a rare glimpse into traveling light and cheap On the Hippie Trail

On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer by Rick Steves
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

On the Hippie Trail gives a rare glimpse into the experiences of two twenty-somethings traveling light and cheap from Istanbul to Kathmandu in 1978. I did not know of the "Hippie Trail"  prior to this book, despite being about the same age as this author. My upbringing was much more sheltered and isolated with respect to other cultures and places than his. Granted that the experiences recorded here are from the POV of a young person,  they are candid and with minimal filtering. Although i don't want to or plan to travel in these areas of the world, i am, even in retirement, fascinated and attracted to this simple, grounded mode of travel, and hope that i have many years of it left in me! A great read.

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Lots of history sprinkled with personal anecdote

Off the Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down the Pilgrim's Route into Spain by Jack Hitt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Off the Road is an interesting account of Jack Hitt's walk of the Camino Santiago de Compostela across the north of Spain. Everyone's camino is unique and this author chose to include generous history of the camino, the route, and the ideas and beliefs around it. I believe that this book was partial inspiration for the Emilio Estevez film "The Way" staring Martin Sheen. Lots of history sprinkled with personal anecdote.

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