Freya Madeline Stark (1893-1993) in the desert, 1928
I wrote in my previous post of wealthy Americans traveling to New York to stay for prolonged periods of time in the city. A luxury hotel tradition evolved out of their itinerary fancies.
Well, British Victorian ladies (mostly, and a few Americans) also traveled and saw the world. I don't know how their husbands and fathers allowed this, but they traveled in groups, often with a strict and hawk-eyed older matron who voluntarily puts herself in charge. Younger girls were escorted and guarded by their mothers, who took them to educate them about the world of art and culture, so that they will be learned and interesting wives for their future husbands. And there was a lot to see.
Those who traveled alone took it as a mission, either to convert heathens in foreign lands, or to visit ancient cultural sites.
Here is a delightful book I found while searching for women travelers: Hints for Lady Travelers: At Home and Abroad. Here is some advice from the book:
On clothing:
Grey is the best colour, or heather mixture tweed, which does not show dust or mud stains, and yet cannot lose its colour under a hot sun.On British reserve:
There is certainly something very agreeable in the Continental habit of exchanging bows with every stranger who enters one’s railway carriage or hotel coffee room, and it grates a good deal on one’s sense of human kindliness to return to the cold repellent stare which replaces this habit of courtesy in our own country.You can read it online here.
Imagine such care and decorum required of a lady traveler?
But these British ladies were fearless. Some went alone on expeditions into the unknown. I think they coupled their boldness with a shrewd self-protection, and came back alive to tell their exotic tales.
Freya Stark was one such adventuress, who braved the mountains of Afghanistan. But she was as prepared as she could be. She secured letters from, and solicited the help of, local (often bandit) leaders with money and other goods to ward off other rival bandits from attacking her. She also provided a few services, such as first aid to wounded men. Imagine Lara Logan with such steely prudence.
Here is Stark's chapter "A Fortnight in N.W. Luristan" from her book The Valley of the Assassins and Other Persian Travels. Here is an excerpt from the chapter:
In the wastes of civilization, Luristan is still an enchanted name. Its streams are dotted blue lines on the map, and the position of its hills a matter of taste. It is still a country for the explorer.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------He finds out what he cannot do,I did not do it, for I penetrated only a very little way. But I spent a fortnight in that part of the country where one is less frequently murdered, and I saw the Lurs in their own medieval garb - the white tight-waisted coat with sleeves hanging in points from the elbow and white felt caps over the curls that hide their ears.
Then goes out and does it
Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat