The Morocco and Prague Hitch
Logistics of the Hitch
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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 need 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 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.
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 ferry 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 than 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.
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