So you'll be going up there, you will?' said an old fellow among the hubbub, thumbing at the mountains through a crumbling ceiling yellowed by smoke. 'Like that German tourist who spent the winter up there. Found him in the thaw somewhere in the Black Valley. Still upright, so he was.' He cackled and slammed his empty glass of Guinness on the counter, smacking his lips... …more

Before I die, I want to revisit the Karakoram Highway. This branch of the Silk Road is my favorites journey. The astonishing scenery alone justifies the trip, but the region's delicate geopolitics and knot of diverse peoples give it an edge that's hard to match elsewhere. …more