Few foreigners have been lucky enough to
set foot on Tibetan soil. Le Sueur spent
five extraordinary years there, working for
an international hotel chain. Against the
breathtaking beauty of the Himalayas he unfolds
a highly amusing and politically enlightening
account of his experiences. Fly infestations
at state banquets, hopeful mountaineers, unexpected
deliveries of live snakes, a predominance
of yaks and everything yak-related, the unbelievable
Miss Tibet competition, insurmountable communication
problems and a dead guest are just some of
the entertainments to be found at the “Fawlty
Towers” of Lhasa. Daily challenges are
increased by the fragile political situation.
Le Sueur, the only foreigner since the days
of Heinrich Harrer to spend so long in Tibet,
examines its intriguing cultural background,
thus providing a fascinating insight into
a country that is virtually impenetrable to
today’s traveller.
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