After 1,600 kilometers of hitchhiking, the Backseat Rally finally thumbs its way to YouTube to collect money for earthquake victims!
Potsdam, 10/25/2023. In July, five young people embarked on a remarkable journey through Turkey and Georgia, spending a total of a week on the roads along the Black Sea coast. Their mission? A hitchhiking rally to collect donations for the earthquake victims in Turkey, all while capturing their adventures on camera – and now, the series is releasing on the YouTube channel “Backseat Rally”.
Participants faced new challenges daily. They had to discover and understand the world of hitchhiking, they learned how to look after themselves on the road and had to seek shelter each evening. Their accommodations ranged from spontaneous invitations to locals’ yards to nights spent by the beach – all of these unique experiences are documented and make for great scenes over five episodes which are released weekly.
Emil, one of the protagonists, shared his thoughts: “Seeing this part of the world by hitchhiking is really rewarding. I really would have loved to stay here longer, it was just not enough time for such a great country.” Nevertheless, the journey was an enriching experience for all the participants. Milos added, “You explore and feel the cultures much more intensely.” Countless lunch and dinner invitations from hospitable Turkish and Georgian hosts were gladly accepted by the team.
The people they met on the journey created additional cultural insight. Sharing stories with drivers on the road, drinking wine with an Abkhazian family, being chastised for the choice of hitchhiking spot, or being saved at the last second from camping near the city by a kind man were only a few highlights. The journey was full of surprises and unforgettable moments.
It was Leon Weber of Babelsberg Film University, who partnered with Tabio Romanski as his co-host and came up with the idea for Backseat Rally. “Hitchhiking is my favorite way to travel, you experience a lot and keep your footprint small,” Weber says about his motivation. Romanski added: “It’s good to give back to the people you meet on the road and it’s also important to be aware of one’s impact while traveling.”
The organization behind the project is called Expedition Tomorrow and was founded to promote this way of travel, helping people to cross their personal boundaries and challenge themselves while interacting more with local communities.
They partnered with the Turkish charity ÇOIS (Çocuklarımız İçin Söylüyoruz, meaning “We Sing for Our Children”) and have already collected €1,400 in donations to support children affected by the earthquake in Turkey. ÇOIS is actively working in the earthquake-stricken city of İskenderun, where they contribute by assisting in the distribution of relief in the city. Donations will continue to be accepted by Expedition Tomorrow until mid-December.
Expedition Tomorrow has committed to support more good causes. In the upcoming year, they are planning a trip to the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine to show the life of locals who continue to suffer under the aggressive attack. Backseat Rally will also make a comeback with a 2024 edition.