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Short Breaks Ad Compass Spring 13.indd 1 04/03/2013 10:10 EDITORIAL | Spring 2013

Welcome to Compass

There’s a very good reason people talk about the joys of spring. After what felt like the longest winter in history, the bright buds of a new season have arrived like a gregarious friend, full of enthusiasm for all the good things ahead. Our search for vibrant colours and spectacular wildlife takes us right to the blooming heart of nature in this issue of Compass, as we paddle along the lily-lined waterways of Borneo (p38), explore the tranquil, palm-shaded coves of Fiji (p60) and enjoy the historic charms of the little-known Caribbean island of Nevis (p56). We continue off the-beaten-track on a thrilling train journey across north-west Mexico to the dramatic Copper Canyon (p28), praise the monastic wonders of ’s Golden Ring heritage villages (p50), stake out a unique safari camp in the wildlife-rich reserves of Tanzania (p32) and enjoy a right royal welcome in the lesser- known family palaces of rural Rajasthan (p44). I was lucky enough to meet William Dalrymple, on one of his rare visits from India, and discuss his new book Return of a King. Read the fascinating, if chilling, parallels he draws between the disastrous Anglo-Afghan war of 1839 and today’s incursion (p14). Meanwhile, author Deborah Moggach, who scored a hit with her Indian- set novel The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, recounts how her first overseas trip was anything but exotic in One Giant Leap (p98). Elsewhere, we shop Gangnam Style in the South Korean capital, Seoul (p82), soak up the souks of Oman (p22) and celebrate 150 years of Underground art at the London Transport Museum (p96). With round ups of all the latest books, gadgets, travel news and competitions, it’s time to shake off the winter blues and embrace a more vibrant season. Oh, and when you do, please write and tell us about your travels: we always love to hear from you.

Jennifer Cox, Editor

www.coxandkings.co.uk COMPASS 3 Contents | spring 2013

Contents Spring 2013

60 90 Escapades Reports Life

28 MEXICO | Chepe & cheerful 22 OMAN | 48 Hours in Muscat 14 GUEST TRAVELLER | Tony rides the Peter Hilton savours the flavours of William Dalrymple Chihuahua Pacifico the Omani capital On his latest book Return of a King: the Battle for Afghanistan 32 TANZANIA | Lodge an appeal 44 INDIA | Beyond the land of kings Louise Stanion visits Beho Beho Amar Grover delves deep into 64 ART TOURS in the Selous Rajasthan Expert lecturers go behind the scenes of the 2013 programme 38 MALAYSIAN BORNEO | 50 RUSSIA | Picture perfect Return to innocence Andy Potts explores the rich 88 FOOD | Vivek Singh Tamara Thiessen explores the heritage of the Golden Ring On the changing times and tastes waterways of Sabah and Sarawak of Asian cuisine 56 NEVIS | Queen of the Caribees 60 FIJI | Into the blue Harriet Compston explores 90 RECIPE | Cinnamon Kitchen Amanda Statham relaxes in the Nelson’s Nevis Delicious new recipes from the remote South Pacific Cinnamon Kitchen chef 78 UK | Step back in time: 86 PRIORITY BOARDING | Christopher Somerville visits Captain Steve Allright Gight Castle To the moon and back with the British Airways pilot 82 SOUTH KOREA | Gangnam file Jennifer Cox on Seoul’s best 98 ONE GIANT LEAP | shopping districts Deborah Moggach Developing a love of travel, art and boys

4 COMPASS COX & KINGS TRAVEL Contents | spring 2013

DON’T William Dalrymple Vivek Singh’s recipes Deborah Moggach MISS... p14 p90 p98

32 50 44 News & views Reviews

8 Dear Compass… 80 SOMETHING TO DECLARE | 70 Book reviews Your letters and stories Neville Peat From London Bridge to Britten On Shackleton’s Whisky and 9 New directions modern explorers 74 Wanted on voyage Nigel Hosking on what’s new at Travel watches and mapping apps Cox & Kings 84 CHARITY SPOTLIGHT | Tackling poverty in India 75 Beauty spot 18 The Hot List The charity projects of Magic Bus This season’s well-being wonders The best in travel this season 96 BEHIND THE SCENES | 94 A taste of the world 24 SIX OF THE BEST | Poster tube A trio of tipples for spring Cafes for people watching 150 years of art on the London Cox & Kings experts pick their Underground favourites Competitions

68 COMPASS POINTS | 7 A question of travel Mei-Ling Hopgood Win a pair of Swarovski binoculars Are kids the key to a nation’s personality? 12 Travel in focus Winners of our photography 76 Not to be missed competition Forthcoming travel events around the UK 74 App giveaway Your chance to win a sat-nav app

93 Compass crossword Cryptic brainteaser

www.coxandkings.co.uk COMPASS 5 CONTRIBUTORS | SPRING 2013 Compass Contributors T h i S S p r i n g ’ S C om p a ss C o n t r i b u t o r s

Mei-Ling British journalist Amar Grover Neville Peat Hopgood’s Andy Potts is a London- spent two best-selling has been based freelance summers at autobiography travelling to travel writer- Scott Base, Lucky Girl is an Russia since photographer New Zealand’s account of her experiences, 1990 and moved to Moscow and a regular contributor to the Antarctic station, in the late as an Asian girl growing up in 2006. He is a regular Financial Times, Independent 1970s as a journalist and adopted in the American contributor to Royal Wings, on Sunday and Geographical photographer, and was Midwest. Mei-Ling’s latest magazine of Royal Jordanian magazine. He has visited the awarded New Zealand’s book How Eskimos Keep Airlines, South China Morning Indian Subcontinent regularly largest literary prize, the Their Babies Warm (£12.99, Post and websites of the since 1987 and on p44 Creative New Zealand Michael Macmillan) is a collection of Kontinental Hockey League gets off the beaten track in King Writers’ Fellowship, in parenting wisdom from around and International Ice Hockey Rajasthan. 2007. Shackleton’s Whisky the world. In Compass Points Federation. On p54, he www.pictographical.co.uk (£16.99, Preface) is Neville’s (p68), Mei-Ling argues that the visits Russia’s historic Golden fifth book on Antarctic themes. way children are raised is the Ring region. In Something to Declare, key to a country’s personality. he considers the merit of Find out more at following in the footsteps of www.mei-linghopgood.com great explorers (p80). www. nevillepeatsnewzealand.com The Compass Team

Editor Jennifer Cox

Deputy Editor James Innes Williams

Staff Writer Katie Parsons

Art Director Joanne Francis

Designer Ines Menendez

Advertising Mark Stacey On the cover Proboscis monkeys, Borneo Illustrations Matt Broersma www.mattmatt.com

With thanks Philip Hamilton-Grierson, Nigel Hosking, Michael Pullman, Annabel Ford, Balaji Kandasamy, Peter Hilton, Neill Prothero, Vessela Baleva, Ariane Mick de Vizcaino, Louise Stanion, Michael Fleetwood, Aaron Jennings, Toby Langley, Thomas Saunders, Sarah Morgan, Sunita Ramanand, Neil Davis and Christopher Bradford.

Printer Warners Midlands plc www.warners.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY nick Gregan www.nickgregan.com

Other Image credits Cox & Kings Travel Ltd, istockphoto.com, bigstockphoto.com, Robert Harding, Amar Grover, Alamy, Getty Images, Nick Wilkins and James Innes Williams

Compass is published by Cox & Kings Travel Ltd, 6th Floor, 30 Millbank, London SW1P 4EE. W: www.coxandkings.co.uk E: [email protected] T: 020 7873 5000 F: 020 7630 6038

6 COMPASS COX & KINGS TRAVEL ! SURVEYRep | eatCOM titlePETITIO hereNS A question of travel S u r v e y o f t ravel behaviour s & att i t u d e s

Compass readers are a well-travelled group, so we thought it would be fascinating to canvass your opinions on a few questions relating to travel.

This survey’s sole purpose is to gauge current opinions on interesting travel-related questions. We will publish all the results in the next issue of Compass. We also intend to run the same survey in the future to keep track of changing trends. If you would like the chance to win a superb pair of Swarovski Optik binoculars, please add your details at the end. If you would prefer not to enter the competition your answers will still be added to the survey results. Any contact details provided will only be used to contact the winner and will certainly not be passed on to any third parties.

Enter your survey online at www.coxandkings.co.uk/survey or complete the form and return it to Survey Competition, c/o John Patterson, Cox & Kings Travel Ltd, 6th Floor, 30 Millbank, London, SW1P 4EE. Closing date: 30 April 2013.

1. Who would your perfect travelling A smartphone companion(s) be? A laptop ENTER Your spouse / partner none OUR A friend Other (please specify) SURVEY A group of friends FOR A Your favourite pet A favourite celebrity whom you CHANCE TO have never met WIN A PAIR no one – I prefer to travel alone 5. What is the first thing you do when OF SWAROVSKI OPTIK CL you get back from your holidays? COMPANION BINOCULARS Check my emails WORTH £800 2. Which of these statements most Unpack and start the washing closely reflects your attitude to machine Compact Binoculars – carbon offsetting? Make a cup of tea Impressive Performance There is no moral duty to offset the Open the post The CL Companion binoculars carbon footprint of your holiday. Look through my photos are compact and lightweight with I don’t believe the money donated Other (please specify) high production quality and makes a difference. transmission for bright high contrast I give money to charity in lieu of images – ideal for all travel and carbon offsetting. leisure activities. The binoculars have It is a moral duty to offset the carbon thumb depressions on the underside footprint of your holiday, and I do so for steady, balanced viewing comfort through a recognised scheme. 6. Which of these statements most with a shock absorbing non-slip full rubber armouring and twist-in eye It is a moral duty to offset the carbon closely reflects how you use your cups for spectacle wearers. The CL footprint of your holiday – but I rarely, holiday photographs? Companion is dirtproof, dustproof if ever, get round to it. I take lots of photos with a digital and watertight. It has a close camera, but they almost always stay focus distance of 3 metres. in the camera Price: £800. 3. What is the first thing you check for I download photos on to my computer when walking into a hotel room for and view them on the screen the first time? I share my pictures using social The bathroom media (Facebook / email etc) Name: The minibar I get my best photos developed The bounciness of the bed in a shop Address: The view from the window or balcony I print out my best photos The tea & coffee making facilities I make an of holiday photos I usually put on a slide show for friends / family City / Town: 4. What technology do you use while I still use a camera with film on holiday? (Select all that apply) I never take photos on holiday Post Code: An iPad or ‘tablet’ I tend to take videos rather than Email Address: Electronic reading device - eg a Kindle photos

www.coxandkings.co.uk COMPASS 7 dear compass | NEWs & VIEWS Dear Compass... star letter Dear Compass, On all of our journeys with Cox & Kings – in Burma, Japan, Vietnam and Bhutan – we have found our guides incredibly pleasant, courteous, and most importantly extremely knowledgeable regarding all aspects of their country from history and traditions to wildlife. But I wanted to let you know about our latest guide, Carlos from Guatemala, who not only knew every detail of Mayan history, having acted as a guide for National Geographic, but was also expert at locating interesting birds. He can mimic their individual calls, hear them call back and pinpoint their position. This meant that we were able to see trogons, orioles, falcons and hawks, as well as toucans and macaws. Neither of us were initially great birdwatchers, but we soon became fascinated; a great addition to our planned cultural tour. He has been the best ever guide. Dr Judi Gordon, Poole

Thank you for your letter Dr Gordon, your guide sounds truly remarkable: what a fantastic skill – it made me think of a Guatemalan Percy Edwards! Perhaps other readers have had guides with useful, unexpected skills? If so please do drop us a line at Compass. Ed. Dear Compass… Dear Compass… My husband was reading the Imperial My recent trip to India on board MV Morocco article in our last issue of Minerva combined exploration of the Dear Compass… Compass magazine, and the poster ports on the west coast of India with I have just finished reading the interview image for the classic Bergman and the convenience of a cruise ship. It with Martin Jarvis (One Giant Leap) in Bogart film Casablanca caught my eye was such a pleasure to have the land the last issue of Compass magazine. on the fact page. I just wanted to thank excursions organised by Cox & Kings – What an extraordinary experience that you for an impromptu movie night: we could relax with confidence. must have been, travelling around post- we sat down and watched it that very We sailed from Dubai to Porbandar to war Germany in a school production of evening! What a wonderful film. visit Ghandi’s birthplace, Kirti Mandir, Shakespeare. Catherine Moore, Danbury Essex where we received a red carpet I have extremely fond memories welcome, with bands playing. Then we of my own school trips to Brittany travelled to Mumbai, a friendly, bustling Wherever you’ve been or wherever and Bergen. At a time when we are city of architectural gems; to Mangalore you’re going, we would love to hear seeing cut backs on schools’ funding from you. to explore temples; anchored in the and far too many health and safety port of Kochi to see the fascinating Write to us at: nerves about school trips, it’s important Dear Compass, Chinese fishing nets; and enjoyed a to remember just how life-changing Cox & Kings Travel, day cruise on the backwaters in Kerala. these trips can be for young adults. 6th Floor, 30 Millbank, Finally sailing into Tuticorin, we were Mr John Lester, Brighton London SW1P 4EE most impressed with the welcome or email [email protected]. from the beautifully dressed children Thank you Mr Lester, we hope you enjoy The star letter will win a £50 standing to attention with a salute. reading about Deborah Moggach’s One voucher. Ann Hudson, Burton-in-Wirral Giant Leap in the issue. Ed.

8 COMPASS COX & KINGS TRAVEL Cox & Kings | News & views NEW D irections Nigel Hosking, senior product manager, looks ahead to new travel ideas from Cox & Kings’ for 2013. NEW NORTH AMERICA | Introducing Canada DESTINATION Canada is a superb year-round destination, with vibrant cities, breath-taking scenery and the most prolific wildlife in North America – including the chance to see polar bears. I am genuinely excited that for the first time we are offering a series of private journeys, non-exclusive group tours and tailor-made travel options to Canada, covering British Columbia & Alberta, Ontario & Quebec, the east coast and Manitoba. A personal favourite is the luxurious Rocky Mountaineer train, which offers a thrilling, memorable journey through the majestic Canadian Rockies. Our Highlights of Western Canada tour includes two nights on the train as well as time in the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver. It also takes in Jasper, surrounded by its own national park, the glorious scenery around Lake Louise and Banff, with it mountainous backdrop. Highlights of Western Canada is available as a Private Journey – 9 Days / 8 Nights from £1,995.

Bow river, Rocky Mountains

www.coxandkings.co.uk COMPASS 9 Cox & Kings | News & views

FAR EAST | Burmese river cruising Burma’s popularity continues to grow, and the new Orient Express luxury river cruiser is sure to add to the appeal. Orcaella, named after the dolphins that inhabit the Irrawaddy river, stops at the key cultural sites and towns as well as dropping anchor at interesting off-the- beaten-track sites.

Orcaella Cruise is available as a Private Journey – 17 days / 14 nights Leg rower, Burma from £5,495.

EUROPE | Unspoilt NEW DESTINATION has established itself as a unique destination for those looking for a break from the norm, and the recent addition of its neighbour Greenland is proving to be just as popular. We now offer a series of extensions from Iceland to Greenland – one of the last great unspoilt wildernesses – including the chance to visit the startling Eqi glacier.

Illulissat is available as a private extension to Iceland – 3 Days / 2 Ammassalik, Greenland (Iceland Travel) Nights from £1,085.

INDIA | ART TOURS | Exploring Tamil Nadu Danish art & design India may not be a novel destination for Our art tours programme, designed in us, but there is always more to discover. association with the Royal Academy, We have recently introduced a new features one-off experiences and all journey through south-eastern state of tours are led by expert lecturers. One Blue-footed boobies Tamil Nadu, which includes picturesque such example is Copenhagen: the city’s rural villages, such as Athoor, one of galleries and museums offer a wealth of LATIN AMERICA | India’s largest temple complexes at European art and design, all seen in the Discovering Ecuador Ranganatha, and a stay at one of the company of our expert lecturer, Anne & the Galapagos lavish converted mansions in Chettinad. Anderson, for added insight. Our new group tour to Ecuador and Tamil Nadu is available as a Private Copenhagen: Danish Art & Design is a the Galapagos provides a perfect Journey – 15 Days / 13 Nights from group tour departing on 1 August 2013 introduction to the remarkable and £2,395 – 4 Days / 3 Nights from £1,195 unique ‘Enchanted Isles’. See the captivating colonial architecture of Quito and the Avenue of Volcanoes, including the snow covered Cotopaxi, before taking a five-night cruise of the fascinating Galapagos Islands.

Ecuador & Galapagos is available as an Escorted Group Tour – 11 Days / Sacred Heart Church, Pondicherry Little Mermaid, Copenhagen 9 Nights from £3,595.

10 COMPASS COX & KINGS TRAVEL Cox & Kings | News & views

NORTH AFRICA | Marrakech escape Less than four hours by plane, Marrakech is a perfect short break destination as it offers vividly different culture, sites and experiences. Last autumn, I visited the newly opened Mosaic Palais Aziza in Marrakech. For those looking to escape the hub-bub of the city, this boutique hotel is set in the Palmeraie, the palm grove oasis a short drive from the city. Set in 2 hectares of lush, green gardens, it’s a luxurious and tranquil retreat.

The Mosaic Palais Aziza in Marrakech is available as a short break – 4 Days / 3 Walls of Marrakech nights from £699pp.

RELAX COLLECTION | St Vincent & the Grenadines feels the heat Bequia Beach is a new luxury boutique hotel surrounded by lush tropical gardens and overlooking Friendship Beach on Bequia island. Relax on one of the secluded beaches, visit the unspoilt rainforests, or, if you’re feeling truly adventurous, hike up the active La Soufriere volcano.

Bequia Bequia Island holiday – 8 Days / 7 nights at Bequia Beach Hotel from £1,395pp

AFRICA | Ethiopian geladas One of the enduring images of David Attenborough’s recent Africa series was the extraordinary gelada monkeys, only found in the Ethiopian highlands, and more especially in the Simien mountains. Known as the ‘monkey of the bleeding heart’ because of the red patch of skin on their chests, they have small, black, turned-up noses and a four- leaf-clover pattern on their behinds. The males sport a mantle of long thick golden hair on their heads and shoulders, so from the back, they could easily be mistaken for a lion. Mount Cook, New Zealand The Road to Lalibela, which visits AUSTRALASIA | Spectacular New Zealand the Simien mountains, is available as a Private Journey – 14 Days / 11 Maori culture, Milford Sound, volcanic Rotorua, whale watching and specatcular Nights from £3,395. scenery are all covered in our comprehensive tour of New Zealand. At the foot of Mount Cook – which at 3,754 metres tall is New Zealand’s highest mountain and known in Maori as Aoraki ‘the cloud piercer’ – you can take a cruise on the Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake.

Kakapo is available as a Non-Exclusive Group Tour – 20 Days / 19 Nights Gelada, Ethiopia from £4,995.

www.coxandkings.co.uk COMPASS 11 TRAVEL IN FOCUS | competitionS

WILDLIFE WINNER Saw-billed hermit hummingbird, Atlantic rainforest, Brazil. Peter Clarke.

This issue our winners receive a £50 TRAVEL IN FOCUS BobBooks voucher with the runners up receiving a DVD of Michael Palin’s Brazil (£13.99). In the next issue, winners will PHOTOGRAPHY receive a £50 BobBooks svoucher with the runners-up receiving a copy of Africa by Sir David Attenborough on DVD (£17.99). To view all our commended entries, visit COM P ETITION www.facebook.com/coxandkingsuk. SPONSORED BY BOB BOOKS How To Enter Images must be accompanied by a 40-word description and taken in a destination featured by Cox & Kings. We cannot accept more than 10 entries per household. Cox & Kings reserves the right to use selected entries in Cox & Kings publications and online. Digital images by email or disc are preferred; however, we can also accept prints (though we regret we are unable to return them). Please clearly label each image with: name of photographer, country / city / town / area and date taken.

All entries should be sent either by email to [email protected] or by post to: C&K Photography Competition c/o Cox & Kings Travel Ltd, 6th Floor, 30 Millbank, London, SW1P 4EE PEOPLE WINNER The deadline for entries is 17 May 2013. Burma. Carolyn Elder. The winning photographs and entrant details will be published in the spring issue.

12 COMPASS COX & KINGS TRAVEL TRAVEL IN FOCUS | competitionS

QUIRKY WINNER Hermit crab, Ffryes beach, Antigua. Chris Mole.

PLACES WINNER RUNNERs UP Dawn encounter, Pagan, Burma. To view all runners up for these categories Nick James. please visit: www.facebook.com/coxandkingsuk

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www.coxandkings.co.uk COMPASS 13 GUEST TRAVELLER | LIFE History lessons

illiam Dalrymple’s vivid accounts of the British empire’s spread across Asia have brought international acclaim Was well as new insights into Britain’s imperial past. In his new book, Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, Dalrymple delivers a clear-eyed analysis of Britain’s disastrous 19th-century campaigns in Afghanistan, when British forces attempted to return Shah Shuja, their preferred ruler, to power with disastrous consequences. Drawing sober parallels between that first Afghan campaign and the current one, Dalrymple relates a ripping yarn of spies, politicians, heroes and assassins, which is both a rollicking read and a meticulously researched historical account. William Dalrymple © Jonathan Ring Compass editor Jennifer Cox meets the bestselling British historian.

Jennifer Cox: The Guardian describes White Mughals (2002) opens the trilogy Return of a King as ‘… a chastening read, with the story of the East India Company especially if you are British.’ What was (EIC), then still a trading organisation your aim was in writing this book? and surprisingly multicultural at that. One third of the Brits in the EIC are William Dalrymple: Quite a lot of married to Indian women and embracing imperial history is a chastening read if the cultural life of India. It’s about you are British. this forgotten period of early colonial multiculturalism. This is my third book on our imperial history – the final in a trilogy Then this begins to darken. By the [chronologically part two] – covering the 1830s, the British have moved into period between the fall of the Mughal neo-con mode, rolling out their empire empire at the end of the 18th century, over Afghanistan. The trilogy ends in before the rise of the Raj in 1858. 1857 with The Last Mughal (2006),

14 COMPASS COX & KINGS TRAVEL GUEST TRAVELLER | LIFE

the great uprising put down with by the Afghans, whose weapons have “It’s the same incredible brutality. The three books much longer range (their long barrelled trace the transformation of this trading jezails could fire half a mile, whereas conflict fought organisation from a relatively benign, the British muskets could only fire 500 under slightly curious and inquisitive presence, which yards). The Afghans capture the tents and is culturally open to India, to this food on the first night, so these sepoys different flags, voracious, acquisitive, imperial monster are wandering around in thick snow with 170 years later.” that is destroying a great deal of northern no idea how to survive – no training, no India, trampling it under foot. equipment, no cover – they get frostbite ... it’s a duck shoot. JC: Return of a King is published at a poignant time. JC: You draw parallels with the current situation in Afghanistan WD: It is not an accident. I first thought of doing this book in 2006-2007 when WD: To say more about the the current intervention in Afghanistan extraordinary parallels: President Karzai, was beginning to turn sour. It’s easy the man we put in this time, is from the to forget now, but initially when the same tiny sub-tribe as Shah Shuja the guy British went into Afghanistan it was a we put in in the 1840s. We more or less very easy conquest. The Taliban were put the same guy in twice. And the guys extremely unpopular, their armies fell who brought down Shah Shuja in 1839, immediately under the American and the eastern Ghilzai tribe, are today the Allied advance, and initially the Afghans foot soldiers of the Taliban. There is this largely welcomed the Allied intervention extraordinary sensation of the same war (except in the pro-Taliban areas of the being fought and refought. Pashtun south). But by 2006-2007, you’re beginning to see what we’re JC: And the boundary of British rule seeing much more clearly now: that this in Kandahar in 1839, is the same is a replay of the 1839 intervention in boundary between Nato forces and the Afghanistan. Again, an easy conquest, but Taliban today. gradual, growing resistance until finally an extremely humiliating departure. In WD: Exactly. When I was over there the course of which an entire British researching, I took the diaries of the army gets destroyed. British administrator, the Governor of Kandahar, and went to the Baba Wali JC: A stark lesson for imperial Britain. shrine, a place he used to go in the evening and write his diary. I’d been WD: It’s a terrible lesson in unwise reading his diary for months, it was one colonial intervention in a world you don’t of my main sources, and I thought I’d fully understand. In the retreat from try and get inside his head by going to Kabul in 1842, an entire British army the place where he wrote it. He describes is wiped out: 18,000 men, women and watching a party of British lancers with children leave the Kabul cantonment on their plumed shakos and scarlet coats 6 January 1842, and eight days later one riding down the hill to cross over the man crawls into Jalalabad, Dr Brydon. bridge at the Arghandab river, to take on the Durrani cavalry. And as I sat The retreat from Kabul is devastating, reading this diary, in the same place, this many of the 18,000 are sepoys from enormous convoy of American Humvees the northern plains of India, who have appeared around the corner, went down never seen snow before and they retreat the same hill, crossed the same bridge through these narrow mountain passes over the Arghandab, and about 100 yards at the height of winter; shot down on in they hit an IED [improvised explosive

www.coxandkings.co.uk COMPASS 15 GUEST TRAVELLER | LIFE

“Pepsi Cola with device]. It’s the same conflict fought under accounts gives a humanity to the Afghans: slightly different flags, 170 years later. rather than just brave warriors out in the tanks would mountains, they become individuals, with be the modern JC: You mention the diary, researching names, with personalities. And using these the book sounds as if it was an sources, you can get inside the heads equivalent.” astonishing adventure in itself? of the Afghan resistance and see why they are risking their lives to fight. WD: It was, half the fun of writing this I mean no one takes on the great military book was going out and running around power of the day lightly, there are very Kandahar, Jalalabad and Herat, looking good reasons why they are rising up. at all these Afghan manuscripts. One nobleman has his family estates arbitrarily taken by the British There is an incredible amount of detail administration, others don’t get paid in the British accounts of the conflict, money they’re promised and have their mainly from the EIC archives sent back subsidies cut. I wanted to get beyond the to London from India. A lot of material simplistic picture of fanatics with beards, has also turned up over the last 25 to 30 to much richer, more interesting stories of years – Home County families turning a resistance made up of individuals with out their attics and uncovering old diaries individual reasons for fighting. and letters – in the British Library and the National Army Museum. These are JC: And behind it all is the start of the rich sources, extremely resonant as you Great Game between Britain and Russia. know this was probably the last letter home: diaries of some guy shot dead; WD: Exactly, the two great imperial rescued from his inside jacket pocket by powers left standing at the end of the some friend, covered in blood. Napoleonic wars. The French are knocked back into touch; Germany and Italy There is also a huge amount of material haven’t risen yet; the Americans are still in Asia: the records of the Calcutta fighting their own war across the Atlantic. government (who was directing the war) And so in the 1820s and 30s, Asia is being now in Delhi; the records of the Indian divided up between two rising European army, also now in Delhi in the Indian empires. Britain in the form of the East National Archives, and the spy records in India Company, which we take for granted the Punjab Archives in Lahore. But what I today, but is one of the oddest institutions really wanted to do was see if there were ever encountered in human history. It is any indigenous accounts. So I made a trip a company: it has a boardroom, it has to Afghanistan, with a view to finding the annual accounts, it has shareholders who documentation of the occupation: seen sit around a table at an annual general from the point of view of the Afghans meeting. But it also has the largest who suffered it, rather than the British standing army in Asia: Pepsi Cola with who administered it. tanks would be the modern equivalent.

And I had some extraordinary luck, So it is an extraordinary company including an introduction to a second- absorbing all the lands of the fallen hand book dealer in Kabul who owned Mughal empire. A single British Governor the private libraries of several Afghan General, Lord Wellesley, conquers more noblemen who had fled abroad in land in Asia than Napoleon does in the 1970s and 80s. After several trips Europe. Meanwhile the Russians are to Afghanistan, by the time I started moving south from the Orenburg Line: writing two years ago, I had nine full- about to absorb Bukhara, Khiva, all these length accounts seen from the Afghan central Asian carnates and emirates. You perspective. Being able to read personal can see on a map – control Afghanistan

16 COMPASS COX & KINGS TRAVEL GUEST TRAVELLER | LIFE

and you can control the routes from your life, how did you change as a writer- “I arrived into Iran to China, Samarkand to India. Asia historian in that time? is yours. Kandahar and got WD: In some ways it’s like being a a sniper bullet JC: Return of a King arguably brings the carpenter, you’re learning a trade. I wrote Afghan perspective to modern western three travel books in my 20s: In Xanadu through the back attention for the first time. (1989), City of Djinns (1994) and From wind