Themes

The journey and the spirit of adventure

The whole extract is built on a difficult, sometimes dangerous journey towards a goal — Mount Kailash and the kora. Snow-blocked passes, punctures, thin air and illness are met with patience and persistence rather than complaint. The travelogue celebrates the traveller's willingness to endure hardship for the sake of experience and a cherished destination.

Faith and pilgrimage

Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar are sacred to Hindus and Buddhists alike, and the kora is a ritual act of devotion. Prayer flags, the clockwise walk around the cairn, Tsetan's calm Buddhist acceptance of death, and Norbu's scholarly love of the pilgrimage all show how deeply faith shapes life on the plateau.

Landscape and the power of nature

Middleton's eye for the vast Tibetan landscape — pink dawn clouds 'like long French loaves', galloping wild ass, blinding white salt lakes, snow-capped peaks — runs through the piece. Nature is beautiful but also harsh: altitude sickness, cold and snow constantly threaten the traveller.

Human contact across barriers

The author depends on others and communicates across language barriers, often 'through' an interpreter (through Daniel, through Tsetan). The kindness of Lhamo, the resourcefulness of Tsetan and the warmth of Norbu show how travel is really a series of human encounters.

Trade, history and change along the Silk Road …