Cameroon With Egbert [Idioma Inglés] - Softcover

Cameroon with Egbert tells the story of a journey through the remote areas of Cameroon undertaken by indomitable author Dervla Murphy and her daughter Rachel, accompanied by an endearing horse named Egbert.

During the course of their wanderings they are frequently mistaken for husband and wife, forcing Dervla to bare her chest to prove her femininity; they continually get lost, are obliged to eat repulsive local delicacies; are arrested, fall ill, are baked by the sun and soaked by tropical storms and, disastrously, lose Egbert.

The two women’s charm, wit and sense of adventure shine through all these setbacks, which would have daunted lesser travellers. They eventually leave this laid-back, peaceful country with great reluctance, having been ‘enspelled’ by its beauty and the friendliness of the Cameroonians.

‘Anyone who has read a book by this author will want to read another. She brings to Cameroon all the sympathy, wit and perception that we have come to expect from her.’ Sunday Telegraph

This is vintage Murphy’ Irish Independent

‘This is the very stuff of travel’ Irish Times

Accompanied by her laconic teenage daughter, Rachel, and an endearing horse named Egbert, Dervla Murphy journeys through the remote areas of Cameroon following bush-paths from village to village. The two women are frequently mistaken for husband and wife – forcing Dervla to bare her chest in order to prove her femininity. They are obliged to eat repulsive delicacies, repeatedly get lost, fall seriously ill, are baked by the sun and soaked by tropical storms. Camping in the idiosyncratically beautiful Mbabo Mountains, where they seek warthogs, antelope, baboons and colobus monkeys, is a highlight of the trip. An unplanned and harrowing trek through the 'graveyard area' around Lake Nyos (a recent mysterious explosion has released poisonous gases, killing hundreds) results in their arrest, and towards the end of their journey they disastrously lose Egbert – the final stage of their trek is a three-day forced march covering 87 miles.

But through it all the two women's charm and good-humoured sense of adventure shine through. They eventually leave this laid-back, peaceful country with great reluctance, having been 'enspelled' by its beauty and the unfailing friendliness of its people. The resulting account is warm, witty and wonderfully evocative.

“This is the very stuff of travel”
IRISH TIMES

“Dervla Murphy is a celebrated travel-writer . . . she records every experience with madcap enthusiasm”
THE TIMES

“This is vintage Murphy”
IRISH INDEPENDENT

“Dervla Murphy brings to Cameroon all the sympathy, wit and perception that we have come to expect from her”
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH