The Tent Pegs of Heaven

Four stars plus, but it is hard to get five stars from me.
An excellent travel book, but also more.

Invited to visit Afghanistan by the prince and princess, who at short notice were unable to be present for her visit, the author by default is hosted by the royal family, who arrange rather unprecedented access to parts of Afghanistan which at that time were generally considered closed to foreign visitors. (Published 1967, so I am assuming mid 1960's).

Not only access, but the provision of a very capable guide and equally capable driver with a quality vehicle meant that even against the sensible advice of all (the royal family, the British ambassador etc), due to the authors visit being so late in the season, she was able to drive the high passes and visit in the beginnings of winter places like Balkh and Bamiyan. The extent of the Afghani good will towards her even kept mountain guest houses and lodges open and staffed beyond their normal season end.

Some perilous weather matched with difficult roads proved the ability of her driver, and the Russian Volga car, and it was only once that a destination couldn't be reached - these being the high altitude blue lakes of Band-E Amir.

As well as a very well written and travelogue, it offers much in it great descriptions not only of the towns, villages and incredible Hindu Kush scenery, but also the people, the cultural aspects, the mosques, the other religious sites - Bamiyan's Buddha statues and the like. Her few, but interesting interactions with the Afghani tribesmen are excellent, and her appreciation of their culture make interesting reading.

The saddest part of the book is how much has changed in Afghanistan since the 1960s. The incredible hospitality, the warmth and willingness to assist a foreigner, the Afghani's pleasure at interacting, and their sense of host responsibility, of their proud and honourable behaviour. The amazing beauty of what is now a war-torn country, self destructed under a brutal and extreme religious regime, the significant loss of culture and more importantly the impact on the people.

The last few chapters change from travelogue to some general observations about the role and treatment of women in Afghanistan, the constitution, system of law, politics, education, hospitals and foreign relations. Very relevant to the time of writing, now sadly a part of history.

The name of the book comes from a quotation in the Koran where mountains are referred to as ‘the tent pegs of heaven', the Hindu Kush being an incredible mountain chain.