Round the world by hitchhike

ST.PETERSBURG, July 21 (Itar-Tass) - The St. Petersburg League of
Hitchhikers, a sport tourism club, have set out on the first
round-the-globe tour by hitchhike. This is an international project titled
"Everybody has the right to see his planet."
Alexei Vorov, the founder of sport hitchhiking in Russia, told a
news conference in St. Petersburg that over 33 years of its existence the
League had transformed hitchhiking from being a simple and spontaneous way
of moving by passing cars into an independent kind of sport tourism, which
has its own rules and standards, ethics and traditions. Three rounds will
be held to select the best ten teams that will start off in Moscow in
August 2012. They'll have to cover great distances through the territories
of Russia, China, Canada, the United States, the Central American
countries, Northern Africa and Europe. The race will last approximately
for 65-70 days.
Vladimir Sharlayev, who has traveled to more than 100 countries by
hitchhike says that the visa problem was the most difficult problem he
faced in previous years.
The appearance of the Schengen zone has made things easier.
The teams will consist of two people. Those who will be the best in
overcoming obstacles in an unknown terrain will win. There will be no
awards, except for loud applause and moral satisfaction from what they've
done.
The Russian Union for Sport Tourism supports the project. Its
vice-president, Sergei Korneyev, has said that the round-the-globe
hitchhiking tour was a good propaganda of the healthy way of life.