Editor’s Note: The following is the opening excerpt from “A Tourist’s Guide to Afghanistan” by Bowe Bergdahl. The world-renowned author is a former US Army soldier and adventurer, having spent over five years traveling through the Afghan/Pakistan frontier.

When I first gazed upon the mountains of eastern Afghanistan, I was struck not only by their stark beauty, but the sense of timelessness that encompasses the entire region. Alexander the Great may have stood upon the same ground I now walked. British soldiers climbed, fought, and died over the same breathtaking landscape. It was awe inspiring.

I’d always been fascinated with the area. Being from a small town in the Midwest, I never imagined I’d be able to explore a place steeped in so much history. I spent those first few months studying the culture. Visitors to the region can sample such wonderful foods as boiled goat, boiled mutton, chai tea, and yogurt of all varieties.