When I grow up, I want to be a gypsy. In the romantic sense of the word. Just as these colourful travellers led fascinating lives traversing continents, immersing themselves in intriguing destinations and cultures, each new day unfolding with a sense of wonder and “where to next?”, I want to be the modern version. Living off-grid, unbeholden to government “services”, landlords and noisy/nosy neighbours, hitting the open road with my two dogs and “dropping anchor” whenever and wherever I feel like it. Ah, the freedom!
My spacious, comfy motorhome will naturally have all the mod-cons, including aircon, heating and Wi-Fi, allowing me to take the “work from anywhere” privilege to a whole new level. Driving from one camping site to another would be the way to go. Just like my dad’s 80-something friends do it. While they don’t live in a motorhome, every year, they take a couple of months to caravan their way through SA. How inspiring is that?
During a recent Facebook scroll, I was further inspired by tales of freedom on the open road as told by travellers on the so-called Magic Buses in the 1960s and 70s that departed from cities like Paris, Rome and London to various destinations across Europe and Asia, exposing young minds to new cultures. Much hilarity, misadventure and “far-out” behaviour was wrapped up in the ride. (Like the tale of a baby conceived on the side of the road after the bus driver was hauled off by police, leaving passengers stranded!)
Other young Westerners set out en masse and independently from the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Europe, following their own compasses to India and Thailand. While many were part of the hippie counterculture, they were joined by “regular” albeit disenchanted young people seeking to escape the world of their parents and the darkness of war, and together they blazed the “Hippie Trail”.
“Aboard the weirdest procession of unroadworthy vehicles ever to rattle across the face of the earth, they reached for a new kind of life, and became the first movement of people who travelled to be colonised rather than to colonise,” says author Rory MacLean, who recreated one of the routes – Istanbul to Kathmandu – for himself 40 years later and documented it. Another route included Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan.
Sadly, conflict ripped through parts of the Hippie Trail, ending it in the late 70s, and conflict rages in some countries still, making them no-go zones for the new generations. But what freedom and adventure were once theirs! Makes me yearn for the day when I can blaze my own exciting trail in my not-as-sexy-as-a-Magic-Bus motorhome. Until then, I’ll armchair travel with them, marvel at their photos and wallow in the nostalgia of that bygone time. I may even dust off some varsity-era tie-dyes…
Mindful Musings
What the world was musing over this past week
It’s the Northern Lights – not!
Two friends in Norwich set out to hunt down the Aurora Borealis, which was making an unusual appearance in the UK. But it was a case of mistaken identity – or a need for new specs!
California firefighters save trapped puppy
Cuteness alert! A pup was rescued after it got stuck behind a wall. Watch the rescue mission unfold!
Telltale signs of a psychopath…
Apparently, texting and driving is more than a traffic offence. New research reveals that this habit could mean you have a dark side…
Spanish village wants to ban tourists
Menorca has had enough of unruly tourists, who are not only loud and obnoxious, but breaking into locals’ homes.
NEWSFLASH
The United Arab Emirates is a lucrative travel market with a rapidly expanding outbound segment. Southern Africa features high on the list of travellers’ top destinations. If you’re in the travel space, don’t miss out on a free webinar presented by Travel Lifestyle Network (of which Big Ambitions is part) and AllDetails – an award-winning Dubai-based PR agency.
- Date: 30 May
- Time: 10 AM SAST
REGISTER for the webinar today for more trends and insights!
