This article about Victorian lady adventurers -- or "skirts on camels" is worth reading. It highlights the adventures of Amelia B. Edwards and several other maverick Victorian ladies with a thirst for adventure.

I've republished Edwards' A Thousand Miles up the Nile, her fascinating travel book about Egypt and Egyptology from the 1870s. Edwards was a famous author in her time, and went on to found the Egypt Exploration fund, which exists to this day.

While you'll enjoy reading her book for its own sake, it's made doubly delightful by its tie-in with Elizabeth Peters' Egyptology-themed Amelia Peabody mystery series, whose main character is clearly based on Amelia Edwards! This means that A Thousand Miles up the Nile acts as a must-read sourcebook for fans of this best-selling series.