A unique collection of tales from working in seventy countries Fakirs, Feluccas and Femme Fatales: Tales from an Incidental Traveller is the latest addition to Bradt’s new series of travel narratives, perfect for both the inveterate traveller and for those who want to indulge in the wider travel experience without leaving the comfort of their armchair. 
This collection of tales, based on E. T. Laing’s travels to work in seventy countries presents a kaleidoscope of landscapes, sounds, smells, politics, humour dialogue and, above all, people.
In his introduction to the book the author says “You can talk to the people of a country, starting with the taxi driver on the way in from the airport. You can listen to them and laugh with them. You can watch their sunsets, smell their cooking and walk in their hills. You can discuss their politics, and football. Knit it all together and you have the soul of the country.”
From the funny to the downright frightening, Laing’s tales touch the extremes of poverty and wealth, of beauty and brutality as he recounts some of the weird and wonderful moments from his journeys far from home. As he comments, ‘Nothing sharpens the understanding more than seeing things done ten different ways in ten different countries.’
During the long course of his travels to work, he’s witnessed a Communisty Party boss lose a chilli-eating contest in China; confronted a gaggle of drunken soldiers who threw his passport into a ditch in Nigeria; been kissed again and again in front of a cheering crowd by a tiny babushka at a market stall in Russia; and faced the displeasure of a despotic ruler in the Middle East.
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Extract from ‘Eritrea’
The camels were sprawled, knees tucked under, along the shore in the shimmering heat haze. In profile they were like throwbacks to prehistory, deeply unbeautiful but aloof, noses held high. They were chewing busily with their rubbery lips, but were otherwise motionless in the unbearable heat. A goatherd flicked each of them with his stick, summoning them to join another group of camels that were already roped together along the beach and being loaded with boxes of vegetables and dried fish. The camels that had been disturbed raised their heads to the sky and bellowed out their unearthly guttural groans of misery. It must have been the sound of the mediaeval caravanserie. Then, grunting and moaning as if in pain, they hauled themselves to their feet and ambled over to join the others, where they stood shuffling, saddle bells clinking, exhaling and stamping in discontent as they were loaded up as beasts of burden.
Until they moved, they seemed the most ungainly of creatures. Then on the command they glided forward – and were transformed. They eased into a light lope, and as they gathered speed, all four legs started to leave the ground, their front and back legs on each side moving – unlike other animals – in parallel with each other rather than in contrary directions. By the time they reached 30 miles an hour, they seemed to be levitating, weightless, as if on the moon.
Within minutes the caravan was a speck in the distance along the beach.
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Extract available To see a fuller extract from this book click here
To request a review copy or for more details please contact Debbie Hunter press@bradtguides.com
Tel +44 (0)1753 893444
Title: Fakirs, Feluccas and Femmes Fatales Author: E. T. Laing
Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides Publication: 5th July 2012
Price: £9.99 ISBN: 9781841624396
