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Journey Out Of Asia
An absorbing account of a difficult 12,500 journey made by a British couple in their van through Asia, from Malaya,after that country had gained independence from British rule
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1963
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 30, 2026
Katharine and husband Stuart are British, and having worked in Colonial Malaya for around 20 years are departing shortly after that countries independence. Not convinced they want a hard stop and a flight to Britain, they plan an overland trip home. The book was published in 1963, the travel took place in 1960/61.
With a Volkswagen Kombi set up for Asia's rough roads and camping gear all stowed they set off. The route they follow is loosely Malaya (Malaysia), Burma (Myanmar), India, Nepal, Pakistan, Persia (Iran), Turkey, Syria, (then in and out of Lebanon and Syria to Jordan and back, and another trip out of Lebanon into Syria and back, before Greece and on to Italy, Switzerland and France before reaching Britain.
They travel cheaply, but are relatively self reliant. Initially, until they find their confidence they stay in hotels and make use of the Government rest houses in India, then take up camping as they intended. They were generally well treated and treated the locals well, and were assisted in navigating and finding what they required. There were a few expectations - boys with stones and those wanting baksheesh were problematic in Syria, but usually hospitality outweighed any inconveniences. On the whole they also had an easier run of the border crossings that many others.
The author mixes writing about their experiences with context history and good description of what they see. There was explanation of travel, mechanical issues, illness and the food they ate, but none of it was too overwhelming or dominating of the narrative.
P79/80
4 stars.
With a Volkswagen Kombi set up for Asia's rough roads and camping gear all stowed they set off. The route they follow is loosely Malaya (Malaysia), Burma (Myanmar), India, Nepal, Pakistan, Persia (Iran), Turkey, Syria, (then in and out of Lebanon and Syria to Jordan and back, and another trip out of Lebanon into Syria and back, before Greece and on to Italy, Switzerland and France before reaching Britain.
They travel cheaply, but are relatively self reliant. Initially, until they find their confidence they stay in hotels and make use of the Government rest houses in India, then take up camping as they intended. They were generally well treated and treated the locals well, and were assisted in navigating and finding what they required. There were a few expectations - boys with stones and those wanting baksheesh were problematic in Syria, but usually hospitality outweighed any inconveniences. On the whole they also had an easier run of the border crossings that many others.
The author mixes writing about their experiences with context history and good description of what they see. There was explanation of travel, mechanical issues, illness and the food they ate, but none of it was too overwhelming or dominating of the narrative.
P79/80
Great congeries of golden camels went swaying along in the tree shade to the clunk-clink of their strings of bells. A few donkeys, or sometimes just one small donkey always leads the camel train.A quick , easy and amusing read.
Everything is piled atop the animals, charpoy beds, tents, cocks and hens, goats and kids, new0born wooly lambs, and lovely children with dusky faces and rose-red cheeks, their dark tousled heads nodding to the camel's stride. Baby camels trotted beside their mothers with a nervous springy gait, the thick flocculent coats wooly and ochre-brown like koala bears.
4 stars.
January 14, 2015
a good travel tale, of a journey through lands that are mostly all gone now
June 29, 2022
A really good read ! Well written and entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews