Hippie trail - Definition

The hippie trail is a term used to describe the journeys taken by hippies in the 1960s and '70s from Europe to Asia (or vice versa - many were Australasians). One of the key facts of the hippie trail was the desire to travel as cheaply as possible, thus usually the journeys were carried out by thumbing (hitchhiking).

Such journeys would typically start in England and pass through 'key' spots such as Istanbul, Kathmandu and Goa. Kathmandu still has a road named Freak Street in memory of the many thousands of hippies who passed (and occasionally still pass) through. Many on the hippie trail were driven by the ideals of 'finding yourself' and 'communicating with other peoples' that often underlay the hippie movement.

The overland trail came to an abrupt halt with the political changes at the end of the 1970's. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and the Shah was deposed by an Islamic revolution in Iran. These events made it impossible for travellers to cross by the ancient silk route any longer.

With a loosening of immigration in Iran the route has again become feasible though the war against Afghanistan has made parts of Pakistan risky places to venture.

It might also be noted that with more affluent economies, cheaper flights and a deterioration in the standard of travellers, the overland trail has fallen out of fashion.

See also

• Lonely Planet

External links

• Steve Abrams on the Hippie Trail (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/hitch_hiking/93093) An entertaining account of hitchhiking across the overland trail in the old days
• Steve Abrams' Diary (http://www.oland.co.uk/) (includes downloadable PDF file of entire diary)
• hitchhiking to india (http://www.tomthumb.org/) - a modern day account of hitchhiking from England to India with no money