A Shaggy Yak Story

An account of the author's travels in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nepal spanning 40 years. In 1953, when he was in his early twenties, he went to Kabul to teach English at the Royal Military College, an experience which brought him much closer to the Afghan's lives than any diplomat and which he relates in this book. After 18 months teaching, he travelled with a friend to Badaksham, Nepal, and Bhutan, where they were arrested. 35 years later he returns, to reflect with nostalgia on the changes wrought by the Soviets in Afghanistan and by tourism on Nepal. In North-East Pakistan he remeets some of the Kirghiz nomads and finds the old chief and many of the tribe have been resettled in Turkey. But their yaks or yore are gone so Somerville-Large takes it on himself to transport 2 females from Whipsnade - a nightmare tale of paperwork and shipping problems but one with a happy ending. The author also wrote "To the Navel of the World", "The Grand Irish Tour", "Cappaghglass" and "Skyiing".