Selimut Debu

Not many travel books can make the readers glue to it until the last page. This book Selimut Debu is an exception. Why is it special? There are many reasons, among others: Look at the destination, it's Afghanistan, not many people (even very rare) choose this place as their travel destination, then read the book carefully and you will feel that you are taken into the magic land, Afghanistan.

When we heard the word Afghanistan, what will come to our mind? A country with a blanket of dust (stated as the title of the book) , never lasting war, rocky mountain, bomb threat, women in burqa and all stuff like that. That also what the author Agustinus Wibowo thought at the beginning. But his curiosity was so big, he needed to know more about this country. Therefore finally he decided to start his journey from a railway station in Beijing (where he studied) and began his journey to Central Asia.

The author started his life study of Afghanistan by becoming an Afghan himself. He wore shalwar qamiz just like other Afghans, he stayed in their homes, drank tea in the samovar (tea shop) and did his best to mingle with them. No wonder that he can convey his stories vividly in a very amazing way. We will get a big picture of Afghanistan. There are many things about it. Not only war. The author also completed his story with a detail history and its cultural description of Afghanistan. I feel a mix of feeling when I finished the book. I feel sorry for their long suffering but at the same time I also admire their survival.

I definitely agree that the author is not only a traveler but he is an explorer. Some parts of the stories had been published in www.kompas.com. A very rich book. One of this year best travelogue. Very recommended.