First Across the Roof of the World

The story of an 1981 expedition led by Peter Hillary and Graeme Dingle who climbed and tramped for 5,000 kilometres from Sikkim to Pakistan.
Assisted by a small support crew, and in the company of various others (Tashi, SP Chamoli, Major Prem Chand)the journey took them ten months. From Sikkim in India, they passed into Eastern Nepal, traversed the entire country, passed back into India (Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh)into Kashmir, Ladakh and into Pakistan.
Writing a chapter each, it was evident early on that Dingle and Hillary didn't get on as well as one might expect with two people about to spend 10 months together in remote and often dangerous country. It was interesting to read each author described their view of this. There was certainly a reluctance from Peter to include the support crew in any of the journey legs, whereas Graeme was supportive of the others, particularly Corrina (his future wife). Must have been awkward for the Indian men too, having to choose who to walk with when one or other strode out ahead.
The goal of the journey was not of course to climb every peak, which is clearly impossible in a place like Nepal, but to traverse the Himalaya, travelling as close as physically and politically acceptable to the main summits. There is a summary a few pages long of the peaks they achieved this with, and it is prodigious list. There is little doubt their achievement is fantastic.
An easy to read book, with plenty of detail, which does well to balance getting too caught up in the mundanity of ten months of walking!