hitch-hiking

Someone recently asked- How will you get back to town? Oh, I said- We'll wait out by the road and go with the first thing that takes us. Aren't you afraid? No. Oh, there are the few odd tales of things gone awry when you hitch a ride here- but they mostly sound stretched and come to you after having passed through the wonderful mill of about 10 previous tellers. You know- pretty hard to prove. I can honestly say that I'm not afraid to do it here- it's a main form of transportation in some parts of the country. And- when we hitch a ride, we do it from a bus stop where people who want a little help paying for gas will stop and pick up someone wanting to get there sooner rather than later. So... onward. Last Fri am, we left Milya's and headed for the bus stop... and just missed a bus. The back side of the bus pedaling on down the road is not just the happiest sight. Esp when you know the next scheduled bus isn't for an hour. Sighhhhhhhhh

This is a busy road... right through the middle of the village. So when you've missed the bus, there's plenty to do... like hold your breath for the little old ladies and their canes as they dodge traffic... and the geese and dogs. Amazing how many little old ladies, geese and dogs have pressing urgent matters that take them across the road. Go Babushka, Go!

Oh yeah- don't forget to watch for useful traffic... the kind headed the right direction. 

Ok- now this isn't what we call useful traffic... big trucks generally are not what 2 women just aiming to get back to town are looking for. Although- Phyllis and I caught a ride with one- a bread truck returning from a delivery- back to Kyiv 2 years ago. Driver was nearly mute. Said Thank You as we handed over the equivalent of bus fare and got out at the metro stop on the edge of the city... and that's all he said the whole way. 30 min of total silence. 

That car there in the distance was promising... until it turned in at the gas station.

Fine- we didn't like the looks of you, either. Just fly on by... no big deal.

S doing her best to look harmless and needy...lots of traffic but no one stopped... for a long LONG time...

this guy didn't stop... 

and this one didn't, either...

and then... this guy sauntered over. Where you ladies needing to go? Big smile- I was here on business and need to go back now and thought maybe there'd be someone here to go back, too. I'll take you if you want to go. Of course we do... 

here's the car. In we got. Off we went. He drove like it was a tractor- you know, constantly turning the wheel- didn't make for the smoothest ride. But he was nice. Courteous. Even took us past the usual drop off point and nearly to our street. And after an hour in the hot sun waiting, we were mighty glad he and his purple car came along! Thanks, Mister!