[At one stage, when they stop to ask directions, they pick up a local on a bike who, in true Moroccan style, turns out to be a fake guide.] He just took us to where he wanted to go and got out, ... We got back at 2.15am, not a single drink was found or taken. Hey ho.

The British undoubtedly were at their very, very worst at this point in history - unbelievably violent and awful. It was through the idea of duty which came in the high-Victorian period.

[Historian and traveller Dalrymple plays the role of storyteller and teacher as he takes us on a memorable and moveable feast of readings, workshops, tastings and excursions through the heat and madness of Marrakech.] It's more like a holiday with a bit of literary stimulation, ... A halfway house; half holiday and half literary knocking of heads together.

In Delhi, where the mutiny took on a largely Muslim aspect, the words fatwa, mudjahadeen and jihad were all in play.

The old cliche of the cartridges really was terribly important. It was the issue that broke the camel's back, in every sense.