Afghanistan
all photos ©2005 Keith Mellnick

Herat to Minaret of Jam and back in 36 hours
The Minaret of Jam stands 196 miles east of Herat (a 10-hour drive in a 4x4) in the province of Ghor. At 213 feet, it is the world's second tallest minaret (after Delhi's Qutb Minar). Estimated to have been built in the early 13th Century, the origins and purpose of this extremely remote monument are debated.