You may recall that I’m partial to expedition tales. I’ve just finished reading Offbeat in Asia: A Journey Along the Russian Frontier, by Michael Alexander, and I’m part way into First Overland by Tim Slessor. Both are tales of expeditions out from London towards the east in the mid-1950s.

Curiously, both books go on at some length about the Istanbul Hilton which appears to have been something of a hotel wonder. Alexander’s book has an entire chapter devoted to the hotel, and Slessor’s several paragraphs.

I believe this may be a message to me that I should proceed at once overland to Turkey.

Tangents: 1. I purchased Offbeat in Asia on a rainy day in May at The Travel Bookshop during this visit. It was featured in this movie. It really is a delightful bookstore. 2. First Overland was purloined from the Burka family library by the helpful Daniel. 3. For a time, the guest book on Allan Rankin’s website was overtaken by spam advertising in hotels in Turkey.