The Morocco and Prague Hitch Logistics of the Hitch Sign Up For those interested in participating in the 2008 Hitch please check back in September. Remember, if you register before the end of 2007 you’ll receive a 20% discount on your registration fee. And for those of you who have already completed the Hitch to Morocco or Prague, but are up for another challenge check back as LCD is currently considering creating a new event. Hitch Group You must travel in groups of 2 or 3 (2 is much easier!); to hitch alone is unsafe. Link Community Development stipulates that there must be at least one male in every group, again for safety reasons. So...if you are a couple of girls wishing to hitch, you n> | eed to find a token bloke from somewhere (be resourceful). Don't panic if you are not fixed up with anyone - your Hitch rep will be able to point you in the direction of a partner. This has worked extremely successfully in the past! A piece of advice: in previous years, all male groups / groups of 3 have found it harder to get lifts, thus the Hitch has taken them slightly longer. The ideal combination is a boy-girl pair, but don't worry if this isn't what you've arranged - just smile and you'll be fine! Journey Time
The average journey time for the Morocco Hitch is 5 days - surprisingly short for such a long distance! And Prague should take a little less time due to the shorter distance. For both Hitches it will depend on how many separate lifts you need - and whether you are a group of 3. Remember that this is an average - it can take 46 hours and it can u n>take 8 or 9 days if you are particularly laid back.
Safety
Health and safety on the hitch are paramount, and Link takes the policy very seriously. This is a fun event, but we ensure certain procedures have been followed to safeguard against certain risks:
- Every hitcher must have an adequate 'Nominated Contact' who will be contactable in the UK for the duration of the hitch (If you are under 21 years old, they must be a parent or guardian). They must be fully aware of the procedures and agree to act as an 'emergency contact'.
- All hitchers must have adequate travel insurance - either arranged by LCD or their own.
- Each hitch group is required to telephone the 'Hitch Hotline' every 48 hours and their emergency contacts every other day. /li>
There have not been any serious incidents since the hitch began in 1992 - we insist all hitchers abide by our rules.
Cost to You
Well, as you all know, there is an initial £25 registration fee (£20 if you register online by Chrismas). This is to help towards the overheads of organising an event on this scale. For your registration fee you will receive a Hitch t-shirt, your Hitch Pack, and support from the moment you register...all the way to your destination (eg. advice on routes, Health & Safety procedures... ).
Obviously hitching costs you nothing, so the only subsequent expense is your own food, accommodation, travel during your trip and your return flight. This will vary depending on your budget (e.g. whether you camp, sleep in the back of lorries or stay in hotels) and how long you decide to spend in Morocco. Your fer ry tickets will also need to be paid for by yourself, although it is sometimes possible to hitch on with a vehicle for free. The average amount spent last year was £355 but some people spent a lot less, it all depends on how thrifty you want to be.
In addition, as mentioned, for every £500 raised hitchers can claim back £75 towards their own costs. So, if you really go for the fund-raising you can actually cover the bulk of your holiday.
Cash Pledged as Sponsorship
Hitchers' sponsors are asked to make cheques payable to 'Link Community Development'. Prior to departure, all hitchers must send in any collected sponsorship, plus their credit card details and a signed pledge of sponsorship form, authorising Link to debit any unpaid sponsorship on 1st June. These must reach LCD no later th fer an 10 working days prior to departure, and the latter will be cashed on the 1st June in the year of the Hitch. There are two main reasons for this:
- The aim of the hitch is to raise funds for LCD's work in education in Africa. The cheque is a safeguard against hitchers treating the event as a free holiday and not raising money.
- It is unethical for individual hitchers to be the only ones who know how much they have been promised in sponsorship. The cheque is a safeguard against hitchers pocketing sponsorship money which was given in the belief that it would go to charity.
If you do not complete the hitch for any reason and any sponsors therefore refuse to pay, we shall not cash the cheque to that amount given.
Visas and Vaccinations
If you have a full British passport, you don't need a visa. If not, please contact your embassy to find out. Check with your doctor for up-to-date recommendations about vaccination requirements - advice varies.
Summary
Well, that's the bare essentials. If you are a registered hitcher then contact your Hitch Rep with any questions. Alternatively if you want to know more about the hitch that isn't dealt with here then please contact Link.
