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The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)

perceptivetravel.com

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Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)

#41

Post by exabrial »

My next job I want to travel again. I spent three years traveling to not-sexy places in the USA an UK, and a year going between US and China. Despite note being hot destinations in any of the countries, it was still fascinating. I quit a year before the pandemic because there was a loneliness about it, and I was never going to find a significant other if I was always gone.

During the pandemic I took up Mountain Biking and that is now becoming my excuse to travel post pandemic. I'm exploring all sort of new places and taking my mountain bike with me. Looking to do some "destinations" once a year, like Saalbach in a few weeks, but next year I hope to have the skill to do something like Whistler in Canada. Even in the USA though there's so much to explore: Winter Park, Bentonville, and many more.

Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)

#42

Post by golergka »

windowsrookie wrote: post #25
golergka wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Must be nice to live in country stable enough for you to able not to follow the news.

That's a ridiculous comment. I don't follow the new here in the United States and do just fine. I don't watch TV, I don't visit news websites, I don't use twitter, reddit, or Facebook. But I still hear about important news thru everyday conversation. 99% of the "news" is useless unimportant filler.

> here in the United States

That's my point.

Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)

#45

Post by snickerer »

I am very grateful that modern technology has led me to exciting places that I would not have found without it.

I traveled for 20 months between 2016 and 2018 in Asia and Europe with my self-made 4WD camper. I spent months in the Mongolian steppe and an Iranian desert. Without the map data from the Openstreetmap project (and a satellite navigation device) I would not have found many fantastic places and wonderful routes.

The Mongolian nomads still have their yurts (ger they call them), their herds, and their families. But they also have smartphones and solar panels today. Does this ruin the experience of visiting these wonderful and hospitable people? I don't think so. It makes to better because you can stay in contact easily after leaving their country.

Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)

#46

Post by bklaasen »

woevdbz wrote: post #30

This is an inspiring read, and somehow it makes me think, without looking at the author's name, that the author is very likely male. I imagine solo backpacking was/is a very different adventure for a young woman.

May I introduce you to the delights of Dervla Murphy's adventures: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dervla_Murphy

Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)

#47

Post by AlbertCory »

I went to Thailand on an Excite/Adventure tour in 1989. I was the only American in the group and it was mostly younger people.

Checking into the hotel in Bangkok as a single man, they just assumed I was there for sex, and asked if I wanted a girl sent up to my room (the answer was no, in case you're wondering).

We also trekked through the "native tribes" areas in the north, where the tribes had been "persuaded" not to practice slash-and-burn agriculture anymore, and made a side income from hosting tourists. Believe it or not, one of the tribes was called the Karens.

Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)

#48

Post by [deleted] »

gunfighthacksaw wrote: post #3
bravasaurus wrote: post #2

Fascinating 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…

[deleted]

Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)

#49

Post by _yb2s »

ceejayoz wrote: post #37
JohnBooty wrote: post #28

Growing up in the 1960s in New Jersey was very parochial [...] I knew nothing about Asia, or even travelling; I had never even been out of New England. I realize I'm nitpicking here with regards to a very enjoyable and wonderful article but... what? New Jersey is not in New England. Same quadrant of the country. But that's bizarro.

There are parts of New Jersey 11 miles from the closest bit of New England. I'd be inclined to treat that as close enough.

From the names it seems reasonable to me that "New York" and "New Jersey" should be parts of "New England." As a Californian, I thought of all of the NE as New England and am surprised that they aren't. Wikipedia says the "Dominion of New England in America" in the 1600s did include New York and New Jersey.

Re: The Life of a Backpacker in Asia in the 1970s (2018)

#50

Post by chis »

robga wrote: post #36

(with the disclaimer that it has been 30 months since travelling widely) It's still possible. 99% of travellers proceed along narrow planks of tourist hotspots that represent 1% of what is interesting in the world. Once it was lonely planet trails, then tripadvisor routes, now instagram pin plots. It's so easy to step off those paths, and doing so is very rewarding. Use those guides as guides as to what what not to d…

How do you find things to do then? I’ll share what worked for me: follow a particular interest in depth, that way you can rely on your unique expertise to guide yourself off the tourist track. But that doesn’t always feel sustainable.
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