Rick Steves’ new book reveals his raw, real journey from Istanbul to Kathmandu

Rick Steves is seen conducting guidebook research in Bern, Switzerland.

I’ve been following Rick Steves since he began writing his now famous travel guides almost 40 years ago. But I did not know of his first journal of his trip from Istanbul to Kathmandu.

His new book, “On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer,” is taken from those journals. Back then, we did not have iPads and electronic devices like we do now. So, Steves recorded his day-to-day journaling in an actual journal.

My first encounter with travel writing came from Arthur Frommer’s wildly popular “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day.” Excuse me while I laugh my head off. Really, five bucks? It made people who would not have normally been able to afford to travel to Europe, well, finally feel as if they could. And fortunately for us, Frommer mentored Rick Steves.

I have heard tales about how amazing, unique and gorgeous Afghanistan, Iran and Istanbul were. Since I have not been to any of these countries, I found myself both smiling and cringing at some of the findings along the way for Steves and his friend Gene as they traveled by bus, train and boat for months, seeing this storied region of the world through their young, adventurous eyes.

RICK STEVES’ EUROPE/COURTESY IMAGES

Most of you are familiar with Steves’ numerous updated guidebooks, from Europe to the South Seas to Asia, and on through South America. He never lets his travelers down and is able to cleverly invent agendas for each place of interest. And, not to be outdone, he has hosted documentaries that beautifully render amazing scenery and unique rhetoric.

I have to say that after reading his book, I would never want to travel like this to such remote spots on this earth. Back in the 1970s, when Steves took this journey, I believe travelers were friendlier. Nowadays, there are so many terrorist groups praying on tourists this would not be feasible. And many of the places along this trail are just not safe to visit now. But it’s the mode of travel that most deters me.

Jean Lewis is a veteran bookseller who visits book clubs throughout Southwest Florida, speaking about the best new books of the season. She lives in Cape Coral with her husband, Jack, and their three spoiled cats. Maurice was their Siamese cat who lived to be 22 years old and loved sitting on books. Jean can be reached at www.mauriceonbooks.com.

Steves and Gene began their adventure by visiting Rick’s Bulgarian friends before taking the bus to Istanbul, Turkey. People might think this rustic travel is tough now; in the ‘70s, it was harrowing. In Iran, the so-called hotels had dirt floors and overflowing toilets. Or just a hole in the floor for a bathroom. I can tell you that the first time you encounter a hole in the floor of what is being touted as an actual toilet, it is pretty off-putting. I made this discovery as we stopped to change buses in Sorrento on our way to Positano several years ago. I was guided to what seemed like a perfectly normal bathroom only to find nothing but a small hole in the floor. OMG!

I’m always interested in the food of a region. Or great places to experience tasty local food. This was not that kind of trip. Lots of eating food with hands, much dining on fresh melons and almost no imbibing of liquor or beer. A bit of hashish. After all, this was the ‘70s and Steves and Gene were in their early 20s.

It’s all about the scenery. Lush countryside in some areas, and then bleak and unseemly landscape spread across much of this part of the world. But when it comes to Istanbul and the Bosphorus, words simply fail to communicate the exquisite beauty of the land and the people. And then there are the mosques.

On the bus to Tehran, Steves and Gene were the only Americans. They were in the midst of a cast of misshapen and sometimes ominous characters. The bus ride took 4 nights and 3 days and was 1,500 miles. Only 200 more to Kathmandu.

Afghanistan is noted as a godforsaken place by Steves. Meanwhile, Gene has been struggling with illness for much of the trip. The rest-stop entertainment is watching a goat being skinned. On that note, I pass.

It was time to go with the flow and purchase traditional native garb. Loose white cotton pants and top. Maybe they will be cooler and not stand out so much.

My favorite stop on this trip is Kashmir, where they stayed on a houseboat. It was not only beautiful, but the people were friendly and happy. A close favorite was a stop in Agara to visit the Taj Mahal, which I have long been fascinated by.

Steves has gone on to write countless travel guides over the past 40 years, most of them with Gene Openshaw as his guidebook collaborator. I especially have enjoyed watching his travel shows, which have become mainstays for travelers everywhere.

The year 1978 was the final summer for the Hippie Trail. Steves made it just in time! His takeaway for traveling is simple: it gives us a broader perspective. ¦