Lulu Garcia Navarro

It's full of the joy of exploration and discovery. And I wanted to talk to him to relearn how to feel that sense of communion with the world. Here's my conversation with travel guru, Rick Steves. I was reading your newest book, which are the diaries of a trip that you took in 1978 when you were 23 years old on what was called the hippie trail.

It's full of the joy of exploration and discovery. And I wanted to talk to him to relearn how to feel that sense of communion with the world. Here's my conversation with travel guru, Rick Steves. I was reading your newest book, which are the diaries of a trip that you took in 1978 when you were 23 years old on what was called the hippie trail.

When you reread those diaries, what did it evoke in you when you looked at that 23-year-old with the hindsight of age now?

When you reread those diaries, what did it evoke in you when you looked at that 23-year-old with the hindsight of age now?

What did that make you feel?

What did that make you feel?

So reading this book really brought me back because when I was 23, I went on my own version of the hippie trail. And I went to different countries. I went to Asia. But the thing that changed the course of my life happened there. I was in Vietnam. And it was the 20-year anniversary of the fall of Saigon. And I was not interested in journalism in any way, shape, or form.

So reading this book really brought me back because when I was 23, I went on my own version of the hippie trail. And I went to different countries. I went to Asia. But the thing that changed the course of my life happened there. I was in Vietnam. And it was the 20-year anniversary of the fall of Saigon. And I was not interested in journalism in any way, shape, or form.

And I happened to be at this bar called Apocalypse Now.

And I happened to be at this bar called Apocalypse Now.

Which is named, of course, after the film. And I happened to run into a whole bunch of journalists that were there to commemorate the 20th anniversary that had covered the war. And I met them and hung out with them for a while. And that was my first exposure to journalism and being a foreign correspondent, which is what ended up being my career. Yes.

Which is named, of course, after the film. And I happened to run into a whole bunch of journalists that were there to commemorate the 20th anniversary that had covered the war. And I met them and hung out with them for a while. And that was my first exposure to journalism and being a foreign correspondent, which is what ended up being my career. Yes.

And so it resonated so much reading this because through the journey, right, not everything ends up changing the course of your life, but the seeds of maybe what you're going to become, you know, you can often find them when you have these incredible experiences. And I just found that to be true reading about 23-year-old Rick Steves.

And so it resonated so much reading this because through the journey, right, not everything ends up changing the course of your life, but the seeds of maybe what you're going to become, you know, you can often find them when you have these incredible experiences. And I just found that to be true reading about 23-year-old Rick Steves.

Absolutely serendipitous.

Absolutely serendipitous.

Travel teacher. Is that how you see yourself?

Travel teacher. Is that how you see yourself?

Rick, in those days when you were doing that sort of circumambulation of Europe, what did you learn about Americans abroad? Like, what did you see in having these experiences over and over and over again with your countrymen in Europe?

Rick, in those days when you were doing that sort of circumambulation of Europe, what did you learn about Americans abroad? Like, what did you see in having these experiences over and over and over again with your countrymen in Europe?