Yak Butter Blues-A Tibetan Trek Of Faith: They Said It Was "Impossible!": A Tibetan Journey of a Thousand Kilometers Began with One Bold Step.

September 28, 2004 -- "Impossible" was what everyone told Brandon Wilson and his wife Cheryl when they began talking about walking a 1000-kilometer ancient pilgrimage trail across Tibet. But those "impossibilities" only made them more determined. Their quest to become possibly the first Western couple to trek this trail across the earth's most remote corner was far from your usual travel fare — some even called it sheer lunacy. It was certainly far from easy or predictable.

Yak Butter Blues: A Tibetan Trek of Faith (Heliographica, October 2004, $16.98 pb, $26.98 hardcover) is an edge-of-your-seat tale of survival.

Alone, with only their stalwart Tibetan horse Sadhu, the Wilsons faced Tibet's ruthless environment head-on: the blistering winds, extreme temperatures, sandstorms, blizzards, and the thinnest of air…made all the more challenging by exhaustion, hunger, illness, inflexible bureaucrats and implacable, trigger-happy Chinese soldiers.

Although the land and climate left their imprints daily, an even more lasting impression on these adventurers was created by Tibetan pilgrims, monks and generous villagers eager to share what little they possess: yak butter tea, the warmth of their family's fire, camaraderie and a steadfast trust in the Dalai Lama's return.

Inadvertently, the couple became an invaluable witness to a culture pushed to the brink of extinction by brutal occupation. The author sympathetically interweaves the story of Tibet's current plight and struggle to survive into their own.

Along this simple path, the Wilsons discovered the human link connecting us all, a link that becomes clearest on a trek that removes the distractions of modern life as it unveils the truths of "deliberate travel." In doing so, the couple found a sense of greater purpose, wonder, a renewed faith and ultimately what it takes to endure.

This colorful, candid, caring and classic tale leads readers along on a physical, spiritual and
emotional pilgrimage across this startling land — on a thousand-kilometer odyssey once called "Impossible."

Early Praise:

Royal Robbins, world-renowned mountaineer, author, and adventure kayaker, says,

"Any doubts I had about reading Yak Butter Blues melted away like yak butter under a hot sun as I came under the spell of Brandon Wilson's lively and vivid prose. He is a fine writer, perceptive, funny, and has a great way with words, making the book a whooping good read--an outstanding production."

Michael Buckley, author of Heartlands-Travels in the Tibetan World, says,

"Travel in Tibet is rough, but attempting it Tibetan-style—and with winter approaching–amounts to sheer lunacy.

Brandon Wilson and his wife Cheryl—along with a trusty pack-horse named Sadhu—set off on the ultimate trek: to walk an ancient pilgrimage and trading route from Lhasa to Kathmandu.

Their zany adventures leap from the pages of this book—getting showered in dust, coated in snow, hammered by the wind, getting lost, getting shot at.

More to the point, this grueling form of travel brings them close to the extraordinary people and the breathtaking landscapes of the Tibetan plateau.

Told with humour and insight, this vivid narrative allows you to vicariously experience life at true Tibetan pace, one step at a time: so close, you can almost smell the yak butter."

Dan Austin, director of True Fans, says,

"Are you ready for a walk? Because it's doubtful after reading "Yak Butter Blues" you'll be able to sit still.

The land of the Dalai Lama and Shangri-la calls with a voice too mysterious, too ancient to be ignored. And Brandon and Cheryl are the ideal guides—passionate folks delightedly figuring things out as they execute an improbable hike from Chinese-controlled Lhasa to Kathmandu."

Jeff Alt, award-winning author of A Walk for Sunshine, says,

"This was no walk in the park. Having walked the Appalachian Trail, I can attest to the inner fortitude required to walk long distances across rugged terrain and through less than desirable weather.

Even Indiana Jones would have reconsidered the expedition, but the Wilsons drew strength from their faith in humanity and each other--as well as from countless Tibetans offering yak butter tea, rugged lodging, and meals cooked over burning yak dung.

The Wilsons journey across Tibet serves as a beacon of light for a repressed people held captive within their own country."

Jean Aspen, author of Arctic Daughter: a wilderness journey and Arctic Son: fulfilling the dream, says,

"A remarkable account of bravery and determination. Wilson leads us through a harsh and beautiful landscape and takes us into the hearts of the people who live there. Time and again he shows us that hardships can become blessings."

About the Author:

Brandon Wilson is an adventure-travel writer whose stories have appeared in many national magazines,
newspapers and on Internet sites. An adventurer and expert trekker, he is passionate about inspiring others with the possibility of discovery through long-distance hiking.

Although already a voracious explorer of over ninety countries, this Tibetan odyssey opened his eyes to the deep satisfaction of traveling "one-step-at-a-time."

By slowing down, he believes, "We absorb the hidden ‘magic' in the world. We travel outside— while traveling within."

Since Tibet, Wilson has trekked three other major pilgrimage trails: the famed Camino de Santiago across Spain; the ninth century, 1150-mile Via Francigena from England to Rome (he is the first American to complete this route), and he is currently trekking the 400-mile St. Olav'sWay across Norway.

Wilson's photographs have won awards from National Geographic Traveler and Islands magazines.

About the Book:

Yak Butter Blues: A Tibetan Trek of Faith
by Brandon Wilson
288 pages, Travel Narrative/Non-Fiction
27 duo-tone photographs & maps
ISBN: 1-933037-24-5 • $16.98 trade paperback 5.5" x 8.5"
ISBN: 1-933037-23-7 • $26.98 • hardcover 6" x 9"
Publication date: October 2004
Published by Heliographica, San Francisco, CA
An imprint of Pilgrim's Tales
Distributed by Ingram and Baker & Taylor
Available at bookstores, Amazon.com, BN.com, Borders.com, or Heliographica.com.

Please send two copies of any review or mention to
Heliographica c/o KSB Promotions • 55 Honey Creek NE • Ada, MI 49301-9768

To request a review copy of Yak Butter Blues, arrange an interview with Brandon Wilson, or for any additional information, please contact Kate Bandos at KSB Promotions
800-304-3269 or 616-676-0758 kate@ksbpromotions.com • fax 616-676-0759

For a preview with sample chapter and photos, visit http://www.YakButterBlues.com.





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