5 ms·

In 1978 I went overland from Greece through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to India. I later learned the route was called the "Hippie Trail", but I nev

In 1978 I went overland from Greece through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to India. I later learned the route was called the "Hippie Trail", but I never heard that term at the time. The route shut down just a few weeks after I passed through: Iran closed because of the Iranian revolution. Afghanistan closed because the Soviets were moving in. The feel of travel was different then because no internet, no cell phones. I communicated with friends and family using letters, single-page blue "aerograms". When I see them now, I'm amazed how tiny my handwriting was. To receive a letter I would have people send mail to the American Express office upstream. My trip ended when I noticed my urine was the color of Coca Cola - a sign of hepatitis. I got a flight out of Delhi the next day to London, for the free health care.

pm90 8y ago
Really hope the world will return to that kind of freedom in travel sometime soon in the future.
- lisper 8y ago
  Don't hold your breath. :-(
  - hutzlibu 8y ago
    Erm, how is there less freedom of travel today compared to 1980? There was a big cold war with a real iron curtain dividing the world back then.
    - tim333 8y ago
      Yeah I'd say it's easier to travel these days in many ways. Airfares are lower as a percent of income and the internet is everywhere. On the other hand it doesn't feel quite as exotic and the price differential between the west and cheap countries isn't as big on the whole. Some countries are kind of closed like Afganistan and Iran but on the other hand ones like China and Myanmar are more open than they were.
    - lisper 8y ago
      But that's not what I was responding to. Re-read the context: > The feel of travel was different then because no internet, no cell phones. The feeling of freedom that came from pre-internet travel was a result of being able to leave your home and its associated troubles and constraints behind and go someplace where they couldn't find you. Nowadays, all those troubles and constraints follow you around no matter where you go.
      - hutzlibu 8y ago
        You know you can just leave your mobile at home or turn it off if you do not like it? Or go to wild areas without good connection(or power) if you are too addicted. Trust me, there is still plenty of wild adventurous traveling going on ... even if you have a smartphone.
        lisper 8y ago
        Yes, you can still go to the wilderness, although even that is disappearing fast. But in 1985 you didn't have to retreat from civilization to be far from home. Today you do. I travelled to Europe in 1985. When I landed in London I quickly realized that I had vastly underestimated the cost of living and I didn't have enough money with me to last to the end of the trip. Today that problem would be fixed with a trip to the ATM, but back then there were no ATMs. Dealing with contingencies like that was a big part of the experience. When you travelled in 1985 you did it without a net (pun intended) because there was no net. But you didn't have to leave civilization behind. Today you do.
        hutzlibu 8y ago
        So you felt free, because you could not get money? No, I know what you mean. The spirit of not having everything nice and secure and organized. Then you have and need space for improvizing. When I did backpacking shortly before the smartphone area, I also ran out of money in New Zealand ... but I ran out completely with only emergency money send option, so I had to discover traveling very low budget style. Hitchhiking, wild camping etc. adventure. (until I got back to australia for farm work).. But - I still do this regulary and so I can tell that the smartphone certainly changed traveling, but there are still plenty of adventures waiting outside if your are open for it and not just want to impress your instagram facebook peers with cool pictures.
    - ctrager 8y ago
      I wasn't making a comment about freedom to travel, just the FEEL of travel, but regarding places that are open and closed (to me, an American), right, China, Russia, Vietnam, Cuba, Eastern Europe weren't open back then. Now they are. But countries where I traveled and felt safe then, I wouldn't feel comfortable going to today: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt. I guess overall, much more of the world open today.
elliekelly 8y ago
What did your friends & family think when you told them you were going on the trip?
- kweks 8y ago
  Afghanistan and Syria really were hippy hotspots in the 70s. Things change, political stances blow over, regimes blow out. In the last 15 years, the the contemporary traveller has gained access to Turkmenistan, Myanmar and others, and much more simple and safer travel to previously dangerous countries (the Balkans, Rwanda, RDC, North Korea, etc) It's this shifting landscape that makes travel for the non "me too" crowd interesting..
  - elliekelly 8y ago
    >It's this shifting landscape that makes travel for the non "me too" crowd interesting.. Forgive my naiveté but I'm not sure I understand what you mean? Are you talking about the "partying" travelers who tend to bar-hop and hookup?
    - umeshunni 8y ago
      Probably referring to the Instagram crowd.
  - ctrager 8y ago
    The people passing through Afghanistan and Pakistan back then were heading eventually to three hippie places: Katmandu, Goa, and Poona (back when Rajneesh was there). I didn't use drugs, so i didn't relate so much. I was doing the trip for the adventure. Here's a read about that era in travel: https://www.richardgregory.org.uk/history/hippie-trail-01.htm https://www.richardgregory.org.uk/history/hippie-trail-01.ht...
- stef25 8y ago
  Afghanistan used to be pretty accessible for certain periods of time. Friend of mine travelled back to Europe overland from India and crossed Afghanistan in what must have been the mid 90s, he had plenty of photos posing with mujahideen guys with Kalashnikovs. Pre 9/11 I don't think there was much animosity towards the west. Even now areas like the Wakhan corridor in Afghanistan are pretty accessible. I wouldn't do it, but plenty of people do.

pm90 8y ago

Really hope the world will return to that kind of freedom in travel sometime soon in the future.

lisper 8y ago
Don't hold your breath. :-(
- hutzlibu 8y ago
  Erm, how is there less freedom of travel today compared to 1980? There was a big cold war with a real iron curtain dividing the world back then.
  - tim333 8y ago
    Yeah I'd say it's easier to travel these days in many ways. Airfares are lower as a percent of income and the internet is everywhere. On the other hand it doesn't feel quite as exotic and the price differential between the west and cheap countries isn't as big on the whole. Some countries are kind of closed like Afganistan and Iran but on the other hand ones like China and Myanmar are more open than they were.
  - lisper 8y ago
    But that's not what I was responding to. Re-read the context: > The feel of travel was different then because no internet, no cell phones. The feeling of freedom that came from pre-internet travel was a result of being able to leave your home and its associated troubles and constraints behind and go someplace where they couldn't find you. Nowadays, all those troubles and constraints follow you around no matter where you go.
    - hutzlibu 8y ago
      You know you can just leave your mobile at home or turn it off if you do not like it? Or go to wild areas without good connection(or power) if you are too addicted. Trust me, there is still plenty of wild adventurous traveling going on ... even if you have a smartphone.
      - lisper 8y ago
        Yes, you can still go to the wilderness, although even that is disappearing fast. But in 1985 you didn't have to retreat from civilization to be far from home. Today you do. I travelled to Europe in 1985. When I landed in London I quickly realized that I had vastly underestimated the cost of living and I didn't have enough money with me to last to the end of the trip. Today that problem would be fixed with a trip to the ATM, but back then there were no ATMs. Dealing with contingencies like that was a big part of the experience. When you travelled in 1985 you did it without a net (pun intended) because there was no net. But you didn't have to leave civilization behind. Today you do.
        hutzlibu 8y ago
        So you felt free, because you could not get money? No, I know what you mean. The spirit of not having everything nice and secure and organized. Then you have and need space for improvizing. When I did backpacking shortly before the smartphone area, I also ran out of money in New Zealand ... but I ran out completely with only emergency money send option, so I had to discover traveling very low budget style. Hitchhiking, wild camping etc. adventure. (until I got back to australia for farm work).. But - I still do this regulary and so I can tell that the smartphone certainly changed traveling, but there are still plenty of adventures waiting outside if your are open for it and not just want to impress your instagram facebook peers with cool pictures.
  - ctrager 8y ago
    I wasn't making a comment about freedom to travel, just the FEEL of travel, but regarding places that are open and closed (to me, an American), right, China, Russia, Vietnam, Cuba, Eastern Europe weren't open back then. Now they are. But countries where I traveled and felt safe then, I wouldn't feel comfortable going to today: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt. I guess overall, much more of the world open today.

elliekelly 8y ago

What did your friends & family think when you told them you were going on the trip?

kweks 8y ago
Afghanistan and Syria really were hippy hotspots in the 70s. Things change, political stances blow over, regimes blow out. In the last 15 years, the the contemporary traveller has gained access to Turkmenistan, Myanmar and others, and much more simple and safer travel to previously dangerous countries (the Balkans, Rwanda, RDC, North Korea, etc) It's this shifting landscape that makes travel for the non "me too" crowd interesting..
- elliekelly 8y ago
  >It's this shifting landscape that makes travel for the non "me too" crowd interesting.. Forgive my naiveté but I'm not sure I understand what you mean? Are you talking about the "partying" travelers who tend to bar-hop and hookup?
  - umeshunni 8y ago
    Probably referring to the Instagram crowd.
- ctrager 8y ago
  The people passing through Afghanistan and Pakistan back then were heading eventually to three hippie places: Katmandu, Goa, and Poona (back when Rajneesh was there). I didn't use drugs, so i didn't relate so much. I was doing the trip for the adventure. Here's a read about that era in travel: https://www.richardgregory.org.uk/history/hippie-trail-01.htm https://www.richardgregory.org.uk/history/hippie-trail-01.ht...
stef25 8y ago
Afghanistan used to be pretty accessible for certain periods of time. Friend of mine travelled back to Europe overland from India and crossed Afghanistan in what must have been the mid 90s, he had plenty of photos posing with mujahideen guys with Kalashnikovs. Pre 9/11 I don't think there was much animosity towards the west. Even now areas like the Wakhan corridor in Afghanistan are pretty accessible. I wouldn't do it, but plenty of people do.