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Hitchhiking is out, twitchhiking is in
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Paul Smith is prepping to Twitter his way around the world. (Photo: Paul Smith)
Paul Smith is taking budget travel to the extreme. In an experiment next month, he’s going to rely completely on social-networking tool Twitter to travel as far around the world as he can in 30 days. The Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.-native’s goal is to make it to the antipode of his house -- tiny Campbell Island off New Zealand. Smith has simple rules for his quest. First, he can accept offers of travel or accommodation only from Twitterers who are following his site, @twitchhiker. He can’t spend money on anything that’s not food, drink or something he can carry -- that is, no island-hopper plane ticket purchases for Paul. He’s got to live on the fly: No planning more than three days in advance. And finally, if fellow Twitterers leave him in a lurch and he gets stuck in a place more than 48 hours, the game is up and he heads home.
More than just a stunt, Smith is using the trip as a way to raise money for charity: water, which brings clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. He’s aiming to raise 3,000 pounds ($4,380) through sponsorships and donations. In the midst of preparing for his trip, which embarks March 1, he took a few minutes to answer some questions about the project and budget traveling in general. Read all about it, then head over to @twitchhiker to follow Paul on his journeys.
Examiner: What sparked this idea?
Paul Smith: I'd like to say it was some grand scheme to benefit mankind, but disappointingly it was born out of a frustrating trip to the supermarket, one that had me yearning to be anywhere but the fish counter. Charity: water will hopefully benefit from the sponsorship money I raise, though.
Paul Smith: I'd like to say it was some grand scheme to benefit mankind, but disappointingly it was born out of a frustrating trip to the supermarket, one that had me yearning to be anywhere but the fish counter. Charity: water will hopefully benefit from the sponsorship money I raise, though.
Examiner: How does it feel to be embarking on a journey where you'll rely completely on total strangers?
PS: I'm far less nervous than I was last Monday when I sent my first tweet and started this experiment. People keep asking me whether I'm worried about coming to harm; ultimately 3,000 people will always know where I am and where I'm going next. I can read through people's tweets, look at their followers, see who they're following to get an idea about what sort of person they are. I should have an idea of who I'm in the company of, and so should everyone else.
Examiner: Have you relied on the kindness of strangers in your travels before (i.e. couch surfing, hitchhiking, etc.)?
PS: Never! I've stayed in plenty of hostels while traveling but never tried couch surfing or hitchhiking. My traveling has been pretty commercialized to date.
Examiner: Other than Campbell Island in New Zealand, where else do you hope to end up on this trip?
PS: I really have no specific places I'd like to visit, although I'd always like to see more of the US than I already have. I'm a freelance writer so I need to keep working while on this trip; I'm not sure how much of the world I'm going to see, but obviously it'd be rude not to look up and see what's out there now and then.
Examiner: I see you'll be using Google Latitude in addition to Twitter. How do you think these new technological tools are going to make you more successful?
PS: I'm not sure they'll make the trip more successful; it's more about making sure everyone feels involved. This is an experiment to explore how people in the world can be connected to one another, so it's as much about everyone following me as it is about me.
Examiner: This is budget traveling to the extreme. What advice do you have for fellow budget travelers?
PS: Having spent plenty of time in hostels, I'd say that some people should think about why they're traveling; so many seem to have a checklist of sights and landmarks they'll rush around looking at, before hitting their bed by 10 so they can be up early to do it all again. Travel for me is about soaking up the locale; a heady night in a tavern or a lazy day in a park is equally as relevant as hours spent sightseeing. Some people seem to frown on a more laid-back approach as a precious waste of time, and I've never quite understood why.
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