Travel: Chinese whispers for Reluctant Tourist: Departures

LESLEY READER, the winner of our Reluctant Tourist competition, has finally learnt of her success about two months after the original announcement. Working as a language-resource teacher for Voluntary Service Overseas in Bhutan, she says that she got the news of her victory 'on a mountain pass in the middle of nowhere'.

'We were two days' walk from the wireless station but news of the message waiting for me there had travelled fast, largely because it was incomprehensible to the readers] So, by the time I heard it, it had undergone a Chinese whispers-type transformation and was total gobbledegook to me as well. I assured the messenger it was a joke and pressed on,' writes Ms Reader.

Ms Reader apologises in case her letter is delayed in reaching us: 'It seems that the Druk Air aircraft has had fungus in the fuel tank, so has been out of operation for a while, which means post has been delayed . . . '

She returns in December to plan the Radio 5 programme that she is to make - her reward for winning the Reluctant Tourist competition.