On the Hippie Trail - walloping your own travel norms

CW, what a lovely thread!

I think my walloping began when I went to Turkey. I had been traveling throughout Western Europe and solo, too, so I didn't have to get past that. But I started thinking about traveling to a more "exotic" spot.

I had started law school in my 40's, though, and had to put everything on hold for several year. However, once I graduated and passed the bar, my brother, who travels for business a LOT, offer me frequent flyer miles to travel wherever I wanted to go. I thought about it and finally realized it was a chance to branch out a bit, so I chose Turkey.

That trip really did change my perspective and certainly walloped my personal travel norms. I found myself on rickety buses sharing an elderly Turkish woman's trail mix, or holding a young mother's baby while she went into the rest stop for a break. I walked to a dusty village where the only people there were villagers pushing carts along, and climbed a high hill, sitting amongst the wildflowers and looking out at the Cappadocian landscape. It was even a novelty dealing with the touts who hawk their wares outside all the major sites in Istanbul. It was one of the most wonderful travel experiences I have ever had.

It wasn't India, but it was enough for me then. That said, I would like to add India to my list, although it probably would not be in the same fashion as Rick's early experience. But what a country!

Mardee, your Turkey trip really was a wallop! You sure made the most of your brother's thoughtful gift of miles! Isn't it interesting, the things we remember from some of these trips - like you sharing the trail mix with the Turkish woman.

And for me, in the Hagia Sophia; yes, the place itself was a wonder, but my most lasting memory was meeting up with a group of Turkish ladies in the women's section and exchanging photos and hugs with them. On parting, one of the ladies said to me, "now we are friends." Yes, we were and I'll never forget her and her friends. Watching them walking away was like parting with family.

I'm so glad to have read your writeup about your trip, which helped to inspire me to go to Turkey!

Yes, an interesting wallop story. I had visited Amsterdam with my sister in 1976 and it was fun, but my wallop trip was when I first went to Yugoslavia to visit my then boyfriend, now husband. It was 1978. So many friends were telling me not to go, it’s a communist country, you don’t know the language, will you be safe, etc.
I traveled by myself, changing planes in Frankfurt, which was daunting. He met me at the airport in Zagreb, we took a bus to the train station, then a 4 hour ride to his city of Rijeka. Talk about an eye opener!
That first trip I encountered his friends with no English, his relatives, again no English except for his parents, strange food, unpasteurized milk in a plastic bag which needed boiling, a smelly fish market, women who did not wear pants, gypsys with dancing bears slowing down traffic, and an apartment on the 5th floor with no elevator or heat or a/c.
But I also encountered beautiful pristine parks, clean streets, beaches with pebbles and a sea so clear you could see the fish swimming, lovely smiling people who had never met an American and were curious, and a way of life less stressful than at home.
I made 3 more trips, saving my money each year, until my last trip when I sailed with him on a Jugolinjia container ship across the Atlantic for 2 weeks. He was working on the ships.
We’ve come a long way since those days, but the memories always make me smile.

My wallops aren't that big comparitively, but for me personally, they were.

The first one was travelling off the continent at all. I traveled to Ireland by myself (but took a CIE bus tour). I still impressed everyone that knew me just for the fact of going to Europe on a plane by myself.

The next wallop was an RS Turkey tour. My first trip to Asia!

The next was planning a European trip for DS and myself and traveling independently.

The next was travelling in Japan with DS x 2 (with the help of Inside Japan). I spent 10 months studying Japanese to soothe my anxiety and it was a real help!

At this point in time, I am not specifically looking for more wallops. I am travelling in North America this year. But who knows what I will think of next.

My wallop was when I headed to Hanoi at the end of a two week tour to China. No more tour, and a new culture and language which I adjusted to on my own before heading to Cambodia and I had to readjust all over again! This remains one of my favorite trips ever. I learned I could handle it all and enjoy all the exciting new places I encountered. Asia remains my favorite place to visit.

Barbara, that is quite the leap of language, food and customs! And well worth the effort for the way of life and, of course, your now-husband!!

vandrabrud, isn't that just the thing about our wallops, they are all comparative. What I consider a big deal, might not be for someone else. And that RS Turkey Tour was a big step for me, too, which I credit for giving me the experience to return on my own. My Turkey travel buddy just retired, so I think I may be in for a few more wallops from her list. But boy, I'm ready to take it easy.

Suki, Vietnam and Cambodia, that is quite the double wallop! Vietnam might be one destination for which I'm willing to take one more giant travel step. Although I'm hoping I can just take my brother along (he speaks Vietnamese) and let him make it easy for me ;-)