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On the Hippie Trail
On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer | Rick Steves
14 posts | 10 read | 7 to read
Stow away with Rick Steves for a glimpse into the unforgettable moments, misadventures, and memories of his 1978 journey on the legendary Hippie Trail. In the 1970s, the ultimate trip for any backpacker was the storied Hippie Trail from Istanbul to Kathmandu. A 23-year-old Rick Steves made the trek, and like a travel writer in training, he documented everything along the way: jumping off a moving train, making friends in Tehran, getting lost in Lahore, getting high for the first time in Herat, battling leeches in Pokhara, and much more. The experience ignited his love of travel and forever broadened his perspective on the world. This book contains edited selections from Ricks journal and travel photos with a 45-years-later preface and postscript reflecting on how the journey changed his life. Stow away with Rick Steves on the adventure of a lifetime through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. You know Rick Steves. Now discover the adventure that made him the travel writer he is today.
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review
GingerAntics
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Mehso-so

The adventure of it was good. This was written by Steves when he was 23 and it reads just like a privileged 23 year old white man wrote it. It could be written by a well to do white college boy today. It made it really tough to get through, especially since poor Gene was so sick for most of the trip and Rick didn‘t even seem to care. I‘m actually surprised Gene and Rick are still friends after this trip.
#RickSteves #OnTheHippieTrail

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GingerAntics
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This might be the first thing this man has said that is worth sharing.
#RickSteves #OnTheHippieTrail #audiobook #ReadByTheAuthor

kspenmoll My husband went to Burma decades ago & joined in meals eating with his hands. 2w
GingerAntics @kspenmoll when in Rome! If I ever get to travel, I‘m eating like the locals. 2w
Deblovestoread This reminds me of a the time I picked up a friend‘s Danish girlfriend from the airport and had to feed her dinner. I fixed tacos. She didn‘t know what to do. Been friends ever since. 2w
GingerAntics @Deblovestoread I‘ve heard in that part of the world they eat EVERYTHING with cutlery, even hamburgers. 2w
17 likes4 comments
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GingerAntics
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Maybe it‘s me. Maybe it‘s the current situation. Maybe it‘s just the world of the 70s, but is this guy privileged talking about not worrying about spending money? His parents are at home on their boat in some islands, so he‘s definitely coming off as privileged. Maybe it‘s just me though. Arguing over paying $12 for a mink pelt? Naming it ring worm? He‘s… uh… interesting.
#RickSteves #OnTheHippieTrail #audiobook #ReadByTheAuthor

GingerAntics He‘s also not very worried about his incredibly sick travel companion. 2w
willaful From what I remember of sociology from college, it was the world of the 70s. 2w
GingerAntics @willaful the laid back, no worries that my buddy here is so sick he‘s seen two doctors on vacation so far, spend money at will? The 70s really were a wild time! 2w
See All 11 Comments
TheBookHippie It‘s the 70s. 2w
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie wow! The music is good, but the mentality is insufferable!!! 2w
TheBookHippie @GingerAntics Remember a lot of young men were dying, women had no rights, it was we are going to die anyway so let‘s live for now. 2w
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie okay, fair. I‘m surprised Gene didn‘t die on this trip! 2w
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie and to think, this is the generation saying my generation is so self-centered and immature. Dude, y‘all were just like that, or worse, in your 20s. Lay off. 2w
TheBookHippie @GingerAntics I say that often.. 2w
TheBookHippie Pot Kettle 2w
17 likes11 comments
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GingerAntics
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Today‘s first attempt at avoiding the football today.
#RickSteves #OnTheHippieTrail #audiobook #ReadByTheAuthor

15 likes1 stack add
review
TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

This was delightful. Steves' decision to stick with his mostly unfiltered 23 year old diary entries brings an innocence and naiveté, and the underlying message is timeless: opening your mind and life to other people and cultures expands your knowledge, heart, and empathy. Thank you to @TheBookHippie for putting this one on my radar, listening to it was a lovely way to spend a few hours!

TheBookHippie It was so lovely. I agree. 3w
mcctrish I‘m so glad I listened to this 3w
59 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

We listened to this short audiobook in the car today and enjoyed it. Rick Steves has great philosophies about traveling and I enjoyed hearing about his early adventures.

60 likes5 comments
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mcctrish
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Pickpick

How to tell I‘m painting? I‘m blowing through the audio books 😆 I ran out of time with this and had to wait for my hold to come back around. I love Rick Steves! If more people travelled and exposed themselves to other cultures we‘d be better.

Aims42 Yes, if more people could see that we‘re really not all that different the world would be soooo much better 💕 3mo
TheBookHippie I adored this book! I had to order a copy after borrowing it from the library!!! Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
Mark Twain,
3mo
mcctrish @TheBookHippie I‘m buying a copy for John for his birthday ( and then I can see the pictures ❤️) 3mo
See All 6 Comments
mcctrish @Aim42 ❤️ 3mo
TheBookHippie @mcctrish oh!!! It‘s wonderful! 3mo
kspenmoll This sounds fabulous! I love his travel videos. (edited) 3mo
51 likes1 stack add6 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
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Pickpick

"There are no tourists here, only travelers."

This is a book for travelers. People who understand that it isn't always easy, but always worth it. Steves found his old journals from 1978 when he was 23 and he and his friend (who works at the travel company) went mostly over ground from Frankfort>Istanbul and then through the "hippie trail" to Kathmandu.
A quick read with photos he took on the journey It's a beautiful book.

ChaoticMissAdventures Steves tries to keep his 23 yr old voice throughout and you can tell he learned a lot on this trip, mostly about ethnocentrism and open minds. I spent the late 90s traveling like this and it is a joy that modern consciences has cause us to really lose (some for good, so not so much) 4mo
BarbaraBB Sounds interesting and recognizable to me too. 4mo
41 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
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#weeklyforecast

Plowing through things I wanted to read in July! I cannot believe it is August already.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
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"... wrapped only in a towel, we were led into a steamy world. My unshaven Turk said, 'okay, merhana,' and put me belly up on the big round, marble slab, where I was allowed to lie, sweat, look up at the cloudy sun rays spraying through the little holes in the domed roof, and worry about the body- ripping massage I was about to get. I prayed my joints would survive."

I adore Steve's writing!

mcctrish I was listening to to this and it got clawed back before I finished - I can‘t wait to keep going. I ❤️ Rick Steves 4mo
ChaoticMissAdventures @mcctrish I love him too!! It is an excellent book, if you can get your hands on a copy the photos throughout are ones he took on the trip and they really add so much to the story. 4mo
mcctrish I think I‘m going to buy it for my husband for his birthday 4mo
24 likes3 comments
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Floresj
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Pickpick

I liked a lot of this book, and it‘s interesting reading about traveling in the 1970s. Steves chronicles the mishaps, learning and euphoria of traveling to lesser known places on the Hippie Trail. His learning that it‘s worth it to spend a little more for good sleep and good food is a precursor to his travel books.

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everlocalwest
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Pickpick

Even travel writers had to stay home during the pandemic, lucky for us, Rick Steves decided to use the downtime to bring together this memoir of his overland trip from Europe to India in his early twenties. As charming as you'd expect, this memoir is full of hope in humanity, awe in travel, and so many vintage photos. Perfect for the armchair traveler; I love the stories and I'll happily stay home with my books.

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pdxannie
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Pickpick

I‘m a huge fan of Rick Steves and I put his book on hold at the library without actually reading what it was about - just knew that it was something he‘d written. What a splendid surprise. It‘s his journal from when he was 23 and he traveled with his friend from Istanbul to Kathmandu. Even 23 yo Rick was as precious as the Rick Steves of today. 10/10 definitely recommend.