Here Be Yaks - review

Description (taken from The Intrepid Traveler.com)

Here Be Yaks chronicles the adventures of a group of ordinary people on an extraordinary journey to one of the most isolated corners of Tibet. From Lhasa they travel ever upwards along the ancient Tasam Highway, stopping at ancient stage posts and battling altitude sickness and exhaustion, to reach Mount Kailash, revered by four faiths. Here they perform the sacred kora, or circumambulation, of Kailash, each seeking a personal religious epiphany. The author, haunted by the recent loss of her husband, finds peace and solace in this sacred place. Her curiosity piqued by an old map, she also solves one of the few remaining geographic mysteries on the planet - the true source of the river Sutlej, a matter of controversy for centuries. An adventure story told with a scholar's touch, Here Be Yaks represents an important addition to the literature on Tibet. Foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

MY REVIEW

Years ago I travelled to Kathmandu, Nepal with Teen Missions International. Nepal and Tibet share a border for those of you who are unfamiliar with that area. Many Tibetans had fled to Nepal in years past and I was blessed enough to meet some of these wonderful people during my weeks there. Ever since that time I have been fascinated with the people of Tibet and their incredible country.

Here Be Yaks is a very well written account of the authors physical AND emotional travels in this amazing foreign land. I thoroughly appreciated the vivid descriptions of the sights and sounds on Lahiri's journey. I found it easy to picture in my mind what Lahiri was experiencing. The book contains several black and white photos and I do think it would have been enhanced by adding colour and more photos of this beautiful land. Lahiri did a excellent job of explaining a lot of the history and geography of the land without sounding like a school textbook. Here Be Yaks is an excellent choice for anyone hoping to learn more about Tibet and its fascinating culture.

Thanks to The Intrepid Traveller and MomFuse for giving me the chance to review Here Be Yaks!