The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Its quite impressive, all about Afghanistan and its political turmoils but with an emotional angle to it through the eyes of a little boy growing up in and outside Afghanistan.
Since the writer now resides in the US, you glimpse a bit of Americanism in the style of writing. But, throughout, the book has those moments which makes it unputdownable. I finished it in one and half days!
Highly recommended!
And, bon voyage, as said to you elsewhere, take lots of pics and share them with us!
P.S. Awww, my pretty boy Vaucluse, so scruffy lah!

It's not getting any smarter out there. You have to come to terms with stupidity, and make it work for you.