Some guys I have spoken with via email are currently trekking around Nepal making field recordings of folk musicians. They have a regularly-updated blog full of great pics, music samples and aneCDotes here:

http://mountainmusicproject.blogspot.com/

Amongst other things, they're interested in comparing the folk music of the Himalayas with that of the Appalachian mountains; both evolved totally independent of each other, and yet there are many similarities between them.

If this kind of thing floats your boat, check out their blog. I'm sure they'd welcome more readers!