Colin Thurbron- The Lost Heart of Asia

The Lost Heart of Asia is a travelogue by Colin Thurbron- an inspirational writer.
It is aimed at people who enjoy reading about travel, and those who have followed Thurbron's works, the purpose is to bring these places to life for the readers who may never get to see that part of the world. 

In the passage we chose, which is the first and second page of the first chapter- Turkmenistan.
Thurbron speaks in the 1st person to discuss the travel - on an aeroplane above a desert in Asia.
Thurbron describes the feeling he has whilst flying - 'dream like immensity' , which gives the impression he is almost dreaming this, which links back to his childhood where he would dream of running his 'fingertips along a red-hot Equator.' 

Form

The Lost Heart of Asia is laid out in chapters, each having a name of the place Thurbron is in and other links to the chapter. This is a convention of a travelogue to break up the travel for the reader, as it is easier to take in when it is in the form of chapters. 
Paragraphs are also used- normally quite short, which suggests the fast paced nature of his journey and his eagerness to share his experiences with the reader. 
The first paragraph is specifically about the journey to the place- on an aeroplane, we assume, as he uses the word 'flying'. The second paragraph provides a link to this, going back to his childhood. 
Thurbron also uses speech marks when a friend or aquaintance is speaking- to share his encounters with locals etc