Often seen as a magical paradise at the end of the world, Bhutan is inaccessible to most travellers. Set against the dramatic scenery of the Himalaya, this beguiling memoir recalls hardships and happiness in a land almost untouched by the West.

When Britta Das goes to work as a physiotherapist in a remote village hospital, her good intentions are put to the test amid monsoons, fleas, and startling conditions. But as she visits homes in the mountains and learns the mysteries of Tantric Buddhism, the country captivates her very soul. Gaining insights into the traditions of the mystical kingdom, Britta makes friends, falls in love, and battles illness.

Throughout it all, as she writes, she worries about the "destructive nearness of technology" and fears that Bhutan's charm and innocence may soon be lost. Still, Bhutan has endured for centuries, and there is no denying that the country has transformed her life forever.

Bhutan is a remote kingdom in the Himalayas, isolated from the outside world for three centuries. The western part has been opened to limited tourism, but the eastern part remains closed. Katie Hickman is one of only a handful of foreigners ever to penetrate these eastern lands. Her trip to Bhutan with photographer Tom Owen Edmunds took a year to set up. They journeyed from the capital Thimphu in the west to the easternmost borderlands and the remote mountain-top retreat of the barbarous Bragpa people. They lived as Bhutanese, and met merchants, abbots, wandering priests, lamas, hermits, a reincarnation of the Buddha and a sorceress. Katie Hickman's account contains all the unexpected and humorous aspects of travel, but, above all, it is about the people of Bhutan.

"Bhutan is a world that you had only hoped existed. Vertical prayer flags flutter in the breeze and men dressed in a traditional gho and Argyle socks stroll past yellow-roofed shrines." - Bradley Mayhew, Lonely Planet writer

Explore the majestic beauty of Bhutan with this new title in the Driving Holidays in the Himalayas series where the author visits, besides other places in this beautiful and pristine country, the gravity defying Taktsang Monastery. It includes driving maps for all sectors and a large state foldout map, detailed itineraries with costs, recommendations for accommodation and food and also discount coupons for meals at leading hotels and restaurants. Things cannot get better than this. So get behind the wheel and speed off! Its a must-buy for the driving enthusiast -  India Today Travel Plus