How the iconic Lonely Planet travel guides became 'the backpacker's bible'
Lonely Planet travel books have been the so-called “backpacker's bible” for 50 years, ever since Tony Wheeler and his wife Maureen self-published a guide based on their own adventure driving across Europe and Asia.
![How the iconic Lonely Planet travel guides became 'the backpacker's bible'](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7002580.1697805479!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/maureen-and-tony-wheeler-lonely-planet.jpg)
![Maureen (left) and Tony Wheeler modelling the Lonely Planet T-shirt in 1979. The married couple published their first Lonely Planet guidebook in 1973, a year after backpacking across Europe and Asia to Australia. On the left, a woman models a light blue T-shirt with the words "Lonely Planet" written on it. On the right, a man in sunglasses models a similar T-shirt coloured red.](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7002580.1697805479!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/maureen-and-tony-wheeler-lonely-planet.jpg)
Lonely Planet travel books have been the so-called “backpacker's bible” for 50 years, ever since Tony Wheeler and his wife Maureen self-published a guide based on their own adventure driving across Europe and Asia.