So, we did it. We've helped hitchhiker Irina Chalfitskaia to return home with the body of her friend (who died in Egypt), Galina Lukitcheva. Thousands of people took part in their troubles. Hundreds of people called friends and colleagues to find money for unknown people.
Alexey Vorov, the president of Petersburg Autostop League (PASL), has offered to call it "The running of the blockade," so let it be so. Now it's looking like the "Happy End" in movies, but it seems that something is wrong. Because it was too easy to avoid all this. Galina could have been placed in a good hospital and probably had a chance to be alive, but they preferred to economize their money and not to buy cheap insurance.
And it's not the fault of "bad doctors" or "bad stuff of consulate". It's only theirs [the hitchhikers] and our fault. Of course, people would never leave another in trouble. They'll give a good lift, will give food, a sleeping place and even money. But there should be a balance for everything.
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It's absolutely wrong that it's possible to travel and not pay at least some price. Nevertheless, someone for all this has paid. I think that about five years ago the consulate would have helped Irina, inspite of rules and restrictions. They just tired of hitchikers and destitute travelers always asking for sleeping places, food, Internet, etc.
We've collected money for this accident. We'll get it for next and probably for next one. But no more. Everyone should care about his safety by himself.
Now I think, that Alexey Voriv is absolutely right when traning hitchhikers in League so long and carefully.
