New to backpacking...need some help

I had a friend, a hitchhiking buff, who hitched a lift across the atlantic! He bummed around the meeting points for private yachts looking to go in a great big pack across pond, and eventually found a nice couple who let him stay in an extra room in their boat. (he went form the UK to the US I believe). Anyway, might be a cheap alternative to the flight (by far the most expensive thing in your US-Thailand trip I reckon). That being said, its not something set in stone, and can take ages to find a lift (I know a simple thumbs up by the highway can take hours of waiting - in Europe or Asia at least, never hitched in the US, too many guns, and friends with cars). Do so at your own risk though, I wouldn't want to set out for days, or weeks, on end through international waters with anyone remotely dodgy. Good luck (if you haven't left already, I realize you posted some time ago)

 

digihitch.com
roaddogs.org
ummmm
************
workaway.info
maybe
hobohub.com<i dont think that one exists but you can give it a try
hope this helps road cat,
namaste

 

I dont like negativity, but I am with my fellow Canadians, I get very upset when Americans wear Canadian flags abroad because they are told locals will be friendlier/you wont get robbed/wont get ripped off/etc.

It has nothing to do with how patriotic you are, it has to do with falsely representing yourself. Americans ruined their image with the rest of the world, so instead of working towards fixing it, and being personally better people to change the minds of overseas neighbors, you would take the easy way out and steal another countries flag? Feels like the same easy way out, egotistical mentality that Americans are stereotyped about. I am not saying its true, but you personally strengthen your own negative stereotypes.

In regards to backpacking, I would say to simply be knowledgeable of where you intend to be, to always have a back up plan for the worst case scenario, and wear comfortable shoes.

 

But I don't think anyone has ever seen it happen. I think it came up in an episode of the Simpson's and a few nationalists use it as a cultural wedge.

A person isn't defined by their nationality. Anyone who believes otherwise is quite literally a nationalist.

 

Ive known people who have, and have had plenty of Americans tell me they have done it. It has nothing to do with nationalism, as I said, it does not matter if you are patriotic or not, that is not the point. The point is instead of proving people wrong about Americans (who usually have bad foreign cred), Americans simply say they are something else. I in no way meant to classify Americans in a negative light, because I would be naive to believe all Americans did this. I just think Americans should work towards changing the way they are viewed in a more honorable way then identity theft, at least in this kind of situation.

 

I don't think many Americans at all do this, I haven't seen it backpacking through Vietnam, And the average person shouldn't be held responsible for the actions of their government. The idea that you think of it as identity theft is nationalism.

Do you tell Chinese tourists you meet that they should be working to change their image?