], the capital<br />
* [[Shushi]], the second city of NKR<br />
<br />
===Getting In===<br />
When coming from [[Goris]] and going to [[Stepanakert]] you will pass a border checkpoint after some 30 kms. Present your passport to the border police, they will ask where you're from and where in Stepanakert you will stay. Tell them the name of some hotel or guesthouse and it will be okay, even if you're not actually going to stay there. They will then give you a piece of paper with the address of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (the address is Azatamartikneri 28) and tell you to go there the same day. <br />
When arriving here, a police officer in uniform will ask you to fill in some papers. Do this accordingly and after that you will get a nice visa for 3,000 AMD. They will ask if you want the visa in your passport or on a piece of paper (if you're planning on going to Azerbaijan after NKR, choose the latter!). They will check your visa only upon leaving the country (however, your passport is usually not check when leaving through the north of the territory).<br />
<br />
It is possible to get your visa in advance in [[Yerevan]], but you have to register at this Ministry of Foreign Affairs in [[Stepanakert]] anyways. So it would actually be a waste of time to visit the embassy in Yerevan, because getting the visa itself in [[Stepanakert]] only takes around 5 minutes or less. <br />
<br />
===Safety===<br />
If you stick to the roads and don't venture too close to the borders with Azerbaijan (these are not marked), Nagorno-Karabakh is a very safe place. People tend to be very friendly and open towards foreigners. As in other parts of the ex-Soviet Union, basic understanding of Russian will be a big plus in Karabakh as well. <br />
<br />
===Hitchhiking===<br />
Hitchhiking in Nagorno-Karabakh might even be easier than in [[Armenia]]. People will stop very quickly for you, especially when they see you're a foreigner. In Karabakh too, hitchhiking is pretty common among the locals, who are often asked to pay for the rides. However, as a foreigner you are not expected to pay, though to be safe you might want to try and explain your situation before entering the vehicle.<br />
Be aware of the fact that the amount of traffic in Karabakh can be '''very low'''. When going to [[Stepanakert]] from [[Armenia]] or vice versa there is only one road leading there (it starts near [[Goris]]). Expect on this road maybe one car per 10 or 15 minutes - when travelling between Karabakhian cities this will surely be even less. Usually, the cars you see passing by will be full. But when there is a car with some empty space changes are more than 90% that they will stop for you! <br />
The roads north of Stepanakert become progressively worse, until they deteriorate into little more than dirt paths near the northern border with Armenia near Vardenis. Cars heading north are infrequent at night and there are few guesthouses. However, for the adventurous hitchhiker northern Artsakh is paradise: few people, wild and untamed wilderness, and unlimited camping opportunities. Every car with empty seats that passes will stop by to offer you a ride.<br />
<br />
== Personal Experiences ==<br />
"The people are friendly, fiercely hospitable, and perpetually intoxicated. Almost every car that passes will stop, and many drivers will go out of their way to help you reach your destination. You will be offered free food, snacks, and alcohol (and you won't be allowed to refuse!). Nagorno-Karabakh is sparsely populated and there are few cars on the road, especially in the north. After sundown there are no cars on the roads between cities. It is also possible to hitchhike into the abandoned city of Agdam, where military recruits will greet you with enthusiasm. Despite the region's excessive hospitality, waiting times can be long given the sparsity of cars on the road, and drive times (especially in the north) are long due to poor road conditions. I hitchhiked all of Armenia and Karabakh, entering the territory from the south, passing through Stepanakert and Agdam, and exiting through the north to Vardenis. I absolutely recommend hitchhiking in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, however, pack a tent or arrange accommodations, as the northern stretch of Karabakh is almost devoid of settlements." - [[User:vmpfc1|vmpfc1]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Asia]]<br />
{{IsIn|Asia}}</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Turkey&diff=84260Turkey2016-08-20T14:17:50Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
|country = Turkey<br />
|language = Turkish<br />
|map = <map lat='39.29' lng='35' zoom='5' view='0' width='450' height='250' country='Turkey'/><br />
|capital = [[Ankara]]<br />
|pop = 71,158,647<br />
|currency = New Turkish Lira (TRY)<br />
|hitch = <rating country='tr' /><br />
|hitchbase = 196<br />
|avp = turkey<br />
|BW = TR<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Turkey''' is an extremely hitchhiking-friendly country. Your waiting times will rarely exceed 15 minutes on reasonably used roads, even off the main roads. On smaller roads, the first vehicle passing you is likely to stop for you. Also you're very likely to be invited for tea and food, and often also to home stays. Very few people speak English, while German might be a little bit more useful, especially in the east. However, it's essential to learn at least a few words of basic [[Eastern Europe phrasebook#Turkish|Turkish]], also for your safety. Turkey has a very distinct reputation, especially when it comes to female hitchhikers, but once you get on terms with the dynamics of interacting with Turks (likely only after you make your first mistake, though) you'll usually be fine. See the Safety Chapter below.<br />
<br />
It's not very likely that drivers will ask for money, but it happens occasionally. If you feel your status as a free hitchhiker is unclear, make sure to say ''para(m) yok'' before you get into the car. On the other hand, this might offend drivers who genuinely want to help you and do not expect money.<br />
<br />
Hitchhiking at night works well as long as you stand in a somewhat visible spot.<br />
<br />
== Border crossing ==<br />
Visas can no longer be obtained on arrival, so if you are a nationality that needs a visa, be sure to buy it online in advance. See [http://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Turkey Wikivoyage] for detailed information on visa matters.<br />
<br />
==== [[Armenia]] ====<br />
Be aware of the fact that, although Turkey and [[Armenia]] share a land border, this border is ''closed'' because of continuing political issues. <br />
<br />
==== [[Bulgaria]] ====<br />
* [[Kapitan Andreevo-Kapıkule border crossing]]<br />
<br />
==== [[Georgia]] ====<br />
* [[Sarp-Sarpi border crossing]]<br />
* [[Posof]]<br />
<br />
==== [[Greece]] ====<br />
* [[Ipsala]]<br />
<br />
==== [[Iran]] ====<br />
* [[Bazargan-Doğubeyazıt border crossing|Doğubeyazıt]]<br />
* [[Yuksekova-Esendere border crossing|Yuksekova]] <br />
<br />
==== Iraqi Kurdistan ====<br />
* There is one border crossing to Iraqi Kurdistan, just south of Silopi.<br />
<br />
==== [[Syria]] ====<br />
* There are a number of border crossings, but most are closed due to the ongoing unrest. In peace, the busiest one is Bab al-Hawa, connecting [[Antalya]] with [[Aleppo]].<br />
<br />
== Safety ==<br />
<br />
Turkey has been getting a bad reputation for female hitchhikers following the murder of [[Pippa]] in April 2008 and many discouraging stories, ranging from minor harassment (see Personal Experiences below) to near-miss murder/rape cases like the one [[User:Zenit|Zenit]] and the girl he was travelling with experienced in November 2011. While these things shouldn't deter anybody from travelling in Turkey, they certainly prove that there is a specific code of conduct different from any other country that needs to be respected in order to avoid unnecessary problems. It will take a little bit of travelling in the country first to get used to this different dynamic, so this will be the time to be extra cautious. Further reading for female hitchhikers – and anybody travelling in Turkey – is [http://youarealltourists.blogspot.com/2008/04/hitchhiking-guide-to-turkey-for-girls.html this blog]. Safety is always important while hitchhiking, so check the [[Hitchhiker's safety|Safety]] article before hitting the road!<br />
<br />
What follows is a list of general guidelines for hitchhiking in Turkey. Remember, however, that you cannot fully master the different dynamics of social interaction, especially between members of opposite sexes, until you've been exposed to the inital special attention you'll receive as a foreigner and possibly made some beginning's mistakes.<br />
<br />
* First of all, keep in mind that in Turkey there is widespread prejudice concerning the willingness of Western girls to engage in casual sex with random strangers. <br />
* Having said that, the biggest part of problems arise from the different conceptions of flirting in the West and in Turkey. In Turkey, making eye conctact, smiling and accepting compliments can all easily be interpreted as outright flirtateous behaviour. Another thing to watch out for is that Turkish men will test males travelling with a female to see how protective they are of their female companion. This will always be in a somewhat playful manner, and hardly ever in a threatening way. One very important thing is that a man travelling with a woman should never let her sit next to a man other than himself. This cannot be stressed enough, as drivers will read from this behaviour that a) the guy has no claims on the girl and don't really care what happens to her from this point and b) that the girl might be interested/easy.<br />
* Another important point, if one that goes somewhat without saying, is about clothing. Turkey is definitely not the place to hitchhike in hotpants and a tanktop, the least should be long trousers and a unrevealing t-shirt with sleeves down to your elbows. Anyone wearing less than this (apart from the Western coastal regions maybe) will usually be seen as a prostitute, and without the necessary language skills to explain women's rights over their own body you might get yourself into hassle you don't really need. If you want to be extra safe, you can also hitchhike with a headscarf and/or a long ("Iranian style") gown going down to your thighs and hiding your shape.<br />
* There is different things you can say about your marital status. If travelling with a guy, the classical story of the married couple can work well enough, but won't necessarily stop a determined guy from trying his chances. Also keep in mind that many truck drivers (but generally not drivers of private cars) know that foreign hitchhikers tend to lie about their status as married couples. This might actually encourage some truck drivers to try his luck even if in the first point they never intended anything at all. If travelling alone as a girl, it seems to be safer to say that you are unmarried - meaning, for most people, a virgin. The purity of virginity is widely respected and can provide protection. You can usefully combine both of these strategies (if travelling in a couple) by saying that you're cousins because a) you will be seen as a unmarried virgin, b) male relatives traditionally protect unmarried female family members and c) a cousin might at some point also have been picked by the family to be a future husband to the girl.<br />
* Something that plays into the dynamics of hitchhiking in Turkey as well are the mostly Russian/Eastern European prostitutes that can be found practicing their trade all over Turkey. As a girl hitchhiking, be it alone or in company, you will at some point likely be confused with one of the working ladies. As an effect of many of those girls being Russian, the words "rus" or "natasha" have come to mean "foreign prostitute". If your driver says any of those words, he's most likely asking if you're a prostitute. Make very very clear that you have nothing to do with this, say ''yok'' very clearly without hesitating, smiling, laughing, or any other even remotely flirtateous reaction. Be insulted. Likewise it's not a very good idea to say that you're Russian or even from any Eastern European country that could be associated with Russia, especially Ukraine. If the driver has understood that you're not a prostitute, he'll usually not bother you about it any more.<br />
* There is one main Turkish hand gesture that leads to confusion among foreigners. It is indeed extremely ambiguous, used in very different situations and complicated to understand in its context. It consists of the index fingers of both hands rubbed against each other back and forth. Some important meanings of it include casual sex, friendship, physical contact, geographical closeness of objects or places, money, etc. You see that the meaning can range from explaining how to get somewhere or explaining that driver is going close to your destination to asking for casual sex. Nothing more can be said than to use your common sense and not to be overly paranoid.<br />
* When it comes to accepting rides, listen to your intuition and don't worry about being picky. Remember that even if you say no to several cars you'll still not wait very long.<br />
* To finish, a brief list of useful vocabulary in difficult situations. Check out the pronounication guide in the [[Eastern Europe phrasebook#Turkish|Turkish phrasebook]].<br />
:* ''çok ayıp'' - lit. "big shame", the most useful thing to say if somebody is harrassing you (sexual or not.)<br />
:* ''Allah akşina'' - lit. "for Allah's love", i.e. for God's sake<br />
:* ''bakire'' - "virgin"<br />
:* ''kuzen'' - "cousin", ''biz kuzen'' - "we are cousins"<br />
:* ''evli'' - "married"<br />
<br />
As a brief summary: As a girl, be aware of your body language - smiling, eye contact, being flattered by compliments are all bad ideas. As a guy hitchhiking with a girl, stand your ground, show presence; always make sure to sit next to the driver. If the driver talks mostly to the girl, it's a bad sign. Girls should dress modestly and make sure not to be confused with Russian prostitutes ("rus", "natasha"). Be picky about your rides. Most importantly though, keep in mind that in 99% of the cases all will be fine, especially if you pay attention to those guidelines!<br />
<br />
As a guy travelling with a girl it is rare that you will be hit on with the notable exception of the far Eastern part of the country. However travelling alone as a guy you will/might be asked for sex depending not so much on your attractiveness in the Western sense as on how exotic you are (i.e. being big and blond will most likely increase the level of attention). Keep in mind that just even if a guy asks you to have sex with him it does not necessarily mean he's gay. Especially in Eastern Turkey it's very common among unmarried straight men to engage in casual sex among each other as an effect of an extremely conservative society and sometimes horrible ramifications for girls having pre-maritial sex. However other than the nuisance of being asked for sex you're unlikely to run into any problems.<br />
<br />
== Climate ==<br />
[[File:Erzurum.JPG|thumb|250px|In [[winter]] it can be cold.]]<br />
During the summer temperatures tend to rise above 35&nbsp;°C, especially in the South, so it is recommended to secure yourself with sufficient supplies of water, and to plan travelling in a way that most of the actual hitchhiking would be earlier in the morning or in very late afternoon, to avoid a burning sun.<br />
<br />
In [[winter]], though, it can be quite cold in Turkey. As long as you stick to the south coast, you'll be able to have a swim in the Aegean any sunny winter day. On some places it's just hitching 100km north into the mountains and you'll see snow too!<br />
<br />
=== Hitchhiking buses ===<br />
[[File:Mikeeg555 hitching in Turkey.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[User:Mikeeg555|Mikeeg555]] hitching in Turkey]]<br />
While waiting beside the road, town-to-town minibus drivers (which can be recognized by banners proclaiming town names all over) and intercity buses will flash their headlights or honk at you — to ask whether you'd like a ride (for a fee, of course). Don't be afraid to stop them and say "''Param yok'' (which literally translates "I don't have money"), it's ok?". A couple of hitchhikers did this when a bus stopped beside them to drop a passenger, and then they kept doing this everytime, and about 30% of the buses gave them a ride. [[User:Sirrdc|Sirrdc]] also had great success hitchhiking on intercity buses. Inside the cities, it's even easier; ask them politely and they will take you a bit further ahead.<br />
<br />
== Food and sleep ==<br />
Take a look at the [http://nomadwiki.org/en/Turkey Nomadwiki] article for this!<br />
[[File:turkeyhitch.jpg|thumb|350px|[[User:Chael777|Chael]]<small><sup>[http://www.velabas.com/ site]</sup></small> hitching south to Bodrum, April 2008]]<br />
<br />
== Cities and License plates ==<br />
<br />
{{Cities Turkey}}<br />
<br />
The first two numbers of the Turkish car plates indicate the city a car is registered in. These are sorted from 1 to 81 alphabetically. This rule is not applicable for villages that recently received the status of cities.<br />
<br />
The number is given to a whole province, e.g. [[Antalya]] and [[Alanya]] are both 07, as they are situated in the same province (Antalya Province).<br />
<br />
[[File:Turkish-truck-and-truck-driver-2008.jpg|thumb|right|350px|A truck, the driver, a boy working at the gas station and [[User:Guaka|guaka]], somewhere between [[Ankara]] and [[Gaziantep]] October 2008]]<br />
<table border="0"><tr><td><br />
* 01 [[Adana]]<br />
* 02 [[Adıyaman]]<br />
* 03 [[Afyonkarahisar]]<br />
* 04 [[Ağrı]]<br />
* 05 [[Amasya]]<br />
* 06 [[Ankara]]<br />
* 07 [[Antalya]]<br />
* 08 [[Artvin]]<br />
* 09 [[Aydın]]<br />
* 10 [[Balıkesir]]<br />
* 11 [[Bilecik]]<br />
* 12 [[Bingöl]]<br />
* 13 [[Bitlis]]<br />
* 14 [[Bolu]]<br />
* 15 [[Burdur]]<br />
* 16 [[Bursa]]<br />
* 17 [[Çanakkale]]<br />
* 18 [[Çankırı]]<br />
* 19 [[Çorum]]<br />
* 20 [[Denizli]]<br />
* 21 [[Diyarbakır]]<br />
* 22 [[Edirne]]<br />
* 23 [[Elazığ]]<br />
* 24 [[Erzincan]]<br />
* 25 [[Erzurum]]<br />
* 26 [[Eskişehir]]<br />
* 27 [[Gaziantep]]<br />
</td><td><br />
* 28 [[Giresun]]<br />
* 29 [[Gümüşhane]]<br />
* 30 [[Hakkari]]<br />
* 31 [[Hatay]]<br />
* 32 [[Isparta]]<br />
* 33 [[Mersin]]<br />
* 34 [[Istanbul]]<br />
* 35 [[Izmir]]<br />
* 36 [[Kars]]<br />
* 37 [[Kastamonu]]<br />
* 38 [[Kayseri]]<br />
* 39 [[Kırklareli]]<br />
* 40 [[Kırşehir]]<br />
* 41 [[Kocaeli]]<br />
* 42 [[Konya]]<br />
* 43 [[Kütahya]]<br />
* 44 [[Malatya]]<br />
* 45 [[Manisa]]<br />
* 46 [[Kahramanmaraş]]<br />
* 47 [[Mardin]]<br />
* 48 [[Muğla]]<br />
* 49 [[Muş]]<br />
* 50 [[Nevsehir|Nevşehir]]<br />
* 51 [[Niğde]]<br />
* 52 [[Ordu]]<br />
* 53 [[Rize]]<br />
* 54 [[Adapazari|Sakarya]]<br />
</td><td><br />
* 55 [[Samsun]]<br />
* 56 [[Siirt]]<br />
* 57 [[Sinop]]<br />
* 58 [[Sivas]]<br />
* 59 [[Tekirdağ]]<br />
* 60 [[Tokat]]<br />
* 61 [[Trabzon]]<br />
* 62 [[Tunceli]]<br />
* 63 [[Urfa|Şanlıurfa]]<br />
* 64 [[Uşak]]<br />
* 65 [[Van]]<br />
* 66 [[Yozgat]]<br />
* 67 [[Zonguldak]]<br />
* 68 [[Aksaray]]<br />
* 69 [[Bayburt]]<br />
* 70 [[Karaman]]<br />
* 71 [[Kırıkkale]]<br />
* 72 [[Batman]]<br />
* 73 [[Sirnak|Şırnak]]<br />
* 74 [[Bartın]]<br />
* 75 [[Ardahan]]<br />
* 76 [[Iğdır]]<br />
* 77 [[Yalova]]<br />
* 78 [[Karabük]]<br />
* 79 [[Kilis]]<br />
* 80 [[Osmaniye]]<br />
* 81 [[Düzce]]<br />
</td></tr></table><br />
<br />
== Regions and Their Hitchability ==<br />
<br />
While in general it is fairly easy to attract a lift in Turkey, locals' view of hitchhikers vary across the country. In general, people in northern and inland regions of the country are friendlier towards hitchhikers. If put systematically, the level of ease to get a lift in various regions of the country is as follows in general, from easiest to hardest:<br />
<br />
:Southeastern Anatolia (usually the first car passing by offering a lift) > North coast (Black Sea Region) (one in every ten cars offering a lift) > Northwest/European Turkey (Thrace) (most waits not exceeding 5 mins) > Inland steppes (Central Anatolia, longest waits likely ~20 mins) > Northwest/Asian Marmara (South Marmara) > Aegean Region > Southwest coast (Lycia) > Rest of Mediterranean coast (expect waits up to two hours!), with eastern mountains (Eastern Anatolia) perhaps falling somewhere between Central Anatolia and South Marmara.<br />
<br />
As can be clearly seen, less touristy somewhere is, easier to attract a lift there. That being said, however, there are of course helpful drivers on the highways of the south, too, although they seem to be exceptions rather than the rule.<br />
<br />
* [[:Category:Antalya (Province)|Antalya Province]]<br />
* [[:Category:Çanakkale (Province)|Çanakkale Province]]<br />
* [[Cappadocia]] <br />
* [[:Category:Muğla (Province)|Muğla Province]]<br />
* [[:Category:Southeastern Anatolia|Southeastern Anatolia]] <br />
<br />
== Personal Experiences ==<br />
<br />
Some recent thoughts and reflections about hitchhiking Turkey as a solo female: http://shelobify.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/an-update-about-hitchhiking-solo-as-a-female-in-turkey/<br />
<br />
:''My friend and I (both female) hitched through Turkey from the Greek border to Cappadocia and it was quite stressful. We never waited long for a ride and most of the people we rode with insisted on buying us chai (just tea) and meals. However, I would say that with about 90 percent of our rides we got our butts, boobs, or crotches grabbed, or at least asked for sex. We had to make our driver leave us on the side of the road a lot in the middle of nowhere so that was kinda dangerous. And it took us about 10 hours to make it 25 miles from just before Istanbul to just past the city. People kept trying to take us into the city or someplace we didn't want to go. We were so glad when we finally made it out of Turkey at the Bulgarian border. It was an adventure though and I would recommend traveling through Turkey, just be aware that all of the other women standing on the side of the road are prostitutes. It was all just a giant misunderstanding and a lack of respect, to some extent, on our part, for the local culture. When hitching here maybe you can learn how to say "we are just traveling and we aren't looking for sex may we still have a ride" before getting in a vehicle. For the record, our drivers always let us out when we told them too and nothing dramatic happened beyond the daily grabbings.''<br />
<br />
:''I have just finished my second two-week trip alone through Turkey just hitchhiking, and my experience has not been at all like the above. I was quite shocked when I read it! I was traveling for long distances almost every day and I must have hitched with over fifty drivers – and only one of those drivers touched me apart from to shake my hand, and I was asked for sex twice, relatively politely, and both accepted no as an answer. I was treated with courtesy, respect, generosity, kindness, invites home to meet their families, and yes, tea and oranges. Also people kept buying me bus tickets rather than 'letting' me hitchhike on, which was horribly embarrassing! I think people who picked me up probably did consider that I might be a prostitute, but easily accepted that I wasn't judging on behavior. I suspect that experiences like the above depend on inappropriate behaviour or dress, or horribly bad luck. I don't speak Turkish, so sometimes it was a bit boring, which was probably the worst thing about hitchhiking. I would recommend not understanding the questions about whether you're alone or married- not speaking Turkish can actually help! And also be aware that Turkish women hitchhiking sit in the back seat of cars, same as in taxis.''<br />
<br />
:''I hitch-hiked with a male friend for 3.5 weeks in Turkey. We started from Istanbul, to Safranbolu, Yozgat, Malatya, Nemrut Daig, Cappadocia, Kalkan and back to Istanbul. I was asked to have sex with the bus conductor after one of the bus conductor invited us to take us and he found out that my friend and I are just friends traveling together. Well, that's just a minor issue. We got picked up by an old man when we were hitch-hiking from Cappadocia to Nemrut Dagi. The old man had only 2 fingers on his right hand, and he was driving at the speed of 150 km/h, drinking tea and talking over the phone while my friend and I were sitting at the back! He drove us to a town nearby to do some sight-seeing and invited us to stay with his daughter's family! We ended up staying there for 3 nights. My fiend joined her husband to work while i stayed at home with the wife doing some traditional stuff! The hardest route to get a ride was probably from Antalya to Kalkan. It was late and no one wanted to pick us up! In the end, two guys who worked in a restaurant picked us up and sent us to our friend's doorstep!''<br />
<br />
:''Summer 2012 we spent hitch-hiking around Turkey. Me (male) and my girlfriend have experienced a lot of hospitality from Turkish drivers and hosts. Many times they stopped on the road and they offered us lunch/dinner. Turkish men never hardly spoke to my girlfriend (they fully respect fact that woman is in relationship with other man). Once whilst hitch-hiking the bus pull-over. We explained that we don't have money for payment - it was any problem. Another fantastic thing about hhiking in Turkey is you rarely have to wait more than 10 minutes, drivers pull-over their car on the highway and sometimes you just have to walk alongside the road and they will stop the car. Great experience, but I really recommend to go there as a mixed pair!''<br />
<br />
<br />
:"A female friend and I hitchhiked from the Georgian border to Istanbul. Turkey is one of the easiest countries in the world to hitch rides. Wait times, even in bad locations, rarely exceed ten minutes. The hitchhiking is so good that it pays to be picky about who you ride with: in Turkey you will have the privilege to turn down truck drivers in favor of faster vehicles. Although slower, most trucks will stop to offer rides. While hitchhiking at night, we were allowed to nap in the sleeping berths that long-haul trucks have. Be polite, respectful, and learn a few words of Turkish and you will have great experiences (free food, impromptu tour guides, beds to sleep in, etc.). However, you should be cautious if you are a solo female traveler, as even mild friendliness towards unrelated males will be misconstrued as flirtation." - [[User:vmpfc1|vmpfc1]]<br />
<br />
== Links ==<br />
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/otostopRail/ Turkish hitchhikers FB group]<br />
* [http://youarealltourists.blogspot.com/2008/04/hitchhiking-guide-to-turkey-for-girls.html Hitchhiking Guide to Turkey for girls]<br />
* [http://abgefahren.hitchbase.com/DE/blogs/alex/20090213/just-hitching-rides-journey-eid-christmas Just hitching rides: A journey from Eid to Christmas] (Hitchhiking from Yemen to Germany), abgefahren Blogs<br />
* User [[User:Halt, Stop! Reudnitz kommt.|Craig]] hitched along the Silk Road and wrote about his experiences here: [http://thumbingasia.blogspot.com/ Thumbing Asia From West to East] Turkey was big fun to hitch-hike. People are really hospitable everywhere - from Istanbul to Capaddocia, from Antep to Kurdistan!<br />
<br />
{{hitchbase_country|196}}<br />
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[[trash:Turkey]]<br />
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[[Category:Turkey]]<br />
[[Category:Western Asia]]<br />
[[Category:Southern Europe]]<br />
[[Category:East Route from North Cape to Cape of Good Hope]]<br />
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[[de:Türkei]]<br />
[[es:Turquia]]<br />
[[fr:Turquie]]<br />
[[pl:Turcja]]<br />
[[tr:Türkiye]]<br />
<br />
{{move_to_nomadwiki}}</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User:Camoverride&diff=84259User:Camoverride2016-08-20T14:08:05Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>Born and raised in the United States, camoverride began hitchhiking in Japan and later expanded his interests to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.<br />
<br />
==Thumbs Up==<br />
<br />
He has successfully hitchhiked in the [[United States]], [[Japan]], [[Armenia]], [[Nagorno-Karabakh]], [[Georgia]] (the country), [[Abkhazia]], [[Turkey]], [[Kosovo]], [[Albania]], [[Montenegro]], [[Cyprus]] (North and South), [[Israel]], [[Palestine]], [[Oman]], the [[UAE]], [[Myanmar]], [[Taiwan]], [[Thailand]], [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Poland]], [[Sweden]], and [[Somaliland]]. He recommends visiting Muslim countries, traveling without plans, and bringing a towel.<br />
<br />
Estimated total distance hitchhiked: 8,000km.<br />
<br />
==Highlights==<br />
<br />
Hitchhiked into the abandoned city of Agdam in Nagorno-Karabakh and sneaked into a vacant minaret. Hitchhiked across the Island of Cyprus and then illegally crossed into Varosha, a city abandoned during the Cypriot Civil War. Lived as a homeless hitchhiker in Japan for a month. Hitchhiked in Somalia. Hitchhiked into the Palestinian Territories, met tons of friendly locals. Was accidentally employed as a farm assistant in rural Armenia while hitchhiking. Hitchhiked the immense almost-empty (20 lane) freeways in Naypyitaw, Myanmar's dystopian capital city.</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User:Camoverride&diff=84157User:Camoverride2016-08-12T08:16:21Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>Born and raised in the United States, camoverride began hitchhiking in Japan and later expanded his interests to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.<br />
<br />
==Thumbs Up==<br />
<br />
He has successfully hitchhiked in the [[United States]], [[Japan]], [[Armenia]], [[Nagorno-Karabakh]], [[Georgia]] (the country), [[Abkhazia]], [[Turkey]], [[Kosovo]], [[Albania]], [[Montenegro]], [[Cyprus]] (North and South), [[Israel]], [[Palestine]], [[Oman]], the [[UAE]], [[Myanmar]], [[Taiwan]], [[Thailand]], and [[Somaliland]]. He recommends visiting Muslim countries, traveling without plans, and bringing a towel.<br />
<br />
Estimated total distance hitchhiked: 7,500km.<br />
<br />
==Highlights==<br />
<br />
Hitchhiked into the abandoned city of Agdam in Nagorno-Karabakh and sneaked into a vacant minaret. Hitchhiked across the Island of Cyprus and then illegally crossed into Varosha, a city abandoned during the Cypriot Civil War. Lived as a homeless hitchhiker in Japan for a month. Hitchhiked in Somalia. Hitchhiked into the Palestinian Territories, met tons of friendly locals. Was accidentally employed as a farm assistant in rural Armenia while hitchhiking. Hitchhiked the immense almost-empty (20 lane) freeways in Naypyitaw, Myanmar's dystopian capital city.</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User:Camoverride&diff=83337User:Camoverride2016-06-10T02:23:15Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>Born and raised in the United States, vmpfc1 began hitchhiking in Japan and later expanded his interests to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.<br />
<br />
==Thumbs Up==<br />
<br />
He has successfully hitchhiked in the [[United States]], [[Japan]], [[Armenia]], [[Nagorno-Karabakh]], [[Georgia]] (the country), [[Abkhazia]], [[Turkey]], [[Kosovo]], [[Albania]], [[Montenegro]], [[Cyprus]] (North and South), [[Israel]], [[Palestine]], [[Oman]], the [[UAE]], [[Myanmar]], [[Taiwan]], [[Thailand]], and [[Somaliland]]. He recommends visiting Muslim countries, traveling without plans, and bringing a towel.<br />
<br />
Estimated total distance hitchhiked: 7,500km.<br />
<br />
==Highlights==<br />
<br />
Hitchhiked into the abandoned city of Agdam in Nagorno-Karabakh and sneaked into a vacant minaret. Hitchhiked across the Island of Cyprus and then illegally crossed into Varosha, a city abandoned during the Cypriot Civil War. Lived as a homeless hitchhiker in Japan for a month. Hitchhiked in Somalia. Hitchhiked into the Palestinian Territories, met tons of friendly locals. Was accidentally employed as a farm assistant in rural Armenia while hitchhiking. Hitchhiked the immense almost-empty (20 lane) freeways in Naypyitaw, Myanmar's dystopian capital city.</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User:Camoverride&diff=83336User:Camoverride2016-06-10T02:23:05Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>Born and raised in the United States, vmpfc1 began hitchhiking in Japan and later expanded his interests to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.<br />
<br />
==Thumbs Up==<br />
<br />
He has successfully hitchhiked in the [[United States]], [[Japan]], Armenia]], [[Nagorno-Karabakh]], [[Georgia]] (the country), [[Abkhazia]], [[Turkey]], [[Kosovo]], [[Albania]], [[Montenegro]], [[Cyprus]] (North and South), [[Israel]], [[Palestine]], [[Oman]], the [[UAE]], [[Myanmar]], [[Taiwan]], [[Thailand]], and [[Somaliland]]. He recommends visiting Muslim countries, traveling without plans, and bringing a towel.<br />
<br />
Estimated total distance hitchhiked: 7,500km.<br />
<br />
==Highlights==<br />
<br />
Hitchhiked into the abandoned city of Agdam in Nagorno-Karabakh and sneaked into a vacant minaret. Hitchhiked across the Island of Cyprus and then illegally crossed into Varosha, a city abandoned during the Cypriot Civil War. Lived as a homeless hitchhiker in Japan for a month. Hitchhiked in Somalia. Hitchhiked into the Palestinian Territories, met tons of friendly locals. Was accidentally employed as a farm assistant in rural Armenia while hitchhiking. Hitchhiked the immense almost-empty (20 lane) freeways in Naypyitaw, Myanmar's dystopian capital city.</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User:Camoverride&diff=83335User:Camoverride2016-06-10T02:22:11Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>Born and raised in the United States, vmpfc1 began hitchhiking in Japan and later expanded his interests to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.<br />
<br />
==Thumbs Up==<br />
<br />
He has successfully hitchhiked in the [[United States]], [[Japan]], Armenia]], [[Nagorno-Karabakh]], [[Georgia]] (the country), [[Abkhazia]], [[Turkey]], [[Kosovo]], [[Albania]], [[Montenegro]], [[Cyprus]] (North and South), [[Israel]], [[Palestine]], [[Oman]], the [[UAE]], [[Myanmar]], [[Taiwan]], [[Thailand]], and [[Somaliland]]. He recommends visiting Muslim countries, traveling without plans, and bringing a towel.<br />
<br />
Estimated total distance hitchhiked: 7,500km.<br />
<br />
==Highlights==<br />
<br />
Hitchhiked into the abandoned city of Agdam in Nagorno-Karabakh and sneaked into a vacant minaret. Hitchhiked across the Island of Cyprus and then illegally crossed into Varosha, a city abandoned during the Cypriot Civil War. Lived as a homeless hitchhiker in Japan for a month. Hitchhiked in Somalia. Hitchhiked into the Palestinian Territories, met tons of friendly locals. Was accidentally employed as a farm assistant in rural Armenia while hitchhiking.</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User:Camoverride&diff=83334User:Camoverride2016-06-10T02:20:50Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>Born and raised in the United States, vmpfc1 began hitchhiking in Japan and later expanded his interests to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.<br />
<br />
==Thumbs Up==<br />
<br />
He has successfully hitchhiked in the [[United States]], Japan, Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Georgia (the country), Abkhazia, Turkey, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, Cyprus (North and South), Israel, Palestine, Oman, the UAE, Myanmar, and Somaliland. He recommends visiting Muslim countries, traveling without plans, and bringing a towel.<br />
<br />
Estimated total distance hitchhiked: 6,500km.<br />
<br />
==Highlights==<br />
<br />
Hitchhiked into the abandoned city of Agdam in Nagorno-Karabakh and sneaked into a vacant minaret. Hitchhiked across the Island of Cyprus and then illegally crossed into Varosha, a city abandoned during the Cypriot Civil War. Lived as a homeless hitchhiker in Japan for a month. Hitchhiked in Somalia. Hitchhiked into the Palestinian Territories, met tons of friendly locals. Was accidentally employed as a farm assistant in rural Armenia while hitchhiking.</div>Camoverridehttps://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=User:Camoverride&diff=83333User:Camoverride2016-06-10T02:20:36Z<p>Camoverride: </p>
<hr />
<div>Born and raised in the United States, vmpfc1 began hitchhiking in Japan and later expanded his interests to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.<br />
<br />
==Thumbs Up==<br />
<br />
He has successfully hitchhiked in the United States, Japan, Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Georgia (the country), Abkhazia, Turkey, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, Cyprus (North and South), Israel, Palestine, Oman, the UAE, Myanmar, and Somaliland. He recommends visiting Muslim countries, traveling without plans, and bringing a towel.<br />
<br />
Estimated total distance hitchhiked: 6,500km.<br />
<br />
==Highlights==<br />
<br />
Hitchhiked into the abandoned city of Agdam in Nagorno-Karabakh and sneaked into a vacant minaret. Hitchhiked across the Island of Cyprus and then illegally crossed into Varosha, a city abandoned during the Cypriot Civil War. Lived as a homeless hitchhiker in Japan for a month. Hitchhiked in Somalia. Hitchhiked into the Palestinian Territories, met tons of friendly locals. Was accidentally employed as a farm assistant in rural Armenia while hitchhiking.</div>Camoverride