In 1967 Asta lives in Sydney's Kings Cross, famous for strip clubs, gambling dens, artists and beatniks. After a failed relationship she drops out of her office job, joins a band led by an Aborigine blues singer and is introduced to LSD by a mysterious older man at a teenage party. When she meets her new partner they decide to seek 'spiritual enlightenment' in India. They hitchhike to Darwin via the crocodile-infested Kimberley in Western Australia. Working various jobs along the way, they save enough money for their trip and head to India on the cheap. What begins as a hilarious adventure soon reveals the First Noble Truth of the Buddha - 'existence is suffering'. As they trek through Southeast Asia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey and Europe to the UK, Asta's inner journey of discovery and healing forms an essential counterpoint to the physical challenge of travelling rough on the Hippie Trail.