I was hiking through the last outpost, Askole, in northern Pakistan on my way to K-2 base camp. From reading numerous books about the route to K-2, I knew that the people of Askole had an ambivalent relationship with foreign trekkers. There were many stories of locals throwing stones at trekkers as they walked through Askole. I was anxious, when I heard a call from a local. He was selling some wares, and I really wanted one of the colorful hats I had seen some of the villagers wearing.
He beckoned to me to follow, and soon we were winding through a maze of wooden homes. I wondered if I was being foolish, but I had a good feeling about my guide, so I kept going. Soon we came to his house, and he produced the kind of hat I had in mind. After I gave him two dollars, which was truly a bargain, I followed the villager back out to the trail. 
Our interaction only lasted a few minutes, but I felt good about our “cultural exchange” We both has received something we had wanted, and the transaction had been a warm, friendly one. I felt peace in my heart, as I walked toward K-2, which lay many miles ahead.
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