I've been hitching to Belgium before (to Antwerpen with cK in the end of 2007) so it wasn't that big a deal in general. However, the weather was still tough, of course and you never know what kinda people would be driving you around, even if it is you who is picking them. Sometimes you simply ain't have a big choice and you're just lucky to get away from that damned rest area which you got stuck in for the last sixty minutes. We never really had to wait more than an hour after all.

People who'd be taking us included a couple real kind Dutch guys, a German drug police officer, a French spoeaking mother and child with an extremely hairy dog, a caravan owner with an even hairier dog, two stoned Turkish guys, two Flamish women (who were called by their husband to get us out of Brussels), a Brazilian business guy who eventually brought us back to Berlin over the last three hours from Garbsen (near Hannover). Later we heard there'd been an accident at our last rest area shortly after we left: a truck apparently slipped and hit a gas tank, but nobody was hurt. However, in case that would happen with us around and they'd close up the rest area we would certainly got stuck!
It took us thirteen hours each way, five cars on the way there and thirteen cars on the way back.
Always again!

We've been couchsurfing in Brussels (as usual), having luck with our hosts and a real good time. I couldn't imagine a better way to see the world and travel on a shoestring. Especially Central European countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Germany are more than help- and useful!