One Foot in Laos

Travel litterature is on top of my book lists, both for reading and for book collecting. And I tend to prefere (most often) books written by women. A few years ago I discovered Dervla Myrphy, and since then I have enjoyed many a trip with her.

A few years ago I visited Laos for a couple of weeks, and when I found Dervla's One Foot in Laos I knew this would be a book for me. For some reason or other I didn't read the book right away (my list of books to read is always looooong), but when I searched through my shelves on Match 8th, the International Women's Day, to find a few books written by women, this one cried out my name.

Dervla Murphy's courage has always fascinated me. I can never travel the way she does, mostly hiking alone deep in jungels (:-)), but I love to read about her adventures. One Foor in Laos is no exception. Murphy's books have no photos, a rare way today with the millions of blogs around, to read about travels without illustrations. She doesn't need photos though, her words make perfect illustrations in my mind, and sitting curled up in my sofa I can well see the butterflies, trees, creeks and tracks she describe.