The hotel on the roof of the world : five years in Tibet

Few foreigners have been lucky enough to set foot on Tibetan soil - Alec Le Sueur spent five extraordinary years there, working for an international hotel chain.

Against the breathtaking beauty of the Himalayas he unfolds a highly amusing and politically enlightening account of his experiences.

Fly infestations at state banquets, hopeful mountaineers, unexpected deliveries of live snakes, a predominance of yaks and everything yak-related, the unbelievable Miss Tibet competition, insurmountable communication problems and a dead guest are just some of the entertainments to be found at the 'Fawlty Towers' of Lhasa.

Daily challenges are increased by the fragile political situation.

Le Sueur, the only foreigner since the days of Heinrich Harrer to spend so long in Tibet, examines its intriguing cultural background, thus providing a fascinating insight into a country that is virtually impenetrable to today's traveller.