Hardcover edition.

Nine treks from the Himalayas to East Africa, illustrated by sketches and water-colour paintings, tell the story of the author's progression along the high altitude learning curve. In the first chapter she and her husband succeed in climbing three trekking peaks in the Himalayas but find the whole experience so exhausting they don't intend to return. Five years later the good memories override the bad and they choose a high level trek in Sikkim, find they cope much better and thereafter keep coming back for more.

Her sketches and water-colour paintings of the mountain scenery and also some of the flora and fauna encountered complement the verbal descriptions and are an integral part of the book. The observation of the birds, animals and plants adds greatly to their enjoyment of their treks.

The tension between the physical effort involved and the surrounding visual pleasures is apparent throughout the book. However, as experience is gained, the attractions of high altitude increase. These treks include views of nine of the fourteen 8000m peaks, and visit four of the five highest mountains in Africa.