The first book review - Are you experienced?

This is a great review that my girlfriend wrote for Real Travel Magazine of her favourite travel book, 'Are you experienced?' by William Sutcliffe. It is the perfect 'lazing in a hammock' read for any book loving traveller! Thanks Stephaz!


Nineteen year-old Londoner, Dave, decides to embark on a pre-university gap year in a Swiss ski resort. That is, until best mate James, who is about to go trekking in the Himalayas, mocks him royally: “Do you want to learn Fwench David? Something pwactical for your CV?"

Screw Switzerland – Dave has to prove everyone wrong so he agrees to travel around India with James’ gorgeous girlfriend Liz. He is scared witless and hasn’t a clue what to expect but the thought of spending months alone with Liz (who he suspects fancies him more than a little bit) is too much to ignore. And so begins this hilarious traveller’s satire.

While sari-clad Liz’s idea of self-discovery involves washing lepers and practising ‘Intimate Yoga’, Dave struggles to shake his cynicism… not to mention a bad case of Delhi belly.

Sutcliffe does an impeccable job of depicting the glorious ‘backpacker’ stereotypes we are all so familiar with. While Are you Experienced? is predominantly a hilarious travel book (which is quite rare), it is also clever and at times, touching. Even though it was published 8 years ago, it certainly hasn’t lost its edge.

I can remember reading this book in one sitting aged fifteen, and thinking ‘wow, I wish I was brave enough to go to India’. I re-read it last summer, in the back of a dilapidated old car on the way to a deserted Goan beach. It is one of those cult travel books that will forever grace the backpacks of travellers worldwide.