Hitch-hiking stories

After the motorbikes chronicles in May here ate some stories about my new way to move. This is not typically Kiwi but here it is quite safe to do it and since buses are ridiculously expensive I decided to try it and I've never stopped since then.

I have just finished my trip in the Southern Island of NZ and it involved about 2,000 kms hitch-hiking.
A few anecdotes about it:
My first time it took me 87 cars and one hour to get a pick-up. I had given myself 2h before giving up. I was picked up by three French guys who did a detour in order to drop me at my destination!!!
My second time was better (10 mns and 9 cars) and my last was the best: first car!!!

But it did not always go easy and I had two times when it was hard work.
The most difficult was my trip between Christchurch and Lake Tekapo. It took me 8h for something that takes usually 3h30!! After more than 3h I was only 20kms out of Christchurch (and most of it thanks to a lady who saw me waiting for more than 45 mns next to where she worked and spontaneously offered to get me to the edge of town), walking alongside a dusty road where nobody dared to have pity of me. At that point I was in doubt to go on when I saw a minivan stopping and two friends met a week before came out. They passed me a first time and when they recognised me they turned around to pick me up. Thanks so much Theo and Olga. A few hours later I was in Lake Tekapo. In total I needed 5 pick-ups to get there.

I also met many nice people, as many Kiwis as tourists. For instance I met a hunter who almost proposed me to work as an agent for him with French hunters; I met New Zealanders who let me stay in their cars when they were stopping (the trust Kiwis have in others is so incredible for us Europeans); I met tourists that told me they would never pick-up anyone at home but here they do it because it is quite common. Thanks to all of you for all these experiences.

I have convinced three people here that they could do it. For those interested try there are two major tricks: be at the right place (not easy in big cities) and always smile whatever happens. In fact there are many friendly people who make signs even if they do not pick you up but there are also the ones who look straight as if they had not seen you or the ones who drive off you as if I would try to jump on their cars.

I might try one day in France but I am quite sure I'll never get picked up ;-)