Tso and La is a meandering travelogue on Ladakh, written by Vikramjit Ram. A writer stuck in writer’s block (he confesses so, in the beginning) he is looking for a change of scenery when his friend invites him for a month long road trip from Bangalore to Ladakh. Very interesting premise.
He talks of the 4x4 wheel drive (the vehicle Pajero is fancifully named as P Singh) with his friend, the place and the people, his experience as a novice carpet buyer, the sheer expanse of the place and how it egged him to chuck his ailing manuscript and start this travelogue instead.
He takes great care in explaining the beauty surrounding the place, the architecture of the dzongs (a little too accurately; I had to use a dictionary to understand what he said)
The one thing that strikes you in this travelogue is its exquisite language, but this very positive point tends to tire you after a while, to the point of a being a burden in enjoying the travelogue. I love to read a beautifully written book, but travelogues (according to me) should not be way too complex, where I sit with a dictionary to find what exactly he is saying.
Overall, if one is willing to spend time not just on the book but also with a dictionary, then it’s definitely a good read. I would give it 3.0/5.0
He talks of the 4x4 wheel drive (the vehicle Pajero is fancifully named as P Singh) with his friend, the place and the people, his experience as a novice carpet buyer, the sheer expanse of the place and how it egged him to chuck his ailing manuscript and start this travelogue instead.
He takes great care in explaining the beauty surrounding the place, the architecture of the dzongs (a little too accurately; I had to use a dictionary to understand what he said)
The one thing that strikes you in this travelogue is its exquisite language, but this very positive point tends to tire you after a while, to the point of a being a burden in enjoying the travelogue. I love to read a beautifully written book, but travelogues (according to me) should not be way too complex, where I sit with a dictionary to find what exactly he is saying.
Overall, if one is willing to spend time not just on the book but also with a dictionary, then it’s definitely a good read. I would give it 3.0/5.0
