A journey to the past A map for the future After hitchhiking from Brazil to nearly halfway around the world Paulo stumbles across Karla a young Dutch woman and like minded soul in Amsterdam s famous Dam Square Together they decide to take the fabled hippie trail across Europe to Nepal aboard the Magic Bus in search of self discovery So begins a life defining love story that will set the course for the rest of their lives Drawing on the rich experience of his own life Paulo Coelho relives the dreams of a generation that longed for peace and challenged the established social order