I Read Books: Bradt's Travel Guide: Afghanistan

 

Bradt’s Travel Guide To Afghanistan

The first new travel guide to Afghanistan for twenty years. The author has traveled extensively in the country since 2008, as well as guiding adventure holiday tours there. Since the end of the war Afghanistan is not, for want of a better term, a normal country*, but it is one where they will let you have a tourist visa and tour the country.

So what is there to see? A whole country, of mountains, plains, deserts, cities and more. Afghanistan is known as the graveyard of empires, but it’s been the heart and cradle of others. Alexander the Great** settled veterans here leading to the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom; the Timurid dynasties built cities; and this is the homeland of the Mughal Emperors. Throughout this magnificent buildings have been built, fortresses, palaces, gardens, mosques and more.

And as well as the natural and man-made sights, the people. In the foreword the author notes that Afghanistan is difficult to research – things are not online or written in guidebooks***. To find your way about you need to listen to stories, to learn yourself. Or so I’m told, I’ve never been.

Read This: Vital if you’re going to Afghanistan, fascinating even if not
Don’t Read This: Lots of lists of hotels, restaurants and provincial sites
Full Disclosure: The author, James Willcox, is my brother

* But then what country is?

** Disputed

*** Well, other than this one