Photos by Matthieu Paley paleyphoto | Najiba is on an early morning walk to her barley field in Afghanistan's Wakhan corridor, a panhandle that separates Pakistan from Tajikistan. Her brother Bakh Shoh soon joined her. I was traveling with writer Paul Salopek on his Out of Eden project (outofedenwalk), an incredible adventure observing the world at "boot level" while retracing the ancient routes of human migration. Salopek started his 21,000-mile (34,000 km) journey in Ethiopia in 2013 and has been walking ever since. I've visited the Wakhi-speaking region of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and China on and off for over 20 years. The Hindu Kush and Pamir Mountains are a rough and beautiful place. I'm particularly attached to this community, and I admire its strength and kindness in the face of adversity, both political and environmental, as well as its deep traditions and unique language. The people here have taught me so much, and I'll need several lifetimes to repay the hospital...