George Eric Newby CBE MC (6 December 1919 – 20 October 2006[1]) was an English travel author. Newby's best known works include A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, The Last Grain Race, and Round Ireland in Low Gear. The ground was like iron with sharp rocks sticking up out of it. We started to blow up our air-beds. ' God, you must be a couple of pansies,' said Thesiger.