A poetic account of a 1970s
overland journey to India and back,
with other poems and a story
related to the journey.
The Rime of the Asian Highway is a poetic account
of an overland journey from London to India and back in the
early 1970s — a time of dramatic change across South Asia
and the wider world. Part travelogue, part cultural history,
part poetic reflection, the book captures the textures,
landscapes and human encounters of a remarkable era.
Recommended by the late John Carey — critic, teacher,
Booker Prize Chair, and champion of contemporary poetry.
🌏 The Journey: From London to India and Back
The book follows a vivid route across continents:
London → Europe
Through Turkey, Iran,
Afghanistan and Pakistan
First sight of India in Amritsar
Tibetan exile communities in Dharamsala
Hitchhiking along the Grand Trunk Road
By the Ganges in Varanasi
Trekking in the Himalayas of Nepal
Down south to Madras (Chennai) and Goa
Returning to a changed Britain after the 1973 oil crisis
The poems bring to life the sounds, colours and contradictions
of the subcontinent at a turning point in its modern history.
🕉️ Themes for Indian Readers
Spirituality and pilgrimage
Anglo‑Indian cultural exchange
Tibetan exile communities
Life along the Ganges
Himalayan landscapes
South Indian journeys
India in the 1970s
With resonant portraits of India's natural beauty,
and a poetic format that enables reflection and digressions,
Indian readers will encounter a warm and empathetic
portrait of ther country. The book offers rare, ground‑level
views of India before globalisation — a time
when ancient rhythms still shaped daily life.
📚 Poems Beyond the Journey
The collection also includes poems reflecting
on the journey’s personal aftermath for the author and
inspired by his later travels in India.
They include:
The Beatles’ ashram experience in Rishikesh
On a mother's death and the life of her child
A lyric on travelling the Grand Trunk Road
Meditations on Omar Khayyam
Reflections on Osama bin Laden
A contrast between the Mughal emperors
Akbar and Aurangzeb
And a final, light‑hearted children’s story
about a heroic mouse living in Chennai Central Station
These pieces broaden the book’s scope, and
make it a distinctive addition to the tradition
of poetry inspired by India
🛒 How to Buy
Order from bookshops
or buy the ebook or the paperback online
ISBN: 978‑1‑0683328‑38
Order the book
Listen to extracts here
