AFGHANISTAN at a time of peace: A 1955 journey to the Boharak plain in a veteran Land Rover

In 1955 Afghanistan was in the middle of King Zahir Shah’s forty year peaceful rule. Zahir had been appointed, aged 19, after his well-liked father, Nadir, was assassinated in 1933, after only four years in power. Nadir’s cousin, Amanullah, was exiled to Italy in 1929. This was because of his unpopular attempts at modernisation following his trips to Europe.
At this time a team from Cambridge travelled overland to that mountainous country. Welcomed by the Afghan authorities in Kabul, it was arranged they could visit Badakshan. After much appreciated hospitality all the way, they reached the Boharak valley. They were invited to set up camp alongside the River Zardeh. For three weeks the local people were kind hosts and explained their way of life. Afghanistan was then much as described by Marco Polo six Centuries earlier.
‘No visible buildings. Lush grass and trees. Air so pure and salubrious to cure all sickness.’
The team was grateful to Rover who lent OUE 271 which never ‘failed to proceed’ through eleven countries.