Crossing the Shadow Line

by Andrew Eames

A book tracing Andrew Eames' travels in SE Asia as a young and naive Cambridge graduate. He examines how travel influenced his life and growth in the course of describing events including Thai hill-tribes, a monsoon in a tin shack in Malaysia, an Indian holy city and sailing in a junk-rigged prahu across the turbulent Timor Sea. He describes the crossing of his personal "shadow line" between sanity and insanity, youth and maturity.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, British Literature

252 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1986

About the author

Andrew Eames is a travel writer with his articles appearing in the Daily Telegraph and The Times.

He is an authority on Istanbul and the Nile.

He lives in London with his family.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a graduate from Cambridge, Andrew Eames left his life in London to travel in South East Asia. He gave himself a time limit of two years, and this book captures those travels, and his return home about two and a half years later. It was published in 1986, so safe to assume the travel was in the 1983-85 range, so now around 40 years ago!

These are the adventures of the traveller still finding his way; taking risks he probably wouldn't if he had a few years experience under his belt. He shares the highs and lows, owns his mistakes and revels in his glories. Overall it is very readable, although it drags on a little in a couple of spots - he is also an author finding his way! Some might know him now from his travel articles appearing in the Daily Telegraph and The Times.

The book commences in Bangkok, then a trip to the hilltribes of Thailand, then the beaches and islands of Thailand. He then carries on south through Malaysia including Tioman Island out of season, and on to Singapore. In Singapore he sets himself up with a place to live (an expat doss house) and a job (teaching English). Eames also starts writing articles, having a few published in the Straits Times.

When it is time to head off travelling again, Eames leaves Singapore in an old Indonesian boat which appeared to be a smuggling vessel, bound for Tanjung Pinang, in Indonesia's Bintan Island, not far from Singapore. As well as climbing a mountain (that ended up being far from a challenging climb) he went on a seven island journey on an old Dutch cargo ship. Generally for inter island travel and trade for the locals this gave me at least a look around some of Indonesia.

He enjoyed his time on the seas, which led to his next adventure - joining as crew on a prahu, or Indonesian sailing boat on the island of Flores who were sailing along the island chain to end in Darwin, Australia. The crew were made up of two Australians, two Americans, two Italians, a New Zealander and Eames. The boat was owner by the Australian's who also had a baby daughter. The voyage is well described, and falls into the category above noted as risk taking. Plenty went wrong, and preparations were fairly low level!

The balance of the book charts more travels back to Singapore then out again and home, taking in another visit to Thailand and the train journey south to Singapore on the International Express, then time in Nepal around the Annapurna's, time in Calcutta, then up to the Thar Desert in Rajasthan before meandering to New Delhi to take a flight to Moscow and on to London and right to the last there were travel issues!

Overall a readable first book of travel from the author.
3 stars.

[Mark Thuell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A joy to reread this book after 40 odd years. Well written, bravely honest and still fresh

[Mellius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boek over de overgang naar volwassenheid als gevolg van een reis door Zuidoost Azië.

Een leuk boek als je zelf daar gereisd hebt, maar verder niet opzienbarend.