What you need to know when going on a cruise. What you need to know before traveling. Safe rest

A cruise is not just an opportunity to see several countries in one trip, but also great vacation on a huge floating resort. After all, no hotel can offer you as many different services as a modern cruise ship.

What you need to know when going on a cruise

SEA CRUISE is a good opportunity to fulfill several of your desires at once...

The motto of the cruise travel "On a cruise you can do anything or just do nothing!"

During the day you will find a huge selection of excursions in each port of call, as well as a great variety of entertainment on board the liner. In the evening - a variety of entertainment programs on the liner - concerts, discos and casinos! You have never rested, getting so much for one price!

On any liner, all meals are organized according to the 24-hour service system and everything is included in the cruise price: restaurants, cafes " Buffet", bars, in-cabin meals, midnight buffets and snacks. Your cruise price also includes all entertainment and sporting activities on board and much more.

The cost of a standard cruise includes:

  • Traveling on a liner
  • Accommodation in a cabin of the selected category
  • 24/7 meals on board (excluding alcohol)
  • Entertainment programs on board
  • Programs for children and children's menu
  • 24 hour cabin service and steward service
  • Nightly musical performances - shows, live music, discos
  • Use of the gym, sauna, jacuzzi
  • Port fees. (Important!!!)

What documents are required for travel?

Tourist going to sea ​​cruise must have with you:

A) international passport, in which the necessary visas must be affixed

b) a ticket - a voucher or a ticket for a cruise

c) medical insurance policy

What clothes to take with you?

Being on a cruise is like being on a vacation. fashionable resort. When packing your suitcase, please note that your luggage should contain 3 types of clothing:

a) free

b) official

c) solemn

The table below will help you choose the required number of evening dresses - depending on the duration of the cruise:

Cruise duration Free Official Gala

8 days 4 1 2

11 days 4-6 2-3 2

12-13 days 5-7 2-3 3

14-16 days 5-8 3-4 3

Free style: trousers, slacks, skirt, jumper, blouse, shirt. (In shorts, short T-shirts, "torn" jeans, with bare feet- entrance to the restaurant is prohibited).

Formal style: suit or dress - for ladies; jacket, tie - for men. (As if you went home to good restaurant.)

Formal style: evening dress or cocktail dress - ladies; a tuxedo or a dark suit with a tie - for gentlemen. For such evenings you can rent a suit on the ship.

Be sure to take into account the clothing requirements in a number of countries: you will not be allowed into the ancient temples of Italy and Malta with bare knees and shoulders, in the countries of the East the restrictions are even tougher - consult your agent.

Mediterranean 10-25 12-23 18-30 15-28

How to get to the liner?

Contact your agent and book a transfer from the Airport to the seaport. If you are traveling on your own, do not forget to ask your agent for a map. seaport.

How is boarding the ship?

ATTENTION! LINER DOES NOT WAIT FOR LATE COMERS!

Tourists lagging behind the liner, or late for landing, bear full material and moral responsibility for the consequences that arose due to their being late for the departure of the vessel in all ports, both of calls, and the beginning or end of the cruise.

Your luggage

Baggage is rented at the port (at your request) and delivered to the cabin. First you need to stick luggage tags with the name and number of the cabin. We kindly ask you to fill in the luggage tags yourself (cabin number and deck number). We are not responsible for the loss of luggage when boarding or disembarking from the ship.

After going through customs and border formalities, the tourist surrenders his passport (for the duration of the cruise), and receives a "Cruise Card", which is an identity document for the duration of the cruise, a key to the cabin, a means of payment on board, etc. If you are going to pay in cash at the end of the cruise, you will be asked to put a deposit of at least $300 per person on the Cruise Card.

Then the tourist boards the liner, is accommodated in a cabin (the number and category of the cabin are indicated in the voucher or ticket). Please note that, for security reasons, no visitors are allowed on board.

Each cabin has information about the location of services, a plan map of the liner, phonebook various ship services. Each cabin is equipped with air conditioning, telephone, TV, 110 volt and 220 volt sockets.

Before sailing, there is usually a "drill drill", you can take a life jacket and take part in the exercises. The plan of where the exercises are held is indicated on the door of your cabin.

What is a Purser's Desk?

This is a guest service (similar to “Reception” in a hotel), located on one of the decks of the liner (see diagram) and helping passengers receive information on all issues: receiving and sending correspondence, paying bills, searching for lost things, information services.

How can I find out what activities will be on the cruise?

Every day, the tourist is brought to the cabin with a program with detailed indication place, time and content of events on board the ship, the start time of the excursion program, air and water temperature, as well as general information about the port of call, recommendations for choosing clothes, local features etc.

Tourists need to independently monitor the safety of their luggage. Valuables and money are recommended to be kept in safes.

On board the liners there are: swimming pools, they are usually located on the upper decks

You will be able to use the "Jacuzzi" and sauna;

at your service solarium, beauty salon and massage room, hairdresser, library, hall slot machines, a casino, several bars, a disco, duty-free shops, a cinema, a children's entertainment center and much, much more.

The plan of the liner is in your cabin and on each deck by the elevators.

Entertainment for the whole family

Take your kids with you! Special programs for children of different ages on board each ship will not let them get bored, and in the kids club they can make friends with their peers from different countries. A children's menu and an early meal change will allow the whole family to dine together in the restaurant. Thus, you can spend as much time with your family as you want.

You should only pay attention to the age restrictions for children: 6 months - for Crystal and Princess companies (European and Mediterranean routes, Caribbean, Mexico, Australia, Alaska). Both companies reserve the right to limit the number of children under 3 years of age on board.

Children must be accommodated either in the same cabin with their parents, or in a communicating cabin. Children under 18 are not allowed on the cruise unless accompanied by an adult. Under US law, children under 21 are prohibited from playing casinos and drinking alcoholic beverages. Doubts about the age of the tourist are resolved using the ID.

On liners princess cruises access to the Spa, jacuzzi and gym for children under 18 is only allowed with an adult. All these measures are dictated by the desire to ensure a high level of security.

On Princess Cruises ships there are special children's centers for children of different ages: 3-7, 8-12 and 13-17 years old, which host activities specially designed for each group. What they have in common: the constant presence of staff, a playground, a shallow pool, an ice cream kiosk, a computer, an abundance of desktop and video games, ping-pong tables, video films. For teenagers, there is even a jacuzzi bath and a section of the deck that belongs only to them. All Princess ships have a special children's menu.

Access to children's clubs is free. Additionally paid ($ 5 / hour per child) only classes from 22.00 to 0.00 and while the liner is in the port.

Traveling alone won't feel lonely Traveling alone won't make you feel lonely by continuously taking part in daytime and nighttime entertainment such as "Let's Get Acquainted" or cocktail parties. However, if you want, you can relax and enjoy solitude. If you decide to share a cabin with someone and take advantage of a special rate, you will be pleasantly surprised by the cost.

Additional expenses on board the ship, their payment

During the cruise, all your additional expenses(on board the ship) will be credited to your Personal Account (according to your cabin number), since according to customs laws, cash payments are not accepted on the ship. To open this account, a guarantee in the form of a credit card or a deposit of at least $300 per person is required. To pay expenses, you only need to present your Cruise Card and sign checks. At the end of the cruise, you will be presented with an invoice showing your expenses on board the ship, which you will need to pay in cash or by credit card at Purser's Desk. The following cards are accepted on PRINCESS CRUISES ships: VISA, MasterCard, Discover Card, Diners Club, Carte Blanche and American Express/Optima. You can also pay in dollars (US and Canadian), British pounds and traveler's checks (drawn by US, Canadian and UK banks).

Tips

All over the world, tips are the norm, since 90% of the salaries of service personnel are tips. On board the Star Princess ship of PRINCESS CRUISES, tips for waiters, your steward and other attendants are automatically credited to your “Personal Card” daily, at the rate of $ 10 per day, ADDED IN ADDITION TO YOUR EXPENSES and PAID on board the ship on the last day of the cruise. If you wish to thank for another service, you can additionally deposit a certain amount into the account. If you are dissatisfied with the service provided, you can refuse to tip the staff by explaining the reason on Purser’s Desk.

Gratitude to the staff of the casino and Spa on Princess ships is not regulated.

Services on board

Shore excursions

Excursion program in ports of call is not included in the cost of the cruise and is paid additionally. For ordering individual or group tours with Russian speaking guide, full payment is required in advance of the cruise. On board the liner, orders are accepted for participation in group excursions conducted in English.

On the day of landing, you have a special order form for shore excursions, if desired, it must be completed and handed over to a special "Shore excursion" counter, where you can get information about the proposed excursions in ports of call and purchase tickets. Tourists who do not want to participate in excursions can independently manage their time in the port.

We speak your language

On board the cruise you can meet guests from all over the world. That is why the staff of various services, including Guest Service, waiters in restaurants and bars, beauty salon and kids club staff usually speak English. However, since 2007, on cruise ships with the participation of Russian-speaking tourists, information sheets in Russian have been introduced in cabins, and menus in Russian in restaurants.

In addition, our company, on the dates of group arrivals, especially for our tourists, sends a Russian-speaking representative on board the liner so that you feel comfortable. This service is free for tourists, provided by Breeze Line.

The daily newspaper with the program of the day, published on the liner and telling about all the activities on board, is published in English. During our GROUP trips we provide the Program of the Day in RUSSIAN!

Medical services

Each ship has a qualified doctor and nurses on board who work around the clock in case of emergency. Medical services provided on board are paid extra.

Some people who are sensitive to even the slightest vibration of the ship can use special pills.

Laundry and dry cleaning services

Our liners are equipped with excellent laundry and dry cleaning services. You only need to fill out an order form before 9.00 am (it is in your cabin) and give it to the steward along with your things in a plastic bag. Your order will be fulfilled on the same day 50% surcharge for urgency or the next day. The price list and a plastic bag for things are in the drawer of your cabin). You can also iron or wash your own clothes. The laundry room (Laundromat) is located on the deck.

Duty Free Shops

There are duty-free shops on board, where goods of world-famous companies, souvenirs with the symbols of cruise company, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, clothing, perfumes and cosmetics, jewelry, medicines. Shops on board are only open while the vessel is in motion, in accordance with international regulations. customs regulations.

International telephone, telefax, telex, internet

During the movement of the vessel, you can use the services of international telephone communication(from the cabin), facsimile or telex communication (from the ship's radio station). There is also an Internet cafe on the ship. While the vessel is in the port, local communication systems can be used. The cost of an international telephone call from the board of the liner is on average $ 15 per 1 minute.

Sauna, massage center, beauty salon

On board the liner there is a sauna, a massage center and a beauty salon. Services are provided for an additional fee. If you would like to use these services, we recommend that you make an appointment in advance.

Services to the cabin

In the cabin for your convenience there are non-alcoholic drinks, which are paid extra. You can contact guest service at any time of the day or night and order an extra pillow, blanket, snacks in the cabin and much, much more. Drinks (juice, coffee) and snacks listed in the Room Service menu are served to the cabin free of charge.

Radio and TV in the cabin

All cabins on the liners are equipped with radio and television. Television includes a satellite news channel from various countries, movies, music programs and an in-house TV channel covering the program on board, ports of call, etc.

Restaurants and cuisine

In restaurants on board ships, there are usually 2 meals. As a rule, for breakfast it is: 6.30 / 8.30, lunch: 12.00 / 13.30, dinner: 18.30 / 20.30. You can choose which one you prefer and tell the agent when booking, and we will do our best to make you comfortable. Also, specify in advance how many people a table is preferable for you. On Princess ships there is a third option: Personal choice. It gives you the freedom to decide where, when and with whom you will dine each evening.

On the ships of the Princess companies, in addition to the main one, there are themed restaurants where you can enjoy national cuisine Italy and America, paying only for a table reservation ($15-20 per person); cafes, bars and pizzerias, as well as a buffet restaurant on upper deck with 24 hour service!

For passengers who need dietary nutrition, there is always a range of dishes with a low content of fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar, as well as vegetarian and kosher. All vessels use only fresh selected products loaded in the nearest port.

Ordering drinks or food in the room is available on all ships for an additional fee. The exception is the Room Service menu - ordering certain dishes and drinks (you will find a list in your cabin).

You can also order breakfast to your room for free, you have a form in your cabin, you need to fill it out and hang it on the door handle from the outside. (There you can also specify the time when it is convenient for you to bring it).

Solemn events

If you are going on a cruise to Honeymoon or getting ready to celebrate a wedding anniversary, anniversary or other event in your life, we are pleased to offer you a large selection additional services to help you make your holiday memorable. A list of additional services can be found in the brochure of each cruise company.

Disembarkation The day before the end of the cruise, customs declarations and baggage tags will be delivered to your cabin. After packing your suitcases, remove the old ones and place the new completed tags on the luggage, remembering their color. Luggage must be placed in the corridor before 23.00. Leave in hand luggage hygiene items, medicines, valuables. On the day of arrival at the final port, you must pay with your card before 07.00, receive a passport. Please note that on large cruise ships on the day the cruise ends, queues line up at Purser's Desk. For your convenience, Princess invites you to register your credit card at landing or in the first days of the cruise. In this case, the money will be withdrawn from it automatically after you sign the final invoice.


What you need to know when visiting Germany. How to invite guests and make appointments? What to give the owners? Does the gift depend on the holiday? And how to say thank you for the invitation! All this in our material!

Arriving in Germany to visit or start new life, many of us are faced with the closeness of the Germans and not everyone understands and accepts this feature of the mentality. In addition, it should be noted that although the Germans are generally delighted with our cordiality and hospitality, they themselves are not always ready to step over their habits and customs in this regard. With some features of hospitality in Germany, I want to introduce you in this article.

Everyone remembers very well what wonderful “kitchen” gatherings we and our parents arranged at one time. How fun and endless the birthday celebrations were and with what impatience and anticipation of a miracle we were waiting for the New Year. Friends, acquaintances, acquaintances of acquaintances - we were glad to see everyone! A friend brought a colleague and sister with her husband to the party? - no problem! Spontaneity and lightness were our hallmarks, and hospitality was one of the main virtues.


Accuracy

One of the first words I learned in German was the word . It was everywhere and I didn’t even immediately understand that, in addition to the designation “sign up for some kind of meeting,” this word also applied to an invitation to visit.

BY THE WAY: The probability of hearing from a typical German the phrase “run in at any time for a cup of tea” is almost zero. Get ready for the fact that people's life in Germany is planned and sorted out in such a way that a special time and place will be allocated for the notorious “cup of tea”.


I remember that when I first moved to Germany, I couldn’t get to know my husband’s relatives for almost 3 months, because all the time they had a very tight schedule: sports, theater, watching movie series, attending various events, weekend trips ... The idea " to call in quickly in the evening or on the weekend” caused them a stupor. With difficulty, we found a "term" for dating on one of the Fridays between 12-30 and 16 o'clock.

During this period of time, the dating procedure, as well as lunch and coffee with dessert, were rammed. At 16-15 we were already intensively shaking hands in front of the front door, wishing us a happy journey with the words "we'll see you again!". At 16-30 they had the next term according to the plan.

In general, our relatives are very typical representatives of the German nation: I learn about all the planned meetings and anniversaries on their part at least 7-9 months in advance. So I have time to prepare and think about gifts.

Present

According to my long-term observations in Germany, there are three main types of gifts:

1 - If you are invited to visit "just because", for dinner or lunch for no reason, it is usually customary to bring a bottle of wine or prosecco with you (it would be nice to ask beforehand and find out which variety the hosts prefer), a bouquet of flowers or flowers in a pot or something baked with your own hands (for example, a pie or a cupcake). If you do not bring anything with you, it will not be perceived negatively. The Germans do not expect any special surprises from their guests. It is very important for them that guests simply feel great and are in a good mood.

2 - If you are invited to some kind of celebration (birthday, anniversary, housewarming, christening, etc.), then very often they give gift cards (Gutschein) in accordance with the preferences of the host / hostess of the celebration (for example, a book purchase card, cosmetics or household items).

Just as often, several people agree and buy something more valuable or expensive together (for example, tickets for a concert / opera, spa weekend, or pay for a beautiful photo shoot). Less often, but still it happens that they buy some specific item that the owner dreamed about, but for some reason postponed the purchase. For example, my friend wanted to buy a cool food processor for a very long time and all the time she was looking for more favorable price or waiting for a sale. We, six girlfriends, chipped in and bought her this car. Now we are provided with the most delicious smoothies and low-calorie pastries for the rest of our lives.

3 - The third option is not so common, but still not uncommon, especially in more affluent circles: guests are asked to refrain from gifts and flowers and donate any amount to a specific charity project. The description of the project and the details are usually sent already with an invitation to the celebration, you are free to decide how much you will transfer. Subsequently, you will be informed how much money was collected from the transfers and for what specific purposes it was spent. If you wish, you can even get official confirmation of your charitable contribution and take it into account when filing a tax return.

FACT:Option to donate money in an envelope in Germany is also present, but I would not say that it is very common. As an alternative, it is more customary here to draw up a "Gift List" (Geschenkliste), which is deposited in a certain store and according to which each invitee can buy a gift, pre-selected and reserved by the hero of the occasion. This option, for example, is very common when celebrating children's birthdays or weddings.



treat

The concept of "the table was bursting with food" in my opinion is absent from the Germans in principle. In my 20 years of living here, I have never seen a "mom's menu" offered at the table: 4 types of salads, 3 slices of vegetables and cheese, 2 different hot ones and a cake with tea at the end. Basically, average Germans prefer a buffet option: several large bowls with salads, bread, various spreads on it, antipasti and meat and/or grilled sausages. It's like a picnic. Everyone serves himself, up to frying meat. Disposable tableware and plastic cups are very common: at the end of the party, everything goes into the trash and the hostess thus frees herself from the obligation to spend an extra couple of hours in the kitchen.

There are more economical options treats: chips, nuts, salty sticks, at best crackers with cheese spread. In order not to fall for such a “dietary” option, I always check whether they invite me to dinner or a glass of wine. In Russia, as my husband says, an invitation to a cup of tea can turn into a many-hour feast, when sometimes it doesn’t even reach tea. Here, it is customary to define the invitation more clearly: in the first version - “for dinner” - it is understood that they will feed me, in the second - that they will really offer me a glass or two of wine or beer and, accordingly, cheese, chips, nuts.

In the "banquet" version, everything is simpler and clearer: you will be served a specific dish. Here, too, there are some nuances that it would be nice to know for people who have recently arrived in Germany.

FACT: The Germans do not take long gatherings just for food, when serving it, it is advisable to quickly eat your portion, otherwise after some time the plates are simply removed, the table is “cleaned” and only glasses and bottles remain on it. Cleanliness and tidiness.


Our compatriots are used to sitting for a long time at a table full of snacks, talking, pausing for a smoke break, etc. Therefore, many are surprised and even offended when they return “from the porch” and do not find their plates. In the first years of my life in Germany, I very often encountered such a situation and was simply shocked that my half-eaten portion was removed from the table in my absence. The Germans, on the other hand, did not understand how I could eat my cold, weathered dish after 45 minutes.

There is another option for an invitation "for coffee", but I must say that for last years it is becoming obsolete more and more, and according to my observations, this option is mainly followed by the older generation. Everything is very clear in the invitation “for coffee”: you will be given coffee and pies (Kuchen) or cakes.

Gratitude

In Germany, it is really customary to thank for the invitation after some time in the form of an SMS, e-mail or postcard. Moreover, gratitude is expressed by both the hosts and those invited. I consider this a very nice tradition and I am always glad that my guests were satisfied. And, for example, at the end of the celebration children's day every child-guest receives before leaving a small gift as a thank you that he was a guest - no one should be deprived of happiness.

I hope you enjoyed learning about some of the features of German hospitality. I, in turn, would be interested if you shared with us your experience and impressions of visiting Germany.

Yana Wagenknecht, Team Deutsch Online

Wanna learn German? Sign up for a Deutsch Online school! To study, you need a computer, smartphone or tablet with Internet access, and you can study online from anywhere in the world at a convenient time for you.

This question originally appeared on Quora.

What you need to know when going on a business trip for the first time?

The first answer came from Ellen Vrana, a former consultant and writer.

A business trip is a very stressful event that comes with high expectations. To get the most out of it,

use these simple tips.

  • Make packing easier. A week before your trip, in a relaxed state, make a list of things you will need. Glasses, socks, lip balm - everything you can forget in a hurry. Think carefully about each item so that you don't have to worry about it later.

    All these items should always be in the suitcase. I always keep in travel bag a pair of flats, compression stockings, extra chargers for your devices, a makeup bag, and a first aid kit. When I return from a business trip, I replenish my supplies and put them back in my bag.

    Take with you only practical and versatile items - wardrobe items that can be combined with each other (wrinkle-resistant fabric if possible), one pair of comfortable airplane shoes and one pair of work shoes. When I go on a five-day trip, I take two pants, a jacket, a pullover, three blouses, and a few scarves with me.

  • Travel in comfort. Do not check baggage if it can be avoided. Take a suitcase on wheels and a laptop bag with you to put it all in a box under the seat. Charge your phone and other devices before shipping. Try to eat only healthy food - salads, juices, fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of clean water.

    Remember the flight number, book the hotel in advance.

    Do not take places next to colleagues, and especially with superiors. So you will not discuss work issues on the road and you can collect your thoughts, read mail or a book.

  • Make good use of your time. Focus on the main goal and remember that you are not going on vacation. Don't try to see the sights or try local cuisine if it interferes with your performance of your duties. Eat your usual food. If you exercise regularly, keep up the good work. The usual course of things will not allow you to stray from the intended course. Find time to call home.

    Find out what costs your company covers. Going to the cinema? Room cleaning? Drinks from the bar? Taxi? Dry cleaning? If all of these services are paid for and make you feel better, use them. If possible, ask for a business card to avoid unnecessary expenses.

    When visiting a partner or client office, try to make the most of the personal communication and fit into the culture of the host country. Remember - you are a guest and should not violate the accepted rules. If the office does not have a strict dress code, wear casual clothes. If colleagues stay in the office until late at night, don't leave at 5. Feel free to ask questions to get the information you need. This is how strong relationships are built.

  • Summarize. Evaluate the results of the trip immediately after returning, when the memories are still fresh. Think about everything that happened and determine your next steps. Organize pending cases and answer all the messages that came while you were away from work.

The second answer came from Bruce A. McIntre, Business Process Analysis Consultant.

A few additional tips:

  • Be prepared for surprises. Try to plan your trip so that you will be there the day before the meeting, and not in the morning. If your budget allows, take a direct flight. every transplant presents a potential problem.
  • Don't drink too much at business meetings. Otherwise, you will not be able to sleep or will look unsightly in the eyes of colleagues and partners.
  • Never skip breakfast. Breakfast will help you stay in shape throughout the day and not be tempted to eat unhealthy snacks that are usually served at business meetings.
  • If finances allow (or your employer can pay for it), get a card regular customer airlines you use the most. So you can, if necessary, bypass the queue, drink water and coffee or read a newspaper while sitting on a comfortable sofa.
  • Always be polite and courteous to airport personnel. The average girl behind the counter has a lot more power than you think and can make your life easier or harder.
  • If you are traveling in the US, be prepared to tip as they make up most earnings of employees of the airport (with rare exceptions). The standard tip is 20% of the total order. Don't forget to tip: Restaurant waiter, hotel maid, porter (minimum $2 per bag). Always check your bills as some of them already include a service charge.

In other countries, the rules regarding tips are not so clear cut. service personnel usually receive much more than in the US. Give thanks for exceptional service and don't forget to check your bills.

Treat your trip as an adventure, not a test, and remember that there is always something good to be found in every situation.

Quora, Translation: Airapetova Olga

Have you ever thought about hitchhiking? Personally, yes, but every time I was stopped by some "good" reason, because of which this venture had to be postponed indefinitely. A few days ago, this idea came to my mind again, and I decided to bring it closer to reality by asking an experienced hitchhiker about everything.

What are the benefits of hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is an adventure, not free view transport. Its main advantage, as well as a disadvantage, is complete unpredictability. You can travel half the world for free, visit dozens of amazing people, see the country for real, without tourist embellishments. Or just stand in the rain for several hours and, without catching anything, go look for a bus.


Hitchhiking on a traveling circus

What you need to take with you

The main tool of a hitchhiker is cardboard and a marker. It is on it that it is convenient to attach sheets of paper with the name of the city.

Special requirements for route planning

When hitchhiking, you should not expect to get from Rome to Berlin in one car. I advise you to plan your route so that there are no more than 200-300 km between the cities you want to visit.

How to calculate your time and plan your overnight stay

Sleep at night, not hitchhike. That is why it is worth calculating your route so that by the evening you are in the city anyway. To do this, you must first find alternative modes of transport (buses, trains) and rewrite their schedule. Or bring your own tent and sleeping bag.

Where is the best place to catch a car

Banal advice: choose a place from the point of view of the driver. Think about where he can see you well and stop comfortably. In the city, you will be mistaken for a voter, so you need to go beyond its border and hitchhike on the highway that leads to the next destination. By the way, in many European countries it is forbidden to catch cars on autobahns, so you can choose smaller roads.

How to behave in a car

Don't forget that the driver picked you up not so much out of compassion, but out of a desire to socialize. You will probably have something to tell, so it's good to have a couple of stories ready.

What to avoid

The best hitchhiking experiences

No hitchhiking trip is complete without soul-searching. In Georgia, we got to harvest wine in one Kakhetian family, although we were not on the road. There we were taught how to make wine and churchkhela. And in another Kakhetian family, they accepted us as relatives and did not let us out for 3 days until we saw all the sights and tried all the local dishes. In addition, we were given a couple of bottles of 13-year-old Saperavi as a load and were not allowed to pay a penny anywhere.

Türkiye is remembered for hitchhiking in the back of a tractor, on folded fire extinguishers...

... on a sofa tied to the trunk, and the policemen who helped us catch the car.

If you, like me, have been dreaming of hitchhiking all your life - don't be afraid, do it. Choose a friendly and understandable country and don't wait for a company, go yourself. Keep your heart open and no one will offend you along the way.

By the way, among the non-payers who were blacklisted by bailiffs, there are quite a few of those who took out a loan to buy a trip abroad, but could not return the money on time. Such problems could have been avoided if you listened to the advice of experienced travelers.

They argue that to see the world, you don’t need funds for expensive tickets and hotels. Hitchhikers contrive with the minimum amount travel the world in your pocket. The main thing is not to violate the "iron rules of the seasoned hitchhiker". This is the only way to safely travel on the roads of Russia and foreign countries.

Reporting by Maria Torlopova.

The best remedy for depression is travel, Muscovite Maria Oleneva is sure. Hotels and excursion tours for her - expensive and boring. Therefore, as soon as she manages to take time off from work, a fragile girl puts a backpack on her shoulders, takes a camera and sets off to conquer distant countries. The only way to get around is economical hitchhiking.

Maria Oleneva, hitchhiker: "What is now called tourism has nothing to do with tourism. Tourism is always going beyond some limits. Adventures! When events lead you, and not you events" /

The main thing for a hitchhiker is to make friends with the driver. From him you can learn about the culture and customs of the country and hear incredible stories. Only in this way, and not from the window of a sightseeing bus, you can truly get to know the world.

Spaniards Albert Sandiez and Agnes Farres really wanted to see Russia, but they were afraid to catch a car on the track. They confessed: hitchhiking is for brave travelers. But everyone can save on a hotel. There are dozens of sites for "hospitable tourists" on the Internet. People get to know each other, correspond, and then come to visit each other.

Albert Sandiez, a tourist from Spain: “Of course, a trip to Russia costs more than a hundred euros, but we are free travelers, we can save money. Now we live for free with Masha, we eat semolina. Then we will go not by plane, but by train to Vladivostok "We want to see your whole country. I'm sure we poor Spanish students can do it."

All kinds of student exchange programs are another budget way to see the world. It is enough to pass a small language test - and you are going to study in another country for several months. Sophie, Eloise and Jules learn the subtleties Russian education at the Higher School of Economics. And in their free time from lectures, they admire the ancient Russian cities and get used to the harsh climate.

A ticket to the land of dreams - the United States of America - can afford even a very poor Russian citizen. The main thing is that he was hardworking. In addition to educational programs, you can go "overseas" to work. Anastasia Dorokhina whole year taught American children to swim, returned with suitcases full of photographs and gifts.

Anastasia Dorokhina, student: "The costs that students bear, they all pay off, so there are no difficulties."

Oleg Kostenko, together with Masha Oleneva, traveled all over South America, and without it also Africa. The satisfied traveler recalls how on the black continent they were called white misters and were eagerly brought up.

Oleg Kostenko, traveler: "There are gorillas in Africa, evil crocodiles ... and we don't know anything else about it. But it turned out that wonderful people live there, simple and kind - like everywhere else."

Experienced travelers are sure: their way of life is a philosophy, hobby and passion at the same time. Money, as it turned out, is far from the main thing. The main thing is the desire to conquer new countries and cities.

Presenter: Judging by opinion polls, the number of hitchhikers is increasing every year. Both in our country and around the world. Moreover, if earlier it was mainly students and young hippies who traveled around the open spaces, now people of respectable age are joining them. And it's not at all that this way of traveling is one of the cheapest. Hitchhikers say they are driven by a thirst for romance. About how to see the world and not please on the way to an unpleasant story, we will talk with a journalist and experienced traveler Valery Shanin. Tell me, is there some kind of sign that will definitely make it clear to the driver that you are asking for a free ride to some place.

Guest: Well, there is such an international sign of hitchhiking - a hand with an outstretched thumb. This means that a person is hitchhiking, and not trying to get to work, or to his home.

Presenter: And how to determine whether you can go with this driver or not. What are the main identification marks.

Guest: First of all, look, of course, if you are not drunk, because, indeed, sometimes there are people who are very tipsy. It is very suspicious when the driver undertakes to drive anywhere, in any direction at your request. Because hitchhiking is still on the way. The driver is going somewhere, and you drive part of the way with him.

Presenter: Is it possible to hitchhike alone?

Guest: A loner, firstly, moves faster, less time passes on the road due to the fact that in many cars there is only one place. Then you communicate closer with the driver somehow. It is easier to invite one person to your home, spend the night. Although, in the company, of course, more fun.

Host: What Required documents to take with you if you are going to cross the border of Russia and travel around Europe.

Guest: The essence of hitchhiking is that from the very beginning you don't know where you will get to. And in general, you don’t have clear clear plans. Therefore, only one visa is needed to start, if this one immediately visa country, overseas starts. And then you just look where you want - to the left or to the right. Depending on your interests and desires, you can apply for the next visa. Or you go to the third, some visa-free country. Therefore, hitchhikers are not so preoccupied with planning a route, scheduling all visas in advance.

Presenter: But still, any hitchhiker is always concerned about the issue of accommodation for the night. Here is some advice on how best to find shelter for the night.

Guest: Be open, friendly and tell everyone that you are such a traveler, that you are going. And, most importantly, to explain that you only need to spend the night for one night. And almost any, so to speak, person is ready to invite some distant guest to spend the night for one night.

Guest: Yes, of course. I myself very often found myself in places where people do not know English language. In principle, you can communicate in any language using sign language, with the help of some drawings. And, in general, hitchhiking is The best way learn spoken language.

Presenter: Well, in general, where hitchhikers are better accepted in Europe or here, in Russia, is also already quite popular and safe.

Guest: Well, in principle, here in Russia it is also quite popular and safe. Well, it is best accepted, of course, in Asia. Because there, in addition to being a hitchhiker, you are also such an exotic white man.

Presenter: And where would you advise hitchhiking?

Guest: Well, I would not advise you to go to those places where local conflicts are going on right now. Well, for example, in Burma began Civil War. Of course, there people are simply not up to you. They have their own problems. Therefore, there is no need to burden yourself with your own problems.

Presenter: And what things you need to take with you on the road if you are going to cross Europe, Russia by hitchhiking.

Guest: The first thing to take is a backpack. A person with a backpack, even if there is nothing special, he is perceived as a real traveler. And more favor causes in people. The next thing is, of course, a sleeping bag, because even if people are responsive and invite you to spend the night, not everyone has a separate bed. Be sure to take washing supplies with you to maintain a decent appearance, because a hitchhiker is not a bum. Some kind of jacket is good in case of rain or cold. And the most important principle is not to take anything superfluous.