“There's nothing like a pack of mules to give one a sense of entourage.”

“There's nothing quite like a good quest for getting your blood pumping.”

“One senses that, in these conditions, no amount of wet-wiping could bring true hygiene.”

“There is nothing quite as unpleasant as wearing a pair of briefs which have been trailed through a Calcutta courtyard. Nothing, that is, except having one's elbows and knees lacerated by unseen slivers of glass and discarded razor blades.”

“As I see the world, there's one element that's even more corrosive than missionaries: tourists. It's not that I feel above them in any way, but that the very places they patronize are destroyed by their affection.”

“On a harsh expedition, there's no space for anyone who does not intend to finish.”

“In some warped way, having an embalmed body with us made perfect sense.”