Book: Hindu Kush

Unlikely adventurers in forbidden lands        

A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, by Erik Newby  

Inexperienced and ill-prepared, the now iconic journey from a chaotic family business in haute couture in Mayfair, London to Afghanistan and the mountains of the Hindu Kush, north-east of Kabul.  

Eric and his friend High Careless set off on what becomes an epic journey among some of the highest mountains in the world, with almost no mountaineering experience. Their preparations involved some casual tips from a Welsh waitress on their only "training" weekend before setting off.

Humorous, self-effacing, and matter-of-fact. 
Also, a window into a wilderness we now cannot visit.

Here's a map of the area they walk through and an old book cover.