The Hippy Trail

[Marbella]

I listened to an interview on the radio this morning which I thought was quite thought provoking.

It was prompted by a new book out: Magic Bus: On the Hippie Trail from Istanbul to India by Rory MacLean.

You can listen to the story here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_hippy_20060630.ram) or pick up the link from the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/).

Sorry for repeating something that you might know (not being particularly well travelled outside of Spain I might be the only person who has never heard of this!). They described the trail with the grand statement, something like - 'the great journey of the 60's and 70's, young people searching for a better world!' Rory MacLean has retraced the now dead route and as you can imagine it's not so easy today as one route passes through Afghanistan and Iraq!

They pose the question - does anywhere exist now where people can go for potential epiphany? My view is that this is just a state of mind (of course!) and if sitting in the countryside somewhere in Spain does it for you then that's all that counts.

I will buy the book though, it grabbed my attention for sure. I feel a bit disappointed now I am older that I spent too much time in my youth in Majorca and Ibiza going from bar to bar and club to club never desiring much more out of life than to meet girls and have a few beers. How shallow is that...must convince my boys to do more with their younger years than I did.

[Edith]

They pose the question - does anywhere exist now where people can go for potential epiphany? My view is that this is just a state of mind (of course!) and if sitting in the countryside somewhere in Spain does it for you then that's all that counts.

It seems most of the old hippie hangouts have gone, as well as the 'real' flower children themselves, allthough I read an article about the last hippies in Goa last year. They are all approaching middle age now. Goa used to attract people from all over the Western world and one of my cousins ended up there for a while in the mid-1970s. By the time I was ready to leave the nest, the golden era of hippiedom had already passed although there were still quite a few of them around.

Some of the most popular travel destinations for young people in the 1970s have become too dangerous now. You already mentioned Afghanistan. In 1979 and 1983, I spent some time in Israel as a kibbutz volunteer, as did many young people from Holland at the time. My main motivation was being part of a Socialist community, doing something for the Jewish people, having fun while meeting people from all over the world, practicing languages, and traveling. Dahab and Sharm El Sheikh, which were occupied by Israel at that time, were a favorite holiday destination for young people (including many hippies). You could live on almost nothing there, sleep on the beach amidst the Bedouins, enjoy the beautiful coral reefs and take a shower for a couple of dimes every day. Preparing your own meal on a campfire in the desert was quite an adventure.

I remember some people in my class chose to pick grapes for three months in France instead. On another occasion I traveled through mainland Spain and southern France with a friend, and even though we had to live on a shoestring budget we had lots of fun and we got to see lots of interesting destinations. It was my first visit to Spain (we are talking about 1981 here) and the country really struck me as being 'different', especially the interior. Spanish youths did not travel abroad that much at that time and they appeared to be amazed by what we did.

Drugs were not my thing, so I never tried those. But spending months on end away from home in a warm country and with lots of exciting things to do seemed paradise at the time and if I were that age again I would grab my backpack right now! Traveling in this way has been an exciting experience which I wouldn't want to have missed for a thing in the world.

Young people still love to travel, and the lucky ones who have got enough money and time on their hands spend a year in Australia traveling through the Outback. It doesn't really matter where you go, as long as the place makes you feel happy. Young people need that kind of experience and their parents should encourage them to be adventurous. :) I've come to prefer the Spanish-speaking world so I will always return there, although I keep dreaming about winning the lottery and making a six-month trip to Aussieland.

[Ben]

I feel a bit disappointed now I am older that I spent too much time in my youth in Majorca and Ibiza going from bar to bar and club to club never desiring much more out of life than to meet girls and have a few beers. How shallow is that...must convince my boys to do more with their younger years than I did.

At the end of the day it is all about seeking happiness. The hippies had to go all the way round the world to find it, you got it much closer to home - as long as you were just as happy as they were, then I think it doesn't matter at all!