Letters Home

"Get out of here," I yell, picking up stones and throwing them at the closest dogs. They're not at all intimidated, edging closer. Jean picks up Tashi, urging, "Just keep walking, don't stop, don't look at them, and don't yell at them!" In an America marked by the Vietnam War and social unrest, when many are demonstrating, moving to communes, or escaping to Canada, a young man and woman decide to travel overland to India. They're bound by a desire to explore a world different from their own, a world of mystery, challenge, and discovery. They carry only their backpacks. They have no travel guide or maps and know only that India lies somewhere to the Far East. This true account follows our travelers on "The Great Hippie Trail" through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to and into their destination, Mother India. They send biweekly letters home-single-page foldable aerogrammes, faithfully transcribed within this book-to assure their families that they are safe, healthy, and happy. Their reality often differs markedly from their upbeat letters, however, as they face daunting times of uncertainty, illness, and loss. Theirs is a tale of spiritual unfolding told through encounters with Hindu and Buddhist teachers, as well as with everyday people of different languages, customs, and beliefs. The world becomes their classroom, with each new place and person they meet a challenging lesson to be learned, bringing lifelong changes. And who are they now as they return home?