Shirley Duncan, who died just shy of her 100th birthday, was known for her adventurous spirit. In 1946, at 21, she embarked on a landmark cycling journey across Australia, and later organized global travel tours through her company, High Adventure Tours. Despite societal constraints on solitary female travel during her era, Duncan journeyed from Paris to Singapore, hitchhiked through regions affected by Cold War tensions, and developed a deep fascination for places like Nepal. Her life exemplified the relentless pursuit of exploration beyond the typical tourist destinations, making her a significant figure in travel culture.
"Who's interested in London, Paris or the Leaning Tower of Pisa?" Ms. Duncan had remarked to The Washington Post in 1968 in an off-the-cuff statement of her curiosity for more adventurous destinations.
By her account, she hitchhiked through the Soviet zone of Austria, was detained briefly on suspicions of Cold War espionage near the Greek-Bulgarian border, found comfortable accommodations on a houseboat in Kashmir and developed a lifelong fascination with Nepal.
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