Bradley Mayhew continues his journey into Afghanistan, where difficult terrain lies ahead. He first reaches the city of Herat before traveling on to the ancient city of Balkh. This historic place is said to be where Zarathustra first worshipped fire, where Alexander the Great founded his first city in this part of Asia, and where Marco Polo wrote that Alexander married the beautiful Roxanna. From there, Bradley heads toward the mountains of northeastern Afghanistan, though the route passes through risky areas. Fortunately, the International Security Assistance Force for Afghanistan offers him a seat on one of their planes, helping him reach his destination safely. Marco Polo once described the lapis lazuli mines in great detail, and Bradley sets out to find them—discovering traces of the same mines that fueled trade for centuries. His travels then take him into Tajikistan, a small Central Asian nation that was part of the Soviet Union for over 50 years. In Ishkashim, Bradley spends time at the local stadium before moving on to the Wakhan Valley, a vital east–west passage cutting through towering mountain ranges. From there, he follows Marco Polo’s trail onto the Pamir Plateau, a remote high-altitude plain. In the valleys of the Pamirs, Bradley joins local herders who live almost entirely self-sufficiently with their yaks. Finally, he reaches Kashgar, China—one of Asia’s great market towns and an important hub along the Silk Road.