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A Backpacking Journey through South America in the 1970s
Imagine travelling through Bolivia and Peru with very little money, no internet, no mobile phone, no tour guides and no reservations - just dusty roads, handwritten postcards, plenty of curiosity and an unshakeable spirit of adventure.
That is what I set out to do in the mid-1970s, and this book - based on the notes I kept during the journey - has become a portrait of a world that no longer exists.
Here are some of the experiences you'll find inside:
- Visiting Machu Picchu as the only person there. Exploring other peaceful and solitary ruins of ancient civilisations, free from today's restrictions and mass tourism.
- The thrill of hitching rides on trucks, travelling through steep mountains along narrow unpaved roads without guardrails - trusting the drivers' skill and relying on luck.
- Life inside a Bolivian silver mine - where harsh and unsafe conditions revealed the miners' tough reality.
- The floating islands of Lake Titicaca - before they became a tourist attraction.
- A quiet Bolivian town on the lake's shore, with no cars, where time seemed to stand still.
This book is more than just a travel account - it is a mix of personal stories, cultural encounters and reflections on a South America that has been transformed forever.
If you have ever dreamt of travel, history and authentic adventure, this book will take you there.
