I struggle with Dervla Murphy* but I love the places she visited decades ago. In The Waiting Land, it’s Nepal, primarily the Tibetan Refugee Camp in Pokhara and the capital, Kathmandu, in 1965.
* in this case: “Tiblets”, “Tibland” and thinking she’s better than most other westerners in Nepal.
AboBooks page: The Waiting Land: A Spell in Nepal – Dervla Murphy
My first taste of Dervla Murphy, although I’ve looked at her travel books many times. I’m not sure I’ll be trying any others – I didn’t like the style or the subjective opinions in this record of her travels in the north of Pakistan over the winter of 1974/1975, taking her 6 year old daughter with her. That said, it was interesting to read about places visited on the Hindu Kush Adventure, and Skardu and environs which Rob, who lent me this book, has been exploring on his own (well, with a guide, jeep driver and cook!), and in particular details of the area’s transport/infrstructure, society and culture thirty years ago.
Amazon.co.uk link: Where the Indus Is Young: Walking to Baltistan – Dervla Murphy