Catching a Hippy Bus from 1970’s Delhi
In 1977's India Donal Conlon boards an overland bus heading back west, to Afghanistan and beyond. The drive is far from a smooth experience, not that anyone seems that bothered.
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Donal Conlon
16 posts
Lost by my bus on the road to Lalibela
On the way across Ethiopia's northern highlands, Donal Conlon either loses his bus - or it loses him. Either way he finds himself relieved of his luggage and any obvious options for onward transport.
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Hymn to off-season Greece: goats, honey, octopus, calm… and more
Donal Conlon visits an Aegean Greek island so far untouched by either tourism or Covid. On Fourni he feels as though he's stepping back in time.
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Among the Barbarians: a cruise in Norway
When Donal Conlon wins a Norwegian cruise, the first thing he does is look at a map. With memories of Vikings he flies north to the fjords.
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India to Afghanistan (almost) by 70’s Hippy Bus
In the glory days of the overland trail Donal Conlon push-starts his way across Asia on a dodgy bus. Along the way they somehow heard that Elvis died, so probably 1977.
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Horned zebu cattle and potholes: motorbike Madagascar
Donal Conlon finds obstacles and attractions aplenty on the road to Madagascar's northern tip.
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Fishing with Daz off Madagascar’s coast
Donal Conlon finds himself paddling a leaky outrigger pirogue into the Indian Ocean in the hope of catching lunch.
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A motorbike ride through rural Madagascar
Donal Conlon finds a motorcycle is ideal for passing through the rural regions of Madagascar
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Smiles and flirts on Maputo’s best beach
Donal Conlon relaxes on Mozambique's best beach - and finds there's plenty going on.
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An unreliable train links Madagascar’s highlands to the coast
Donal Conlon takes the train that still - usually - links Fianarasoa to the east-coast town of Manakara. It takes a while.
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Taking a taxi-brousse across Madagascar
There's nothing routine about overland travel in Madagascar. Donal Conlon has to wade rivers and rent canoes to complete a one-day journey to Diego Suarez that takes him three.
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Pissed on a plane on the flight to Beira
Donal Conlon finds he has some very drunk company on his night flight across a sleeping Mozambique.
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Fishing for prawns off the Mozambique coast
For most visitors to Maputo prawns are a treat that you find on your plate. Donal Colon joins the fishermen to experience the thrill of catching them in the wild.
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Lost – and then found – on the way to Lalibela
Donal Conlon loses his bus in a small truckstop on the way to Ethiopia's buried churches. With no Amharic he has little alternative but to (try to) hitch.
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A ‘Hippy Trail’ busride across the Khyber Pass
The glory days of Asian travel have to be the 1970's, when an early wave of backpackers flooded into a whole new world of drugged-out colour. Donal Conlon digs out an old diary entry of his journey from Delhi to Kabul.
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Cruising the Loza River in north-western Madagascar
Donal Conlon takes a break from his work in Mozambique to hitch a lift down a Madagascan river. A local boat proceeds at a very local pace.
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