"The Ismaili mosque is far below in the valley: the rough road, the Karakoram Highway, leads north to the Chinese border. Pilgrims and travellers hurrying onwards stop to fix a flag to send their prayers flying away in the wind. Just as I was about to take the photograph, a shaft of sunlight struck the mosque making it seem as white as icing sugar. Mountains called the Passu cathedrals can be seen on the extreme left. I trekked and camped here: where the irrigation channels bring water, there are apricots, pomegranates, grapes, wheat and peas – but where the mountains are bare not a blade of grass grows and not a bird sings."