A Hitchhikers Guide to Mozambique

Although the majority of Americans, including myself, would basically never even think of stopping to pick someone up on the side of the road in the states, over here it has become our most used form of transport. Why?

For one, it is safer. That sounds strange, as hitchhiking is usually associated with weird serial killers that get in someones car and then kill them at a rest area on the side of the highway in Wyoming or something.

In Mozambique, however, hitching seams to be the safest mode of transport for those sans a personal vehicle for one main reason: seatbelts. An accident in a chapa would quite possibly leave me with one leg and a heck of a head injury, perhaps burning wherever I landed on the side of the road after being thrown from the mini-bus.

Also, hitching is faster. Just think of the difference in taking the bus to work or driving yourself. The same is true here. It seems like Chapas stop at every single coconut tree.

And finally, hitching is more comfortable. Instead of a chicken between your legs, smelly fish under your seat, and a baby on your lap in an sweaty, crammed, dusty chapa, boleias are often air conditioned with leg room. That being said, many a free ride is offered in the back of a truck. Every traveler has to decide their car standards/level of desperation for themselves.

So while hitching can be an optimal mode of transport round these parts, there are a few tidbits I have learned that make the experience just that much more simple/pleasant.

Things to remember when hitching in the Moz:

boleia mean lift or free ride in Portuguese

If the person wants you to pay, in my experience, they will tell you before you get in.

Boleias are usually free, but truck drivers often make you pay

If the ride isn't free, it at least costs less then a chapa

patience is the key. A ride is almost ALWAYS faster then public transport... and safer, and more comfortable.

If the ride isn't faster, it is probably because the driver stops and buys you lunch or takes you to his house and feeds you his mothers grilled pork dinner (well worth arriving in Maputo 3 hours late)

Perhaps men pay for rides more often then women. However, I permit no whining, because if fending off unwanted sexual advances was a currency we would be paying millions.

I try to scope out the level of creepiness of the driver in order to avoid rides with uber creepers. However, they seem to be few and far between... maybe they just don't own cars.

I personally don't ride alone with truckers. I mean they have a bed in the cabin of their vehicle, that just seems like it could easily go wrong.

Rule Number 37: Play like a champion