BootsnAll Travel Community

What's the latest print of this book? I know of a 1996 version, but has it been updated since?

I did a bit of searching around JJ, but so far I haven't had any luck.

I did find one reference on Amazon.com for Hitchhiker's Guide to Europe, but it looks like it's referencing a 1986 edition. Bugger.

Anyone else? I'm rather curious about this now myself, and it sounds like a sweet book.

JJ, can you tell us more about, say author, some of what it's about, how you first found/heard about it, etc.?

Have backpack, will scribble,
Anthony

4 months, 1 continent, a loopy Yank writer and a lot of trains. Oh my.

Eurail Blog.com

The first edition of this book was published in... 1971, I think, or maybe 1973. (The first edition was the one Douglas Adams was carrying with him when he got the idea for the book Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.) Since the beginning of the 70's new editions have come out approximately every second year, I know that at least three editions were published in the 90's, I've got the 1995 edition.

The book was originally written and edited by Ken Welsh (who's also written other guide books), and in the 90's Katie Wood (Author of the "Europe By Train" -series) co-edited the Hitchhiker's Guide together with Ken Welsh.

The book is very informative and fun to read, it tells about hitchhiking tactics, basic survival, living on a minimal budget and it's full of tips sent by other hitchhikers. The book introduces briefly all European countries plus North Africa and Middle east, and gives good info about hitchhiking in those countries. However, my favourite part of the book is the first chapter, which is filled with travel philosophy, poems and quotes, hitchhiking records etc.

I'd be really sad if they have stopped publishing this fantastic book...

On my first Europe trip in 1974, I used: "RULE OF THUMB: A HITCHHIKER'S HANDBOOK TO EUROPE, NORTH AFRICA AND THE EAST" New York: Simon & Schuster, 1973.

I still have it around here somewhere.
I remember hitching in Austria and in Greece.
As can be expected, I don't remember a lot else.

Alrighty... here are some scans of the book:


Front cover

Back cover

Info page

Opening 1

Opening 2