In the back of my mind I thought I would be able to walk the entire 9km. It wasn't too bad. I had walked all over cities before and running 2km on track takes me only 12 minutes. So without hesitation I started my trek to the beach. Passing by the car rental place, restaurants, and other hotels, I slowly started to realize what I had gotten myself into. Some parts of the trek ran through open roads where the wind would blow sand furiously across the path that you could barely open your eyes in it.

I must have walked for about 30 or 40min. thinking I would almost be there. In reality I was nowhere near my destination. I looked back often, hoping to see a bus coming down the road to save me from my attempt at heroism. I didn't see one. My mind was churning up now trying to produce other bright ideas. The only thing that came to mind was to hitchhike my way to the beach. I had never hitchhiked before in my life and I never thought to that day that I would ever have to. I felt that hitchhiking was somewhat frowned upon and only pitiful travellers who couldn't care less about what other's thought about them would do. I thought I would be stooping low if I did it.

But why did I think that? It's a common form of transportation for many people regardless of what kind of traveller they may be. How harmless could one Asian male look like? I was dressed in my bathing suite so it was quite obvious where I wanted to go. So pushing all my initial thoughts aside, I decided to go for it. I told myself the next car I see, I will put up my thumb with confidence and pride. As the next car passed by me without slowing down for even a second, I told myself “ok, the next car that comes I will really put up my thumb!” I don't really remember how many cars passed by me before I built up the courage to stick my sorry thumb up in the air but the first time I did it felt pretty good. The car didn't stop to pick me up, but it felt good that I was turning a new page in my life. The next car that came, I put up my thumb and he stopped. “Where are you heading?” he asked me. “Vai beach,” I responded, surprised that he spoke English very well. He said he's not heading there but he could drive me about 500m ahead before he had to turn another direction.

So now I was 500m closer to Vai beach, but still a far distance to walk. We chatted briefly in the car and the local was very friendly. He said had he not have to work at a restaurant, he would have driven me straight to the beach. I felt like I didn't stoop as low as I thought I would have had to to hitchhike. Getting off on the side of the road, I started walking and looking back frequently hoping for more cars to come.

More cars and trucks came and the more my thumb went up. I saw families driving by, single men driving by, and couples driving by. It was fun watching the people drive by me as if I wasn't standing on the side of the road. I kept walking thinking at this rate, I may end up walking to the beach. I looked back and saw a big truck roaring up the road. I was hesitant on putting my thumb up for this one but I kept looking back to see what kind of person the driver looked like. As the truck approached me and as I stared intently at the driver, the truck slowed down without me having to stick my thumb up. The guy in the passenger side asked me where I was heading to. I said, “Vai beach” with more confidence. He told me to get in the truck and they'll take me there.

I was thankful beyond belief as I was tired of walking at that point. It was great. There were three people in the truck dressed in uniforms. As we chatted on the truck, I learned that these people were part of the Greek Marine and that they had went into town to go grocery shopping. I looked back at the truck and found white plastic bags filled and overflowing with cans and other goods. One of the marines lived on Crete while the other two lived in Athens . The marines were stationed near Vai beach, or at least the beach was on the way to their station.

Talking to the driver – who spoke the best English of the three – he told me that they would be participating in that evening's event which was to be held at Zeus' sanctuary. It was going to be a big festival with re-enactment of Zeus in Greek mythological scenes. I was well aware of this event as my hostess told me earlier in the day that everybody who is anybody will be going to this event. It was publicized on TV and photographers were to be there from all over.

I stared out the window of the truck for a while thinking that I was crazy to even think I could walk the entire distance from Palekastro to the beach; this was far! The truck rolled into a parking lot where the driver finally stopped the truck and told me this was the beach. I looked around to find palm trees lined up along the side of the parking lot. I was happy. I thanked all three of them and told them I would be at the event that night. I stepped out of the truck and waved goodbye as I had lived my first experience of hitchhiking.

Later that evening at the festival the driver of the truck managed to find me in the crowd and asked if I had recognized him on stage. I hadn't. But after pointing himself out, I told him he did a great job that evening and thanked him again for making my day.