Hi, was hoping someone could help!
I’m being sponsored to take part in a charity event next week. It’s called a ‘Jailbreak’ - my team-mate and I have 36 hours to get as far away from Belfast as we can without spending a penny on transport.
I’ve tried all of the airlines, ferries and haulage companies, and they’ve all said no.
I was wondering if I have any chance of hitching my way across Europe, with the help of truckers etc??
Or does anyone know of a haulage company or driver that could help??
Please get in touch if you’ve any questions, I’ve probably not explained myself very well here!
Thanks,
Claire
It’s theoretically possible, I have given a lift to two students in my younger days doing the same thing, I took them from Dover to Germany (and they were sure they were going to win), although cross-Channel security is so much tighter now that I wouldn’t attempt to catch a Dover ferry with people in the cab who I’d only just met.
You would have more luck trying to get a lift in a car- although the driver would probably also subject him/herself to the same extra scrutiny, he would be unlikely to be aware of the likelihood of this happening when he picked you up- if you can get to Dover then I suggest standing at the dock entrance with a sign reading “Charity hitch, want to get to Calais” and see how your luck goes.
Anyway, good luck and have fun!
Thanks! I think I’ll try phoning some more haulage companies, someone’s bound to be able to help.
Failing that, I’ll make a sign and try hitch-hiking, though I could end up going nowhere…
It’ll be an adventure anyway!!
most euro drivers would probably ship out sat or sun from belfast or larne,what day are you able to leave ?
Oh dear, this Jailbreak’s taking place on Thursday, plus it starts at lunchtime, which I’m guessing won’t suit very many drivers… Thanks for the info though!
get to the ferry terminal as quickly as you can and chat with some of the drivers, might be leaving thurs to tip somewhere in europe by monday
i was on the pompey/cean boat 2 weeks ago and there was 2 students trying to get down to somewhere in france,as i was going a different route so unfortunately i couldn’t help them.
I agreed to take 2 students about a year ago down to dijon when i was crossing via calais but when i got off the boat they were gone!! 
best of luck with it 
just past 3 youngsters on the coast road between torremolinos and home and they were wearing t-shirts with morocco charity hitch and some details on, might be a good idea for you, easily recognised as safer to pick up 
I hope Claire comes back & tells us how she got on.
Hi everyone, thanks for all of the messages of help and support!!!
Still working on our plan for getting outta the country (though we’d need to hurry up, as we leave on Thursday… )
Have bought ourselves a big erasable whiteboard, to use for our hitch-hiking sign, so fingers crossed someone takes pity on us and picks us up…
Heard from another team - they had contacts at an airport, knew the manager, and have managed to get flights to Malaga - so our plan is to just head east, and keep going as far east as we can get to try and beat their distance. Was also speaking to a friend who will be in Germany all of next week, so hopefully if we make it that far, she’ll give us a lift onwards!!
I’ll be sure to keep you all updated on my adventures, and maybe if some of you or your friends see the pair of us in bright orange jumpsuits on the side of the road trying to get a lift, you’ll stop for us!!
Thanks again for your help!!
Claire