Just Finished Reading: A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby (FP: 1958) [279pp] 

It was more than a whim, although not much more. Having decided that after 10 years the clothing industry was not for him the recently published author decided that he needed adventure, travel and the basis of a new travel book. He cabled his friend Hugh Carless at the British Embassy in Rio “Can You Travel Nuristan June?” to which he received a cool three-word reply “Of Course, Hugh”. It was the beginning of a plan, although maybe ‘plan’ was a slight exaggeration. 

Although Hugh had some experience of the area, and helpfully spoke Persian, the author had almost none. Worse still, part of the trip would involve climbing in some of the least hospitable parts of Afghanistan. With scant weeks to purchase equipment and little knowledge or experience to go on (to say nothing of the contrary advice received from all quarters) Eric did his best as he waited for Hugh to arrive in England. The timing was delicate. Not only did the pair need to take into account the expected weather at their final destination but Hugh was on a short break between diplomatic postings and had already agreed a start date at his new post. With time growing short they travelled to Wales to learn the basic rudiments of mountain climbing. Only days later they were packing for the drive across Europe accompanied by Eric’s wife who would fly back to Italy to pick up the children after they reached Tehran. 

Once they arrived in Afghanistan the fun (somewhat of an exaggeration there!) really started. Initially stymied by local officials they finally met up with their porters and guide who would take them deep ‘in country’ to Nuristan – an area that few Europeans had ever been to (at least in the 1950’s). Carrying a limited amount of (at least from my position) frighteningly primitive equipment they trekked for days across a scenic wilderness to attempt a climb of a mountain that Hugh had failed to reach on his previous visit years before. Already suffering from dysentery, they both tried their best and, in their naivety, took far too many risks in the process – to be honest my heart was in my mouth more than once as they tried to traverse a mountain without any real idea just how dangerous it was and how unprepared they were!  

I’ve been looking at some travel books for a few years now (probably brought on by a hint of the cabin-fever of the first lockdowns!) and have finally managed to read one of them. This has been hailed as a classic of its type and has been voted into the Top 20 of the 100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time. I’m not sure if I’d go quite that far but it was fun watching two young travelers clearly out of their depth (and luckily for them not knowing it) have an adventure of a lifetime. For a (largely) stay-at-home like me this was a fun read both for its travel elements and its peek into British/Western attitudes of the day as well as a look at 50’s Afghanistan before Russian and later Western forces chewed the country up. Definitely recommended for all armchair travelers.