Changes

==General==

* minutes from the [[Hitchgathering/2011/Magdeburg_MeetingMagdeburg Meeting|Magdeburg meeting]] are available

#Different pre-meetings in [[Berlin]], [[Budapest]], [[Sofia]] and so on ... initiative welcome!#The gathering: 5/8/11#After-meeting in [[Turkey]]?

:Willing == Pre-meetings ==As time is passing by, it is time to organize a start thinking about pre-meeting 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: [Budapest[User:Maxijazz|Maxijazz]])'' For all those who would like to stop for a little, and meet other hitchhikers on their way to Kara Dere, here is the Budapest Pre-Meeting.. Question '''Programs''' * 30th july: should it be just before the gathering Gathering at Gödör (5th August)[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. so all  * 31st july:For those who want to continue the hitchhikers jurney of course it is hitchhiking. Fort he ones who choose to go through Hungary could have 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''pit stop' 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 if so what you would be like to camp somewhere int he city it is suggested to sleep on some of the appropriate date for it islands (5-10-15 days beforelike[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''' You can always contact [[User:Maxijazz|Maxijazzme]] 20via phone/text at +36306166420, or milozsolt at gmail dot com (also via [http:30//www.facebook.com/milo.zsolt Facebook] if it is easyer for you).  === Sofia ===''(date: around the 2nd August, organizer: Boyan)'' === Vama Veche ===''(around the 3rd August, organizer n0id)'' === Varna, 4 April 2011 Organizational pre-meeting ===''(CESTMonday 1st of August 11 am, in front of Black Sea Casino, 33 Bulevard Slivnica, Varna)'' :We thought need to ensure that we shouldnthe logistics are handled so well that people won't make 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-meetings as close to each 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 as last yearrefreshments (water tubes/canisters, because some 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 found it too tiring /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 travel that fastmight want to provide freebies? Do you have contacts that might help? == After-meetings == Post about these in hitchgathering. Alsoorg [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, we had the Estonia === Tomi and I came up with an idea that to organize a presmall Hitchgathering post-meeting in Estonia. It could attract also last more than people from Baltics, Poland and Finland who could not make it to the actual gathering in Bulgaria (5 August), like me (Ron). Place: Uus Maailm. Tallinn, EstoniaTime: 19-21 August 2011 So Kara Dere is over but that doesn't mean that we cannot still get together, specially for the people that couldn't make it all the way there and are near the Baltic countries. We're hoping to atract the Lithuanian and Polish HH clubs. This weekend there's a lot of happening in Tallinn. It's the European Capital of Culture and it's the 20th anniversary of the independence. Sinead O'Connor is giving a dayfree concert on saturday. Maybe  We would love your help as well if someone would like to give workshops, we can decide together also based on when and where other pre-meetings will be helduse the installations of Uus Maailmm. So send me a message if you have ideas. We have secured a place to sleep but it's only limited for 10 people, so you have to hurry to send a couchrequest. Sofia The place is likely called Uus Maailm (Boyanhttp://www.uusmaailm.ee/) which could be 1st or 2nd . 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 maybe 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 29th or 30th Romanian side (North of July? Kara Dere). === Kandira, Bulgaria ===There is a superb mountain hide-out near Krumovgrad. Details from Tomi (--[[User:N0idAstikain|n0idAstikain]]17:29, 29 June 2011 (CEST)). === Yeşiltaş, Turkey ===:We should coordinate 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. There is plenty to eat in the nature. Moreover, everyone there has a farm there and it's not considered stealing if you eat something from the ground. August is the time when there are a lot of left over fruits in the trees. The mountain water runs in several streams and joins into a bigger river that flows through the village. Water everywhere is not only drinkable, but ice-cold and pure. When you go there you instantly fall in love with other closethe place. Probably some of you might start thinking ways to help. If someone knows how to create DIY solar panels or hydro-power utilizing the river, the villagers might be more than interested to learn. All the houses are in the grid. Otherwise they are nearly 100% self-by eventssustained. Be prepared to stay longer if largely organic way of living in the mountains is your cup of tea. Please note: There is no solid waste management and villagers tend to think that the river takes away whatever little trash they might throw in there. Please show a better example. Sometimes the Turkish military bombs the mountain lakes if there are rebels, such as so it's not recommended to go up there if the villagers say so. Otherwise they are in friendly terms with the rebels. Make sure you have someone with you who speaks Turkish and/or Kurdish. In Yüksekova there is a really cool couchsurfer called [http://www.roadjunkyfestivalcouchsurfing.comorg/people/turkey84/ Road Junky FestivalRaşit Tümer] who might be able to meet up with fellow hitchhikers. '''Directions:''' Yeşiltaş is 44 km from Yüksekova that is the nearest bigger city of around 100.000 inhabitants. From there go to direction of Dağlıca. After you pass the village of Karlı there is a military checkpoint. From there you just follow the road until you come to a bridge over the river. There is a small shop on the left and two roads to Dağlıca. That is the entrance to the village. There are houses on both sides of the road. There are not too many cars on this road after the checkpoint so get as many people in Romania 15one vehicle as possible (remember it's Turkey, anything is possible!). See [http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Bilinmeyen+yol&daddr=Y%C3%BCksekova%2FHakkari,+T%C3%BCrkiye&hl=tr&ie=UTF8&ll=37.484666,44.272499&spn=0.090039,0.132351&sll=37.413323,44.124269&sspn=0.045062,0.066175&geocode=Fb36OgIdfRGhAg%3BFcs4PQIdxbWjAik7FJfCC74PQDFioadfma-17 JulynuQ&mra=mift&mrsp=0&sz=14&t=h&z=13 Google Map]. --[[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/enSeems 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]]

Check out [[Hitchgathering/Website_translationWebsite translation|this page]] that explains how to translate what.

#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]]!

* make it possible to offer or request workshops ([[Hitchgathering/2011/Workshop suggestion for hitchgathering.org|Brainstorm page for Drupal geeks]])

===General communication===

*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]]

====Social media====

*twitter: sitarane

*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/

====News spread where & when====

===Art===

*track distribution and make it more open; make better use of them --[[User:N0id|N0id]]<math>Insert formula here</math>

===At the gatheringWorkshops ===

=== 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===

==Contact==

==Visa info==

**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.

**Romania: Visa free (?) -need to get this confirmed --[[User:Platschi|Platschi]] 13:08, 14 April 2011 (CEST)

==Web-presence==

==PromotionSome flyer designs have been made and an easy possibility to make flyers is to print* the [http: DIY//hitchgathering.org/sites/hitchgathering.org/files/hitch1.pdf flyer by artymori] in color or black/white* or the [http://hitchgathering.org/sites/hitchgathering.org/files/hitch2.pdf flyer by Zsolt] in color* you need: (color) printer with duplex mode if possible and a paper trimmer (most copy shops should have both, universities often do as well)* make sure that your settings do not resize the page automatically: Something like "adapt file to size of paper: no adaption" in Microsoft word, other software has such an option for sure* select duplex mode if you have and both sides are printed. If not just print the front page...* cut cut cut* distribute!==

We are planning to do flyers and/or maybe stickers like last year, but also we would like to pass on promotion to everybody. There are other endless possibilities to spread the word about the hitchgathering. For example:

==Done==

===Press===

*English*German*French*Finnish*Spanish

===Website===

*The right column is too long --[[User:Sitarane.mp|Sitarane.mp]]

*Clean up the permission/role system --[[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 ==

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)

*project for closing the area and building an "Eco Village" (decision and deadline unknown yet)*language barrier?

**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):We thought that we shouldn't make the pre-meetings as close to each other as last year, because some people found it too tiring to travel that fast. Also, we had the idea that a pre-meeting could also last more than a day. Maybe we can decide together also based on when and where other pre-meetings will be held. Sofia is likely (Boyan) which could be 1st or 2nd of August so maybe the 29th or 30th of July? [[User:N0id|n0id]]:We should coordinate with other close-by events, such as [http://www.roadjunkyfestival.com/ Road Junky Festival] in Romania 15-17 July. --[[User:Astikain|Astikain]]:Not to be annoying but u should decide it soon cause otherwise people will plan to spend those days doing other things. i also agree with more time in between the pre-gatherings, it's nicer..the point is to spend time with eachother not to say hi and leave again--[[User:Smaua|smaua]]