Courtney Allan initially planned to visit the UK for three weeks in late 2023, but after finding public transport too expensive, she decided to hitchhike, catching her first ride near Bath.
She continued hitchhiking across Europe to Morocco and then to Cape Town in South Africa, spending less than $20 USD on travel across the entire African continent.
This epic journey lasted approximately one year, from December 2023 to December 2024, encompassing over 400 trips across 16 countries, spanning more than 12,000 km across diverse terrains.
Courtney Allan claims to have traveled from Guangzhou, China to the Russian-Mongolian border without spending a penny.
PHOTO: NV
She said she was preparing to return to South Africa, this time starting from China and currently in central Russia, having traveled over 8,000 km without spending any money thanks to hitchhiking.
Nearly 50 days into her trip this year, she says Mongolia is "a top contender for the title of most beautiful country I've ever been to" and "hasn't felt any danger at all."
"I feel incredibly lucky. Hitchhiking hasn't been normal for a long time, it didn't even seem like an option. However, it's becoming more common and it's a great way to see the world for free," Courtney Allan shared.
Initially, Courtney planned to visit the UK for only three weeks in 2023, with return flights from her hometown of Toronto in Canada to London. However, finding transportation in the UK quite expensive, she decided to hitchhike from Bath and has never regretted it.
"My first hitchhiking experience was with a Welsh woman," Courtney added. "She was very friendly and tried to find a way to give me money. That happens a lot in the UK."
Courtney's top piece of advice for women hitchhiking is to trust your instincts. You can assess the situation in the first three seconds.
PHOTO: NV
Courtney then hitchhiked into Wales, via Cardiff and up to Snowdonia. Because she enjoyed the experience of hitchhiking in the UK, she decided to continue, through Ireland and continental Europe to Africa.
Not stopping there, she continued hitchhiking the length of Africa from Morocco to Cape Town, a distance of over 12,000 km.
"When you hitchhike, you're with people who live in that country. You get a unique travel experience. It's a great way to meet locals and discover the most interesting things to do in a place that's not your home. These are things you won't find in guidebooks," Courtney Allan enthusiastically shared.
She said she traveled south through 16 countries until she arrived in Cape Town about a year later in December 2024. During that time, she spent less than $20 on transportation, with more than half of that going towards the single ferry ride across the Congo River.
Despite having taken around 400 rides, she said she only felt physically unsafe once – and that was when she was in a taxi, not when hitchhiking.
"People always ask what the worst thing that happened was, or if I was injured, but nothing bad happened," she said, adding that the budget would increase by thousands of dollars if she paid for transportation.
Nearly 50 days after her trip this year, Courtney, pictured in China, says Mongolia is a top contender for the title of most beautiful country she has visited.
PHOTO: NV
Courtney is keen to encourage other women to enjoy the benefits of travel. Women often fear going out into the world because of the risks. But risks are everywhere, every day, no matter what you do. You can't let them win. "For me, the benefits of being able to explore the world outweigh those risks," she concludes.
The highlight of Courtney's trip to Africa was a 200km train ride in Mauritania into the Sahara Desert under a starry sky. Meanwhile, her favorite ride was with a woman in Guinea on a journey of nearly an hour. Although she loved her experience in Africa, Courtney's favorite place to hitchhike is Ireland.
Courtney returned home to Canada in December 2024 but then resumed her journey, this time hitchhiking from China to South Africa, starting in May 2025.
Her top piece of advice for hitchhiking as a woman: Trust your instincts. You can assess the situation in the first three seconds.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/voi-chieu-nay-co-gai-du-lich-khap-the-gioi-khong-ton-mot-xu-tien-xe-185250702145100949.htm
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