Latest news with #TonyWheeler
Telegraph
10-07-2025
- Telegraph
‘We smoked cannabis in Kabul hostels': Four writers recall the Middle East's golden age of travel
It is hard to imagine today, with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advising against travel to much of the region (Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Syria are all on its red list), but those parts of the Middle East now better associated with conflict and extremism were once essential stops on the backpacker route sometimes known as the 'hippie trail'. The region's previous life is perfectly illustrated by Lonely Planet's first-ever guidebook, Across Asia on the Cheap, published in 1973. 'Weed, of course, is the big seller in Afghanistan; so long as you only buy in small amounts you're extremely unlikely to run afoul of the law,' is one typical pearl of wisdom from the author, and Lonely Planet's co-founder, Tony Wheeler. Of Iran, he adds: 'In its efforts to attract even our type of tourists, the Iranian government has opened a number of excellent campsites.' With the prospect of Western holidaymakers enjoying such laid-back Middle Eastern adventures rarely looking so remote (even if Afghanistan did recently launch a bizarre tourism campaign), we asked Tony Wheeler – and three writers – to share their memories of trips to the region during this golden age. 'Iran: amazingly friendly country, shame about the awful government' We never actually called it the 'hippie trail'. In 1972, it was 'the Asia overland trip'. Whatever the title, 50 years later, it remains the peak travel experience of my life. Today, the Flightradar24 app neatly sums up what's happening to visitor flows to the region: there's a big empty expanse of sky; nobody's going there. In 1972, it was wonderful. The adventure started in Istanbul, where bridges or tunnels over or under the Bosphorus had yet to arrive. Going by ferry there was a distinct feeling of leaving behind Europe and arriving in Asia. Cappadocia and the 'fairy chimneys' of the Göreme Valley? It was a good job somebody suggested we go there, as the tourist crowds certainly hadn't arrived and it was nearly 20 years before the first hot-air balloon drifted across the valley. Today, there's barely elbow room up above, but it's still a fantastic experience. Then it was on to Iran. I've been back a number of times subsequently – most recently in 2017, driving right across the country in an old MGB sports car with my daughter, Tashi, as co-driver. Every time, my experience has been the same. What an amazingly friendly country, shame about the awful government. On an extensive solo visit in 2004, it was remarkable how many times somebody would come over to my restaurant table, point out that I looked neglected and invite me to join their table so they could practise their English. And Afghanistan? What a country. It's remarkable how often I meet people who announce they were there during that golden era and will never forget the place. That said, the greatest regret of my travelling life is also in Afghanistan. In 1972, my wife, Maureen, and I failed to continue up to Bamiyan to see the giant Buddhas. I got to Bamiyan in 2006, but the Buddhas had departed in 2001, destroyed by the Taliban. Tony Wheeler 'Beirut, the Paris of the Middle East, felt more like Miami Beach' 'No wonder Iranians are proud of their country,' I wrote in 1996, 'they feel invincible. They believe that the West, and America in particular, is afraid of them.' Political self-confidence can lead to arrogance but in Iran's case 30 years ago, it was evident in the friendliness and courtesy of the people. They just wished to talk to us and learn more about us. It reminded me of the self-confidence I had witnessed in the Middle East another 30 years earlier when my college friend and I hitchhiked there in 1963. Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel: stable, proud, and – yes – all feeling invincible. The people wanted to show us their countries. Admittedly, some of the locals were rather keen that we show them our bodies, but we dealt with this by linking up with a chaperone, Walter. Hitchhiking for him was easier with us, and with him we had less hassle. Beirut flaunted its reputation as the Paris of the Middle East, although it struck us more like Miami Beach with its high-rise hotels. Beautiful men and women strutted along the seafront, and students from the American University of Beirut chatted at the open-air restaurants in a cloud of cigarette smoke. We couldn't even afford a fruit juice. Damascus was not much better, but more exotic; it was in Jordan that the whole Middle East experience came together. Two years earlier, King Hussein had married an English girl, Toni Gardiner, whom the press loved to call the 'Ipswich typist'. She became Princess Muna and the Jordanians we met loved their royal family. We were invited into their homes, shared meals. We were taken to Petra, where the only other humans were Bedouin living among the ruins; we went to Bethlehem, where you could buy a crown of thorns in three different sizes; and we pottered around the Jordanian section of Jerusalem before crossing into Israel. We were 21 and politically naive, but we knew that no Arab country would have admitted us with an Israeli stamp in our passport. In Israel they were busy building a nation and had no time for tourists. We couldn't even thumb a lift – the young soldiers on military service formed hitchhiking queues at every road junction – and when someone did stop for us, the hospitality was lacking. It was almost like being home again. Hilary Bradt 'In Kabul hostels travellers familiarised themselves with Afghanistan's most famous product: cannabis' I didn't know it at the time, but I was one of the last of the generation of hopelessly idealistic travellers who journeyed overland to India along a route which was famously dubbed the 'hippie trail'. The year was 1977 and I was 18. Turkey, where thanks to a lift from a lorry driver heading to Syria I ended up in a remote village somewhere near Lake Van, was the first country that really opened my eyes – and ears – to a very different world: a world of strangely powerful peaks, sweet black teas and a succession of stirring melodies that conjured up the Orient. Tehran was an altogether different proposition: a fast-paced city which even then – little more than a year before the toppling of the Shah – was clearly on edge. I took refuge in Rasht on the Caspian Sea, where a kind soul who taught English at a local school brought me in to engage with bright-eyed children agog about the future and curious about London. I learnt a Persian word I still use to this day: Khodahafez (farewell; may God protect you). I watched entranced outside modest premises where flatbreads were baked in ovens, the smell alone making me giddy with hunger. I didn't bother with the great Islamic architectural wonders of Isfahan – oh, the folly of youth – instead hopping on a bus heading east towards Kabul, where travellers on the trail would congregate in hostels along 'Chicken Street' and, sitting on finely woven carpets, familiarise themselves with what at the time was another of Afghanistan's most famous products: cannabis. It's all a bit of a blur. But I remember hazy hills and dusty plains; mosques and men in turbans. I also remember feeling uneasy about the much lower visibility even then of women. The journalist in me had yet to stir, but, as with Iran, I detected something in the air. Not long after the Shah was ousted, Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union and the hippie trail was no more. I was lucky to experience it. But I do wish I'd gone to see the great Buddhas of Bamiyan before they were blown to smithereens by the Taliban. Adrian Bridge 'It's the hospitality of the people I remember most' It was 1983: my year off between school and university. I joined a small group of Americans, Australians and Britons in an expedition truck to drive overland from London to Kathmandu. The journey was to take three months, travelling through Europe, eastern Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Pakistan and India – an impossible itinerary today. Then, it seemed adventurous, but mostly because communication with home was so sporadic. We relied on receiving letters, often weeks out of date, at Poste Restantes along the way. My dog-eared, teenage travel diary brings back vivid memories of that formative journey. The souks of Istanbul, a swim in the Dead Sea, the medieval stronghold of Krak des Chevaliers in Syria, where 'we saw guards' rooms, baths, secret doors, everything…' (Now a World Heritage Site, it was badly shelled in 2012 during the Syrian Civil War.) After entering Damascus at dusk, twinkling with lights, I noted a feast of exotic dips and kebabs. Miles and miles of empty desert roads were to follow. Overtaking buffalo carts, besieged by curious children in isolated villages, refuelling at local markets, camping in the wilderness – my diary is full of the wonder and novelty of it. The Indus Valley was 'green and fertile', the houseboats of Kashmir 'ornate', the golden temple of Amritsar 'inspiring' – so many standouts. But it's the hospitality of the people we met along the way that I remember most, and especially on one sweltering afternoon in south-eastern Iran. Just four years after the 1979 revolution, Iran was a tense place and we travelled through quickly. But, pausing at the 15th-century shrine of the Sufi poet Shah Nimatullah in Mahan, we entered a courtyard full of greenery with a pool surrounded by geraniums where a chador-clad woman beckoned us over to cool off on her shady rug. There we sat for so long, sharing her watermelon, that we never got to see the shrine itself.
Irish Independent
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
‘Sorry, but no thanks' – Lonely Planet co-founder reveals four destinations he won't visit again
Tony Wheeler, the 78-year-old co-founder of Lonely Planet, shares his no-go destinations ©UK Independent Today at 21:30 Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler has revealed four locations to which he will not return any time soon. In a blog titled 'I'm Not Going There Anymore', the 78-year-old adventurer puts the world's biggest country at the top of his no-go list. He writes: 'I'm not going back to Russia for certain, as long as they're buddying up with North Korea and the US to attack Ukraine. And as long as Putin continues to kill innocent people. 'There have been untold numbers of Ukrainian deaths of course, but also there were 27 Australians amongst the 298 innocent passengers and crew on Malaysia Airlines MH17 which Putin's boys shot down in 2014.' Mr Wheeler is a dual Australian and British citizen. Next on his list: Saudi Arabia, which is investing tens of billions of dollars in a bid to become a leading tourist destination. The Lonely Planet co-founder writes: 'So many reasons I never want to go there anymore, whether it's murdering journalists (Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul) or check The New York Times for the report on Saudis murdering East African domestic workers. 'Or on my own travels to Somaliland in 2022 I encountered cheetahs saved from being shipped to Saudi Arabia to be kept as pets, and then killed when they grew too large. 'Who knew Somaliland had cheetahs? Who would be so stupid to think they might make good pets? Saudi Arabia? No thank you.' Mr Wheeler visited Saudi Arabia in 2002 and Russia in 2013. He was last in the US in December 2024, after Donald Trump had been elected for a second term as president but before he took office. The adventurous septuagenarian writes: 'I was sort of ticking off states until I'd been to all 50. Last year I added Missouri and South Carolina to my checklist, the year before Montana, leaving only three states to go: Alabama, Kansas and Mississippi. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'But right now with the orange one (AKA Liz Trump, or even Donald Trump to some people) and his associated scoundrels running the place I really don't want to go there anymore. "Despite having spent nearly 10 years of my life living in the US (Midwest, East Coast, West Coast) and despite having many American friends, I'm currently happy to leave the US at the bottom of my dance card. "As long as Trumpistan is shoulder to shoulder with Russia and North Korea in causing chaos in the world, quite apart from crazy tariffs – sorry, but no thanks.' The fourth destination on Mr Wheeler's no-go list is Bali – though he concedes: 'There are so many good things about that Indonesian island and I've just had a great travel writers reunion trip there. "But until they sort out the ridiculous traffic I never want to go back. Unless there's a very good reason to drag me there. 'Bali has great places to stay, wonderful art and dance, terrific food, great shopping if that's your thing, but no way I ever want to spend another two hours of my life travelling between the Kuta beach strip and Ubud.' Tony and Maureen Wheeler, founders of Lonely Planet, sold the company to the BBC in 2007.
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Lonely Planet founder reveals 4 popular tourist destinations he'll never visit again and his reasons might surprise you
For someone who has built a life around exploring the farthest corners of the Earth, Tony Wheeler's passport is not just well-stamped — it is practically legendary. Since co-founding Lonely Planet with his wife Maureen in 1973, Tony has charted more terrain than most of us could dream of, from dusty backroads to buzzing capitals but after five decades of travel, the iconic globe-trotter has made a surprising admission: there are places he has no plans to return to — not anytime soon and in some cases, never. In a candid blog post titled 'I'm Not Going There Anymore', Tony does not mince words. Whether it is political chaos, ethical concerns or just plain burnout, these destinations — some wildly popular — have lost their shine for him. Here's where he's drawing the line and why. Tony has explored Russia multiple times, even riding the Trans-Siberian Railway back in 2013 but today? He's made up his mind. Russia's ongoing aggression, from the war in Ukraine to the infamous downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 — which killed 298 people including 27 Australians — has left him unwilling to support the country with his travel dollars and it is not just about borders and battles. 'There's the death in 2018 in Salisbury, England, of another innocent bystander, killed by a totally shambolic assassination attempt by more of Putin's silly boys,' Tony wrote, frustrated by what he sees as state-sponsored violence and impunity. For now, Russia — with all its architectural grandeur and cultural heft — is off the list. Tony's previous visit to Saudi Arabia in 2002 was filled with moments of discovery and warmth — he even fondly remembers his guide, Saeed Juman, who showed him around the southern city of Najran but in 2025, his perspective has shifted. Citing the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the mistreatment of East African domestic workers (as documented by the New York Times) and the shocking exotic pet trade that has led to cheetahs being smuggled from Africa into Saudi homes — only to be killed once they outgrow their cuteness — Tony says he cannot in good conscience go back. 'Who would be so stupid to think [cheetahs] might make good pets?' he wrote. 'Saudi Arabia? No thank you.' Bali has long been considered Southeast Asia's crown jewel and Tony Wheeler is the first to sing its praises. Great food, rich culture, lush landscapes. He even helped plant rice with local farmers back in 1999 while researching his book Rice Trails but one thing has driven him away: gridlock. 'The traffic is ridiculous,' he shared. 'Unless there's a very good reason to drag me there, I never want to go back.' Despite recently enjoying a travel writers' reunion on the island, Tony revealed the hours lost in traffic between Kuta and Ubud are enough to make Bali a 'no-go' until serious infrastructure changes are made. Tony has spent nearly a decade of his life living in the United States, from coast to coast. He has made it his mission to visit all 50 states and he is nearly there, with just Alabama, Kansas and Mississippi left but right now he has tapped out. 'With the orange one (AKA Liz Trump, or even Donald Trump to some people) and his associated scoundrels running the place,' Tony wrote he is in no rush to complete the checklist. Between political chaos, wild tariffs and what he calls America's growing alignment with authoritarian regimes, he is content to leave the USA at 'the bottom of [his] dance card.' That said, he did squeeze in a final trip in December 2025, road-tripping across Missouri to visit the graves of German settlers — anti-slavery Unionists — who were massacred during the Civil War. The experience was meaningful, but it did not change his mind. These decisions are not just about politics or logistics. Tony acknowledged a growing internal conflict: climate guilt. 'Recently I've been hearing from friends who have decided they're going to look after the world and not fly anywhere anymore,' he wrote. 'A bit late, I generally feel — if you'd made that resolution decades ago... I would treat that decision with much more respect.' Yet, despite the inner tug-of-war, Tony Wheeler is still on the move. He will continue to travel and continue to feel guilty about it because for all his critiques and boundaries, his passion for the world remains. It is just a little more selective now. He may be done with Russia and Bali (for now) but the globe is still spinning and Tony Wheeler is not slowing down completely. His honesty about changing travel values — political, ethical, environmental — might just be what the future of thoughtful travel looks like.
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Lonely Planet founder reveals the travel destinations he'll NEVER visit again
As one of the most respected voices in travel writing, Tony Wheeler has been helping tourists experience the world's most majestic sights since the early Seventies when he first founded Lonely Planet. The holiday sage, now 78, regularly discusses his favourite places, and the destinations he's got no desire to visit - and his latest list is out. While some might not surprise many, given global politics, the other two that have made Wheeler's no-go list are hugely popular tourist destinations. In a blog post on his website, the Lonely Planet co-founder - he set the company up with his wife Maureen in 1973 but later sold it to BBC Worldwide, posted explaining exactly what's behind his decisions. The post, entitled, I'm Not Going There Anymore, reveals that travelling at all by plane feels difficult as the threat of global warming increases, but admits he 'continues travelling and continues to feel guilty about it'. The first two destinations on the list are Russia and Saudia Arabia. While the latter is investing heavily in wooing tourists with luxury hotels and high-end developments, it doesn't float Wheeler's boat - and he's frank about it. He says while he had an interesting time when visiting in 2002, he has no wish to go back, and it's a similar story with Russia, with the Lonely Planet founder citing political stories about both countries that have left him voting with his feet. The place those who read his books might be more surprised about? Indonesian island Bali. 'Sorry Bali,' he explains. 'There are so many good things about that Indonesian island and I've just had a great travel writers reunion trip there, but until they sort out the ridiculous traffic I never want to go back, unless there's a very good reason to drag me there.' While he maintains he loves the art, food, shopping and cultural attractions on Bali, the jam between Kuta beach and Ubud has put him off for the forseeable. And a place that he's visited dozens of times also gets short shrift, meaning he may not complete his quest to visit all 50 states. Yes, the USA is off radar for the travel guru, with his visits to Missouri and Carolina likely to be his last for a while - well, at least the next four years. He explained: 'Despite having spent nearly 10 years of my life living in the USA and despite having many American friends, I'm currently happy to leave the USA at the bottom of my dance card.' He reveals it's the current president that's putting him off: 'Right now with the orange one (or even Donald Trump to some people) and his associated scoundrels running the place I really don't want to go there anymore.' Wheeler and his wife Maureen sold Lonely Planet in 2007 to the BBC Worldwide in a deal worth £130million in 2007. However, the commercial arm of the BBC later sold it to US company NC2 Media at a loss of nearly £80million. In 2020, the brand was acquired by Red Ventures. Last year, the current batch of travel experts at Lonely Planet unveiled a wanderlust-inducing list of the 30 best places to visit in 2025 - and the US did make the cut. Lonely Planet's Best In Travel 2025 book crowns the top ten countries, regions and cities to visit this year. The rankings were curated by 'Lonely Planet experts, contributors from around the world and publishing partners', with the guide adding that the destinations have been chosen 'for their topicality, unique experiences, wow factor and ongoing commitment to sustainability, community and diversity'. Cameroon topped the country ranking, with Lithuania in second place and Fiji snatching the bronze medal. Pittsburgh came sixth in the city ranking, which was topped by Toulouse in France. East Anglia was declared the eighth-best region in the world.
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Lonely Planet founder shares four destination he'll never return to
Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler, who has visited more than 170 countries worldwide, has revealed the four destinations he won't be returning to for reasons as diverse as war and bad traffic A travel expert who has visited more than 170 countries across the globe had revealed four destinations he won't be returning to. Tony Wheeler, the co-founder of popular travel guide Lonely Planet, has spent more than half a century travelling - but says he won't go back to four particular places. The adventurer co-founded what would become a guide book empire alongside his wife Maureen in 1973, when the pair published Across Asia on the Cheap. He sold the firm to the BBC in 2007. In a recent post on his blog Tony Wheeler's Travels, the writer said war, local transport and political turmoil had put him off going back to the four destinations - Russia, Saudi Arabia, the USA and Indonesian island Bali. Russia The world's largest country by land area has been at war with Ukraine since it invaded its neighbour in 2022. Tony, who says he has visited Russia multiple times, admitted he wouldn't return "as long as they're buddying up with North Korea and the USA to attack Ukraine" and "as long as Vladimir Putin continues to kill innocent people". The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia due the risks of its war with Ukraine. Travellers are warned of drone attacks and terrorist incidents in major cities. Saudi Arabia The expert said he wouldn't go to the Middle East country for "many reasons". The Gulf state, which attracted 30 million tourists last year, has been criticised for its human rights record. Tony mentioned the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 along with recent reports of Saudis murdering East African domestic workers in his explanation. He added: "On my own travels to Somaliland in 2022 I encountered cheetahs saved from being shipped to Saudi Arabia to be kept as pets, and then killed when they grew too large." Bali The Indonesian island of Bali has been a popular spot for Brits seeking gap year getaways or luxury getaways. But the influx has left the island playing catch-up, Tony says. He said: "Bali, there are so many good things about that Indonesian island and I've just had a great travel writers reunion trip there, but until they sort out the ridiculous traffic I never want to go back." USA Often a popular destination for western tourists, Tony surprisingly listed the USA among his new no-go areas. Having visited all but three US states, he said he wouldn't return while Donald Trump is president. He added: "Right now with the orange one (AKA Liz Trump , or even Donald Trump to some people) and his associated scoundrels running the place I really don't want to go there anymore. "Despite having spent nearly 10 years of my life living in the USA (Midwest, East Coast, West Coast) and despite having many American friends, I'm currently happy to leave the USA at the bottom of my dance card."
