{"id":7741,"date":"2026-08-02T01:47:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T01:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=7741"},"modified":"2026-08-02T01:47:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T01:47:14","slug":"two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-tent-sleeping-bags-and-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=7741","title":{"rendered":"Two French friends hitchhiked 5,000km across Australia with cardboard signs; strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132795224,imgsize-57955,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-tent-sleeping-bags-and-food.jpg\" alt=\"Two French friends hitchhiked 5,000km across Australia with cardboard signs; strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food\" title=\"Two French friends hitchhiked 5,000km across Australia with cardboard signs; strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Two French friends hitchhiked 5,000km across Australia with cardboard signs; strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food\">Two French friends hitchhiked 5,000km across Australia with cardboard signs; strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Two young French travellers have completed an extraordinary 5,000-kilometre hitchhiking journey across Australia, relying on strangers for rides as they crossed the country&#8217;s vast outback in search of adventure while keeping travel costs to a minimum.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>William Pertek and Manek Miquel, both 21, travelled from Queensland to Broome in Western Australia&#8217;s far north, carrying little more than a shared tent and backpacks. Rather than paying for flights, buses or rental cars, the pair chose to hitchhike, often spending hours waiting by the roadside with handwritten cardboard signs.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Waited 10 hours for a single ride<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>The journey was not without challenges. One of their longest waits came in the tiny Queensland town of Camooweal, near the Northern Territory border, where they stood outside a service station for around 10 hours before finally securing a lift.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/>&#8220;This famous town, empty town \u2014 we waited 10 hours,&#8221; Pertek recalled.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"11\"\/>He admitted hitchhiking was more difficult in Australia than in many other countries.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"13\"\/>&#8220;At the beginning of our adventure, our friend told us, &#8216;You will not do it, it&#8217;s not possible,'&#8221; he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/>Instead of simply sticking out their thumbs, the duo found that holding up cardboard signs displaying the name of their next destination proved more effective.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2><keyword id=\"37675182\" type=\"Denny\" weightage=\"20\" keywordseo=\"kindness-of-strangers\" source=\"keywords\">Kindness of strangers<\/keyword> fuels the journey<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food&lt;br&gt;\" msid=\"132795277\" width=\"\" title=\"Strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132795277\/strangers-bought-them-a-tent-sleeping-bags-and-foodbr.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>Despite the uncertainty of travelling with strangers, the friends said the experience restored their faith in people&#8217;s generosity.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>&#8220;Almost everyone offered food, drink, or help for something,&#8221; Pertek said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>One driver even bought them a new tent, while two women gave them 40 Australian dollars to purchase new sleeping bags.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>The pair said they also took precautions before accepting rides.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/>&#8220;Talking to lots of people before you get in the car, you feel safer,&#8221; Miquel explained.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"32\"\/>Among the highlights of their trip were visits to remote communities including Larrimah in the Northern Territory, a town made famous by several true-crime documentaries, and Camooweal.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Social media driving a <keyword id=\"37995272\" type=\"Denny\" weightage=\"20\" keywordseo=\"hitchhiking-revival\" source=\"keywords\">hitchhiking revival<\/keyword><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>According to Fang Liu, a marketing expert at the University of Western Australia&#8217;s Business School who studies tourism trends, hitchhiking is experiencing a revival among younger travellers.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"37\"\/>She said social media has played a major role by allowing travellers to share advice, safe pickup locations and real-time experiences.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"40\"\/>&#8220;Because of social media in the last 10 years, I&#8217;ve heard a lot about hitchhiking,&#8221; Liu said, adding that improved mobile connectivity and location-sharing apps have made the practice appear safer to many travellers.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"42\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Police urge travellers not to hitchhike<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Despite its growing popularity online, authorities continue to warn about the dangers.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"46\"\/>Kimberley Police Superintendent John Hutchison said he had noticed more people hitchhiking in Western Australia, where the practice is legal, but advised against it.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"49\"\/>&#8220;Don&#8217;t do it,&#8221; he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>&#8220;You don&#8217;t know who the driver is. It could be somebody who&#8217;s quite a dangerous person.&#8221;<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"53\"\/>The legal status of hitchhiking varies across Australia. It is illegal in Queensland and Victoria, while other states and territories have different rules governing where pedestrians can stand and seek rides.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"55\"\/>Liu said international visitors should familiarise themselves with local laws before attempting to hitchhike, as rules differ significantly from country to country.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/life-style\/travel\/news\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-tent-sleeping-bags-and-food\/articleshow\/132795058.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two French friends hitchhiked 5,000km across Australia with cardboard signs; strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food Two young French travellers have completed an extraordinary 5,000-kilometre hitchhiking journey across Australia, relying on strangers for rides as they crossed the country&#8217;s vast outback in search of adventure while keeping travel costs to a minimum.William [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t-150x150.avif","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t-300x169.avif","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Two French friends hitchhiked 5,000km across Australia with cardboard signs; strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food Two young French travellers have completed an extraordinary 5,000-kilometre hitchhiking journey across Australia, relying on strangers for rides as they crossed the country&#8217;s vast outback in search of adventure while keeping travel costs to a minimum.William [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":3,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t.avif",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t-300x169.avif",300,169,true],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/two-french-friends-hitchhiked-5000km-across-australia-with-cardboard-signs-strangers-bought-them-a-t-150x150.avif",150,150,true]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7741"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7741\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}