Exploring Las Vegas

Traveler passes through town on five-year hitchhiking trip

Photos Special to ViewWorld traveler Jeremy Marie posts pictures from his trip hitchhiking around the world on his Web site at www.lembas.ovh.org. F. ANDREW TAYLOR/VIEWAbove, French traveler Jeremy Marie stops for a photograph by the Welcome to Las Vegas sign on Aug. 13. Marie checks out the Pinball Hall of Fame, 3330 E. Tropicana Ave., during his Aug. 11-14 time in Las Vegas. Advertisement

The old saw goes that a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. In Jeremy Marie's case, the journey began with a single thumb, except that that thumb has taken him a lot farther than 1,000 miles.

Marie is traveling around the world by hitchhiking. The 25-year-old began his journey in his native France two years ago, estimating the trip would have him on the road for about two years. He now estimates the trip will take closer to five years.

Marie already has passed through Southern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Central America and the American Southwest. On Aug. 11, his thumb brought him to Las Vegas.

He spent three days here, much of it exploring the Strip. Of course he visited Paris Las Vegas, and noted that it was done very well, if a bit stereotypically.

"It's funny because I've revisited a couple different regions by coming here," Marie said. "I have revisited the cities by visiting the casinos. It's an interesting city. I'm not here to gamble, I couldn't afford it. It's unique."

On his Web site, in which he chronicles his trip, Marie mentions the excess of Las Vegas noting, "I think that Las Vegas has a sense, the one to not have any limit."

Marie is charming, to say the least, a trait that no doubt helps him on his travels. He speaks English with a heavy French accent and communicates well, despite the occasional odd turn of phrase.

Although he had traveled quite a bit around Europe, Marie found it wasn't satisfying his wanderlust. He realized it was his dream to travel the world. He bankrolled his journey by saving money made working for a year as a waiter. He spends an average of $7 a day, a feat that seems incredible. He shops at local grocery stores along the way, rather than eating at restaurants.

"I saved money in Africa and Central America," Marie said. "It's easy to keep a low budget there."

For transportation, he relies on his thumb and the kindness of strangers. For accommodations, Marie often camps, although with very little gear, living without things most would consider essential. He also finds lodging through couchsurfing.org, a Web site with the stated mission of "seeking to internationally network people and places, create educational exchanges, raise collective consciousness, spread tolerance and facilitate cultural understanding."

Marie's local host, Beau Pignatello, described the site as something akin to Facebook or MySpace, but geared toward travelers. Travelers and hosts alike give good or bad references depending on how the visit went.

"You make a profile and let people know what your schedule is like, what your interests are and whether you're available to host or just meet up for coffee or a drink," Pignatello said. "Las Vegas is very popular, so I get more offers than I can possibly accommodate, and I can be picky. When someone like Jeremy comes along, you just have to hear this guy's story."

Pignatello signed up on the site in part because he enjoys meeting people from other places. He's also paying back kindnesses bestowed on him when he was traveling in Europe and people took him in for the night when he was stuck somewhere.

"I was always struck with how open and hospitable people could be," Pignatello said.

Marie carries a backpack and a small bag with him. On his Web site, he lists both the contents, and the things he thought he needed at one time, but no longer carries. It's a Spartan life, poor in luxuries, but rich in experience.

"I learn from the people who are living in these places, for me they are the best source of information," Marie said. "I don't travel with a guidebook, I rely on the people."

While Marie carries little physically, in some ways, he's carrying an entire elementary school with him. He visited with the students of Le Clos Herbert School in his homeland before embarking on the trip. The students have been following his progress. There is a section on his Web site in which the students ask him questions about where he has visited, which makes them virtual hitchhikers and explorers, as well.

Along the way, Marie has learned a few tricks to hitchhiking. For example, he learned that white paper was preferable to cardboard for signs requesting a ride.

"If you have a cardboard sign, people will think you're homeless and won't talk to you," he said.

Marie has waited literally days for a ride, sleeping alongside the road. He has traveled through arid deserts, lush jungles, seen amazing historical sites and been awoken in the middle of the night by a pounding rainstorm. The trip has been anything but uneventful.

The longest he had to wait for a ride was three weeks, but that was a particularly unusual leg of the journey. He was trying to get a ride across the Atlantic Ocean. He went from boat to boat in the port city of Cape Town, South Africa, until he found a new ship that had been built there and needed to be delivered. Despite having no sailing experience, he signed on to take the night watch, spending nights in darkened solitude staring out at the vast horizon of the sea.

"It took 58 days to get from Cape Town to Panama," Marie said. "It was very beautiful, very spiritual."

Marie left the Las Vegas Valley as the sun was setting on Aug. 14. He had friends from France who would be in Los Angeles on vacation the next day, and he planned to rendezvous with them. Beyond that, he planned to follow the coast up through the West Coast and British Columbia, turning around in Alaska and heading through Canada and the American Midwest. His family will visit him in late November in Montreal, assuming he catches the rides he needs.

To see Marie's travels and follow along, visit his Web site, www.lembas.ovh.org. A button on the site changes the text to English.

Contact Sunrise and Whitney View reporter F. Andrew Taylor at ataylor@viewnews.com or 380-4532.