tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post115701704574927420..comments2024-02-24T02:40:22.081+00:00Comments on The Generalist: ALTERNATIVE SOCIETY 1970s: BIT Travel GuideJohn Mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501711032849084572noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-66830081987325464202016-04-09T13:52:35.193+01:002016-04-09T13:52:35.193+01:00I traveled overland to India in 1973 with my mate ...I traveled overland to India in 1973 with my mate John "Boz" using the BIT guide for that year as a starting point. From Istanbul we traveled in a couple of old Mercedes buses owned by a one-armed Afghan and his two drivers - who we met in the infamous "Pudding Shop". The trip involved so many seriously insane events that one day I really will write it up.<br />How I'd love to see a BIT guide from that period! maybe someone out there has one that they could scan and put up for us?<br />I think anyone reading this blog would really appreciate the following site:<br />http://www.roadtogoa.com/<br />John, who is responsible for it... well, take a look for yourselves. Some quite amazing stories and I can say for a fact that they're all, as far as I recall, true.<br />RoyUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10175326882144292538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-69814541466435936532013-11-28T08:56:46.727+00:002013-11-28T08:56:46.727+00:00Great to browse through; I arrived overland (start...Great to browse through; I arrived overland (started in Copenhagen) in India September 3rd 1965; this brought back memories!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13483750272022792278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-51100636895496649922013-11-28T08:55:55.638+00:002013-11-28T08:55:55.638+00:00Great to browse through; I arrived overland (start...Great to browse through; I arrived overland (started in Copenhagen) in India September 3rd 1965; this brought back memories!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13483750272022792278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-21668401316843414672013-11-13T00:07:38.048+00:002013-11-13T00:07:38.048+00:00I was the freak who furnished the Guide with detai...I was the freak who furnished the Guide with details of how to get from Istanbul to India (if I remember correctly) for about ten quid, as detailed in the Guide itself. I got the details from a Vietnam deserter in Athens, and gave it to Nick Albery, at BIT, on my return. Having re-contacted Nick just before he died, he told me that he had sold it on to Richard Branson, who in turn sold it on to Tony Whatsisname, who made himself a millionaire. I never got a penny, but had the honour of sending all those troubadors to Bombay instead. I was amazed when I heard that it actually worked! T. A. Phelpshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09365677023096982593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-3549176942665833732013-08-03T01:24:46.903+01:002013-08-03T01:24:46.903+01:00Bloody BIT!. I got strip searched at the India/Pak...Bloody BIT!. I got strip searched at the India/Pakistan border because of that invaluable little book. The Indian customs guy saw it said 'anyone carrying that is doing so because it tells you how to smuggle drugs'. Funny thing is they never found anything, I followed the advice of BIT which meant that I finally got to Amritsar with enough Afghani to last until me until Katmandu.AWJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17204864714989823270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-84318649847027665602013-05-28T09:58:15.879+01:002013-05-28T09:58:15.879+01:00We got our info on the road to Asia in the form of...We got our info on the road to Asia in the form of unbound pages of Bit, As travelers heading East passed a destinations the information became obsolete so those pages were handed to travelers heading West who handed those pages back to travelers they met heading East again, often updated by hand written notes these loose pages floated back and forth over thousands of miles. Covers were used as roaches, and pages were used for... well a lot of us had stomach problems... But "open source" publishing was born on that road somewhere between Bali and Istambul.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12359483994188906488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-19869123707699737822013-04-23T09:03:17.334+01:002013-04-23T09:03:17.334+01:00Hello Generalist - great stuff thanks for posting,...Hello Generalist - great stuff thanks for posting, really enjoying it all!<br /><br />Can anyone help me out with some original content via email/a photocopy/or a copy of the BIT overland to India circa 1970?<br />I imagine most original copies have disintegrated long ago covered in Moroccan tea stains and in-ground hash. No funds for my current research so all help very much appreciated!<br /><br />Contact me via<br />www.estherotoole.co.ukAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16368889841624135619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-10967618509212309822013-01-07T20:26:26.365+00:002013-01-07T20:26:26.365+00:00Does anyone remember the visa regulations for bein...Does anyone remember the visa regulations for being a tourist in India in around 1977? How long could you stay? Did you have to leave the country to renew a visa? If so, where did people go? How long did they have to stay out?nechols11https://www.blogger.com/profile/04750378217675033594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-61093465569260259752013-01-07T20:16:11.986+00:002013-01-07T20:16:11.986+00:00Fascinating. Does anyone recall what the visa regu...Fascinating. Does anyone recall what the visa regulations were in around 1977 for travelling to India? How long could you stay on a tourist visa? How did one get the stay extended? Was it necessary to leave India to get a renewal at an Indian consulate in another country? If so, where dod traveler's usually go? And how long did it take?<br /><br />Robertnechols11https://www.blogger.com/profile/04750378217675033594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-78546652525170220042012-07-21T22:09:20.045+01:002012-07-21T22:09:20.045+01:00TRAVELGURU-INDIA is an essential website providing...<a href="http://www.travelguru-india.com/" rel="nofollow">TRAVELGURU-INDIA</a> is an essential website providing a vivid description of history, culture, places of attraction, heritage, scenic beauty and people of India. Visit our website as a Travel Guide of India.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16996763489785468466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-59625402417475833472012-07-20T08:48:10.635+01:002012-07-20T08:48:10.635+01:00Found this blog by searching " bit travel&quo...Found this blog by searching " bit travel". I remember with great affection my dogeared copy of the stapled bit book that got me (mostly hitchhiking) from Istanbul to India in Late 1978. I can't remember where I got the book - probably barter from a west bound traveler - but I doubt if I would have made it in one piece without it.<a href="http://www.cheapflightsforpakistan.co.uk" rel="nofollow">cheap flights for islamabad</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.naturel-lake.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Saparta lake</a>Mubeenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16853459810407637132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-74966673961981442352012-03-23T15:05:30.538+00:002012-03-23T15:05:30.538+00:00I'd love too much to have the text, not the bo...I'd love too much to have the text, not the books, of the first editions of 'Overland to Asia and Australia' and 'Overland through Africa'. Anyone willing to help me? <br />I have a photographed copy of the April 1972 update of BIT's "Overland to Asia' and I'm happy to share it with you. Ditto for the first issue of Bitman. A huge hug to all the 'divine losers'gphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05585597511759179866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-39051599234475546142011-04-22T15:53:12.492+01:002011-04-22T15:53:12.492+01:00i remember reading in the intro to the guide:"...i remember reading in the intro to the guide:"gurdjieff lived in the east without any money for years".<br />i imagined that gurdjieff must have been some squatter from ladbroke grove,or something.<br />anyway,it was an inspiration...<br />i set off determined to emulate him....<br />that guide was a book that changed my life.<br />strange but true.gargantuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15645408250676434604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-64023527849914271182011-04-22T15:46:20.523+01:002011-04-22T15:46:20.523+01:00i got my 1975 copy from a guy who was planning to ...i got my 1975 copy from a guy who was planning to go to india in 75,but he fell off a tractor on a huge acid trip,and after a spell in a mental hospital,figuring he would never make it, gave it to me.<br />it served me well.<br />there were already a lot of pages missing from wear and tear by the time i used it in late 77 to light a fire on a full moon night on the ghats at benares(houseboat 1Rs/night)(govt.shop bhang,all you could eat for 2Rs,i think..)...gargantuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15645408250676434604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-22377224856166798152011-01-09T00:30:40.818+00:002011-01-09T00:30:40.818+00:00I still have my ancient Bit guide to India. It cam...I still have my ancient Bit guide to India. It came with me in 78, hitching, busing and training to India, stayed a year and a half.valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16020696247791236545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-4080625192386510452011-01-09T00:26:09.190+00:002011-01-09T00:26:09.190+00:00Still got my ancient Bit guide to India,it came wi...Still got my ancient Bit guide to India,it came with me hitching and busing and training in 78, stayed a year and a half.<br />Does anyone remember the Bit newsletters, Bitman etc???valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16020696247791236545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-44053884399633105172010-07-28T03:02:46.753+01:002010-07-28T03:02:46.753+01:00I bought my first BIT guide in '74 when I was ...I bought my first BIT guide in '74 when I was on my first trip in Europe. Those tattered pages fed my lust to go eastward. The next year I got an updated '75 copy when I stayed at the crash pad on my way back to Canada. A few months later I headed back to Europe and my journey eastward. The BIT guide was the best if you wanted to travel on a low, low budget. Still enjoying reading it and looking at my little notations. $60 got me from Europe to Kathmandu. Looking forward to heading out again when I retire in a few years, it's not the destination, it's the trip!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-33980310617289751022010-04-01T20:23:43.808+01:002010-04-01T20:23:43.808+01:00I still have my 1975 BIT guide OVERLAND TO INDIA A...I still have my 1975 BIT guide OVERLAND TO INDIA AND AUSTRALIA.<br />Got it from the office I think this may be the first copy they sold of that edition because I went into the office in June and I only remember there was some difficulty...come back later none available, something like that. I was only in London that day and had to fly out the next morning so after some begging and pleading from me and I think collating and stapling by them I got my copy. With my trusty BIT Bible by my side it was an amazing trip.bluemoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14764695624025444564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-59512041146936953992009-02-06T22:21:00.000+00:002009-02-06T22:21:00.000+00:00desperate for a bit guide for India and thailand f...desperate for a bit guide for India and thailand for the mid to late 70s. will pay. can anyone help<BR/><BR/>clive newman<BR/><BR/>clivnew@aol.comclive200https://www.blogger.com/profile/12048468870621442075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-32825916126130685662008-02-26T18:48:00.000+00:002008-02-26T18:48:00.000+00:00hionce upon a time, long, long, ago i set out with...hi<BR/>once upon a time, long, long, ago i set out with an a to z to find the bit building in notting hill/westbourne rd? it was a task as i remember the area was partly demolished or was that me, the office was upstairs and there were several snorring sleeping bags around the room, there i bought the africa guide which i still have and a 1/4 oz of morroccan for £7.00 from someone who was cutting it up on a table whilst keeping an eye out the window for the plain clothes boys whom he thought were watching from a car outside, with the smoke stuck down my jeans i left to pursue morrocco,and its advice did stand me in good sted for info and accomodation ..terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09984873192278767826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13333926.post-1165552428394419562006-12-08T04:33:00.000+00:002006-12-08T04:33:00.000+00:00Found this blog by searching " bit travel". I reme...Found this blog by searching " bit travel". I remember with great affection my dogeared copy of the stapled bit book that got me (mostly hitchhiking) from Istanbul to India in Late 1978. I can't remember where I got the book - probably barter from a west bound traveler - but I doubt if I would have made it in one piece without it.Forex Offshore Serviceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03071632022431604404noreply@blogger.com