Beasts, men and gods

The author recounts his sudden flight from revolutionary violence and his survival in remote forests, where he lives off the land before undertaking an arduous overland journey across Central and East Asian borderlands. He chronicles dangerous encounters with armed groups, guides and nomadic communities, and records vivid observations of wildlife, terrain and daily survival. Practical travel episodes are interwoven with descriptions of local religious practices, shamanic and monastic traditions, and political tensions. The narrative moves between adventure and reflection, exploring mystic legends about a concealed spiritual center and considering how belief, power and endurance shape people and places in a turbulent region.