The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
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The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
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Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
#2Fascinating read. What a privilege to have traveled the world at a time when modernity made doing so possible cheaply, but hadn’t yet taken ahold of the destinations. A historic window of opportunity that’s all but closed.
Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
#3Fascinating read. What a privilege to have traveled the world at a time when modernity made doing so possible cheaply, but hadn’t yet taken ahold of the destinations. A historic window of opportunity that’s all but closed.
Imagine visiting Afghanistan! Just hopping in a bus and going over land!!!
The reason? It’s more enlightened than the US, and you can smoke hash.
How times have changed…
Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
#4Previous discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18642755
Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
#5>. .. in Japan it was a constant struggle to communicate and find things
Ah Japan! It never changed much really. Although we have a lot of bilingual signboards (in English / Japanese) now.
Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
#6Fascinating read. What a privilege to have traveled the world at a time when modernity made doing so possible cheaply, but hadn’t yet taken ahold of the destinations. A historic window of opportunity that’s all but closed.
Imagine visiting Afghanistan! Just hopping in a bus and going over land!!! The reason? It’s more enlightened than the US, and you can smoke hash. How times have changed…
>Imagine visiting Afghanistan! Just hopping in a bus and going over land!!!
I heard tales of people/companies buying an old city bus in Europe and driving it to Europe. They'd get gas money along the way by charging other travellers and then make more by selling the bus in India.
Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
#7Earlier quoted context omitted.
Imagine visiting Afghanistan! Just hopping in a bus and going over land!!! The reason? It’s more enlightened than the US, and you can smoke hash. How times have changed…
>Imagine visiting Afghanistan! Just hopping in a bus and going over land!!! I heard tales of people/companies buying an old city bus in Europe and driving it to Europe. They'd get gas money along the way by charging other travellers and then make more by selling the bus in India.
Dervla Murphy, who just passed, did it by bike.
Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
#8Fascinating read. What a privilege to have traveled the world at a time when modernity made doing so possible cheaply, but hadn’t yet taken ahold of the destinations. A historic window of opportunity that’s all but closed.
Most of the world still sees few foreign tourists, and much of it is interesting nevertheless. Difference is these days you might actually be able to use an ATM and internet in towns, and you don't have to carry film for all the photos you want to take in your backpack..
Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
#9>. .. in Japan it was a constant struggle to communicate and find things Ah Japan! It never changed much really. Although we have a lot of bilingual signboards (in English / Japanese) now.
And Google Translate and GPS (which is particularly handy given the addressing system). Communications can still be a bit tough even in major cities, but it's definitely easier than it was 15 years ago.
Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)
#10A memoir along the lines of OP article: How an Average Man Lived an Adventurous Life. He backpacked around the world as an American in the 70s and 80s. Hippie trail, you name it. At the end, he retired to his hometown with his wife in Illinois.