Ladies only
Late 19th- and early 20th-century bookshelves were filled with best-selling volumes written by intrepid female travellers, such as Isabella Bird, Constance Gordon-Cumming, Anna Brassey and Gertrude Bell. They were an inspiration to many women, who in turn embarked on similar journeys to distant corners of the globe, and the book that often went with them was Hints to Lady Travellers: At Home and Abroad, by Lillias Campbell Davidson. A book due for release next month by the Royal Geographical Society, titled Hints to Lady Travellers: Advice For Ladies On The Move From 1897 To The Present Day, incorporates material from the earlier, out-of-print volume, with anecdotes and advice from modern-day female travellers and travel writers. It provides, according to the publisher, 'a fascinating insight into the way that travel has changed for women over the last century', and is available for pre-order at Amazon.co.uk for GBP6.29 (HK$78).
Sri Lanka setback
For visitors to Sri Lanka, one of the country's advantages over India has, since the 1970s, been that most passport holders are issued visas on arrival. This is about to change, however, with the government announcing its intention to make all foreigners (except Singaporeans and Maldivians) apply for their visa online. The scrapping of visas on arrival was originally planned for last October but an outcry from Sri Lanka's tourism industry delayed the move.
Smart moves