Aftab, a technical engineer, took off to Russia, a country totally new to him. Team TS chanced upon the fact that he travelled solely through hitchhiking, and well, were we intrigued! Here are some snippets of our conversation with him:
Why did you choose Russia for hitchhiking?
Russia was not planned at all. One day, while I was chatting with a friend, he sent me a picture of the beautiful city of Kazan and the Mosque in the Kremlin. I felt a call from within to offer my prayers at this Mosque.
How many days did you spend hitchhiking and what places did you cover?
I hitchhiked for around two weeks, from Kazan to St Petersburg, covering 1,521 km. The route was Kazan-Nizhny Novgorod-Moscow-St Petersburg.
What was your budget like?
I toured Russia for two weeks and spent around 18,000 rubles, which is around 18,300 Indian rupees. Even with that, half the money was spent in exploring museums and forts. I spent nearly 10,000 rupees on food and accommodation.
How did you go about arranging for meals?
Meals were a little complicated. In Moscow, my friend had hosted me, so she helped me with local tidbits on where to eat. In Kazan, which is a Muslim-dominated city, she told me that the green label is for ‘halal.’ There, I met a lady who suggested I buy local ingredients from the grocery store and cook my own meals instead of spending on restaurant food. Each hostel in Kazan has its own fridge and microwave. She helped me through the whole process – right from placing an order at the counter to using the microwave.
What was the scariest moment in your journey?
So, it was late evening and I was waiting on a highway which was 10-12 km from Tver. There, two Uzbek drivers offered me a lift. As soon as I got on, they asked me how much money I had. It was like a Bollywood movie scene. I was sure they would rob me. The highway was deserted and it was raining. I hid my debit card and other valuables in my shoes when they got off to take a break. I texted my friend in Moscow and he urged me to get off the cab quickly. Those few hours were very scary. Communication was a big problem. I kept translating using my phone to answer their constant stream of questions. They dropped me off at the metro station near St Petersburg, where I finally felt relieved and safe.
And a moment that will stay with you forever?
My host, Oksana, in Moscow was super amazing. She came to the airport to receive me and cooked me a fabulous local meal. Later, she showed me around nearby gardens, her children’s school and more. At night, she took me to the Red Square where there is this Zero Point. Locals believe that if you stand there and throw a coin, your wish will come true. She gave me a coin and asked me to perform this fun little ceremony. As soon as I tossed the coin, she said, “Welcome to Russia.”
Any advice you’d want to share with new hitchhikers?
- You should know a few words in the local language as people don’t know English or Hindi there. For example, a friend told me that in order to ask for a lift you have to say ‘Пожалуйста довезите (please take me to) then city name‘.
- If you need a lift, carry a big poster with your destination written on it so car and truck drivers can read it from a distance.
- Download offline maps.
Aftab spoke to Rachna of Team Travel Secrets. Aakshat Sinha of Untitled Creations coordinated the interaction.
