In 1977, the author set out from his Singapore home to travel west through Asia and Europe. In Bangkok, Thailand, he avoided a snake bite and played with tigers in the zoo. Religion determined some destinations: the "Four-Faces Brahma" statue, the monk Luang Phor Chaloem who blessed him, and the birthplace of the Buddha. In New Delhi, he encountered the infamous Children of God cult. He was warned not to assume a certain yoga stance reserved for beggars wishing to appear crippled. He dodged massage scammers in Peshawar, Pakistan, and visited Kabul, Afghanistan, when it was still a haven for American/European hippies. He passed through Turkey and Greece, enjoyed fresh fruits in Yugoslavia, and occasionally slept outdoors. In Austria, police searched his baggage, merely curious about his intriguing gadgets. In Germany, he encountered repeated hostile treatment when asking directions to the home of a fellow traveler. Barred from Britain for reasons never explained to him, he backtracked to Paris and home.

As he traveled, Hong, a martial arts practitioner and Confucius descendant, took black and white photos that enhance his account, showing a young man ready for adventure among time-honored shrines and hordes of ordinary people. His photos and narrative denote the change in places like Iran, where in 1977, young women freely wore Western garb in contrast with post-revolution photos of females shrouded in heavy robes and face coverings. Scenarios include poor children selling food on the street and panoramic views of world-famous buildings like New Delhi's Red Fort. The fascinating written portions of his memoir display good humor as he fights with vicious mosquitoes and cannily checks each hostel room for well-locking doors. A relic of things past combined with Hong's current wisdom, this is an engaging recollection for those who were there and those who wish they had been.

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