[TMWNN]

>(One of my favorite anecdotes on this subject: One of the best entrepreneurs I know went down to Mexico and hitchhiked all over when she was 18 years old. And every family that picked her up told her that what she was doing was very dangerous and that she was very lucky to be picked up by that family, instead of someone more dangerous. But at the time she was very innocent. 20 years later I ran into her and I was like "You know what you did was crazy?" and she was like "Now that I think about it, I'm amazed that I survived.")

Another example: From the use of "BRIC"/"BRICS" one might think that those nations would be similar in some way.

I have heard of at least two young Western women who in recent years hitchhiked across China, documenting their experience along the way. One could never, ever imagine doing that in the other BRICS countries (with prewar Russia being the safest of the four, but still pretty risky).

Nations matter. Cultures matter.

[runnerup]

Likewise my 2nd generation German-American aunt hitchhiked by herself from Morocco to Cairo (and spent time in many, many places in-between) in the 1970's for about 6 months and had no issues at the time.

Places certainly do change.

[hutzlibu]

Well, hitchhiking in Morocco certainly still works, and a few years ago, before the war in Lybia started, I would say you could have reached Egypt without major problems. But yes, right now I would not recommend it.