A 21 year old, chronicles his hitchhiking adventure

Feb 16, 2025 Features / Columnists, News, Waterfalls Magazine

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From Germany to G/T without a plane ride…

By: Christal Yong

Kaieteur News- By age 21, most people are still trying to figure out what they want to do with their life, what school or career path they want to take. However, for Pilgrim Tilo, a young German, who made it from Germany to Georgetown (G/T) Guyana without a plane ride, the question was not, what he wanted to do, but how he could do it differently.

Tilo always dreamed of travelling to different countries and seeing the world but to make the experience uniquely his own, he decided that he would do it by hitchhiking.

“I finished high school … and I wanted to see the world basically, I wanted to see more of the world,” he noted.

As such about a year and a half ago, an eager Tilo set out with no money, no plane tickets, and no fixed plans, deciding to hitchhike across the world with nothing but a backpack and an unyielding desire to experience life on his own terms,

He has since proved many wrong by the successful continuation of his journey.

Speaking with The Waterfalls, Tilo said the results of his hitchhiking voyage are boundless.

In addition to seeing the world, the young voyager was able to develop perseverance, build human connections, and overall take a journey of self-discovery while he trekked across mountains, oceans, cities and continents.

The young man said he was determined to experience the world beyond what most people see from the comfort of tourist spots. So, he packed a tent, a sleeping mat, and a few essentials into a backpack and began his journey with no idea of where it would lead.

He said, “You know if you plan too much, you will never start, I got everything I thought I needed and just go.”

EARLY STRUGGLES

As one can already know, Tilo’s journey did not start with luxury of a funded trip or a comfortable plane; it began in the small, intimate village, where he grew up in Germany.

From there he hitchhiked to Berlin, where he worked for six months to raise enough money to continue his travels. He worked on a farm for a place to stay, in a nightclub to earn some cash, and in a factory to make ends meet.

“That’s how I got my money and after that I am just saving,” he explained.

From there, Tilo continued hitchhiking across Europe, always avoiding planes and embracing the challenge of relying solely on the kindness of others. He would often find himself stuck at gas stations, hitching rides to the next unknown destination. The unpredictability of his journey made it both exciting and daunting.

Tilo related, “Sometimes (I have)  problems with getting food because basically if I hitchhike through Europe, I  go from gas stations to  gas stations, I don’t go into the towns,  so just buy stuffs at gas stations, or like really lonely places.”

He added, “Hitchhiking you are basically just on the highway so sometimes it’s very difficult to get food.”

SAILING THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

The most defining chapter of Tilo’s journey began when he decided to cross the Atlantic Ocean. With no sailing experience and no plans of how he would even get a boat, Tilo embarked on what many might consider an impossible mission. His first stop was the port of Javea, Spain, where he hoped to find a boat to take him across.

“I talked to every Captain that was there for like over a month, found a boat… and from there I did it again and then I found a captain to finally bring me across the Atlantic to Trinidad,” he recounted.

Sailing the Atlantic was not as easy as Tilo had imagined.

“We didn’t run out but you need to save a lot of water if you sail across the Atlantic, so we could have only showered once a day, a week, we had to partly wash our dishes with salt water, the food … we had a little problem, because the gas stove I was using broke and so basically 80 percent of our food became inedible,” he recalled.

LIFE IN THE JUNGLE

After the Atlantic Ocean, Tilo’s next destination was Venezuela, where he lived with an indigenous tribe for two months. The experience, living with the Warao people in the jungle, was one of the most eye-opening aspects of his journey.

He explained to The Waterfalls, “I had a percent change in my perspective so much, because basically they (Warao people) live they have just the roof, they don’t have walls they have some hammocks, they have some clothes, they have a canoe and they have a fire place and they probably live happier than a lot of other people.”

Tilo immersed himself in their way of life, learning their language and customs. He lived without modern conveniences, no electricity, no running water and yet, he found himself living in a way that felt deeply connected to the earth.

“There are so many problems … but they are incredible people, super welcoming, some of the kindest people I have met, they welcomed me there.  I slept with them in their houses and in return I bought them like a bunch of food and like, fuel and stuff, I just learned how little you need to survive in life,” he said.

During his time with the Warao people, Tilo helped them with medical supplies, using some of the money he had earned from his journey.

He told The Waterfalls, “ A …   fund me and I think it rise around 500 or 600 US dollars, it wouldn’t be like so much but it was enough so I can buy them like the basic medical kit and you know a bunch of food and we bought a chicken and you know we celebrated a little bit, I put my money with that as well and there was a kid who had fever and he ask if I can give him some fever medicine and you know one woman had like yeast infection and asked if I can give her some medicine that was kind of nice.”

Tilo’s time in Venezuela was also a stark reminder of the struggles many indigenous communities face. Despite the joy he found in their simplicity, he was deeply moved by their resilience.

PHYSICAL/EMOTIONAL TOLL

The journey hasn’t always been easy for Tilo. From climbing mountains in Grenada to walking across Trinidad, he faced constant physical challenges. He also struggled emotionally with the isolation that came with being alone for months at a time.

He revealed, “Constantly you have loneliness, I mean right now it is alright but for the first part of my journey is basically just me, hitchhiking alone, being alone in gas stations.”

He added, “I was sleeping in a cave in the mountains in the Canary Islands, literally walking, climbing up the mountains everyday like a hermit, sometimes I miss my family, that’s a little bit difficult at times.”

His advice for anyone hoping to undertake a similar journey is, “The most important thing is you need to be open and talk to people and connect with people and not be afraid of rejection.”

As Tilo continues his journey, he reflects on how his perspective has shifted. The young adventurous man realizes that what matters is human connection, the kindness of strangers, the love of a community and the simplicity of life.

Tilo’s journey is far from over. With each new chapter, he continues to challenge the limits of what’s possible, proving that with persistence, a strong belief in yourself, and the willingness to embrace the unknown, anything is possible.

His journey is not just one of survival—it’s one of transformation, a testament to the power of simplicity, the generosity of humanity, and the beauty of a life lived fully. According to the voyager, the story is more than an adventure; it’s a reminder that sometimes, the greatest journeys are the ones that take us off the beaten path, into the unknown, and into the hearts of people we meet along the way.

(A 21 year old, chronicles his hitchhiking adventure)

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• German, hitchhiking voyage, Pilgrim Tilo, self-discovery, The Waterfalls

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