Gavin Young died in 2001 at age 72, still traveling, at least in his memories. This work is almost a pictorial biography covering, by his own and others photographs, his exciting career as a Welsh Guard, desert explorer, war correspondent and travel writer. The photos are supported by his always marvelous – almost conversational – prose, as he explains his motivations and recovers his memories. Gavin always graciously acknowledged the mentorship he received in his early days from Sir Wilfred Thesinger, David Astor and Ian Fleming (of James Bond) but he credits Paul Theroux for starting the wonderful trip around the world he described in Slow Boats to China (1981), Slow Boats Home (1985).

Regretfully his readers must count “Eye” as his farewell gift to us, and our enjoyment of this, his last trip, is his memorial.

” "I felt I would never go home but would stay out here on the roof of the world; which, of course, in a way, I did."