Following nearly a century of Soviet rule, Central Asia, surrounded by Russia, Iran and China, and sealed off by mountain ranges, is comparatively little-known in the West. When the USSR broke up in 1991 the five republics which had been artificially created by the Russians - Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirghizstan and Kazakhstan - were released and emerged as autonomous entities. They are now accessible to the independent tourist. In 1914, before the Bolshevik Revolution, Stephen Graham journeyed across this vast land of fearsome deserts, mountains and inland seas, making his way from the Caspian Sea to Siberia. Nearly 80 years later, just after the fall of the Soviet regime, Giles Whittell came across Graham's account of his travels. He read it in one sitting and was inspired to make a similar journey, curious to see how much had changed. Avoiding the official Intourist routes, he met many larger-than-life characters and had a succession of bizarre and sometimes alarming experiences. Containing many anecdotes, this book is Whittell's description of his journey.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Giles travels around Central Asia with contageous enthusiasm, 16 April 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Extreme Continental: Blowing Hot and Cold Through Central Asia (Paperback)

Giles's boyish enthusiasm is catchy and you envy every twist and turn of his unpredictable journey. As you move through the book you feel as if you are sharing the experiences with him. From the unbarable Rosa in Ashgabat, to Boris the sidecar in Krygyzstan Giles keeps the narrative moving along at pace and the descriptions vivid.
This is a must read for any armchair adventure realist.

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