Daren
Well travelled family, but despite the blurb, they travel for the most part in this book without their young children, who join Myrtle near the end of the journey.
Essentially, Myrtle and husband Hugh, joined by Bill an Roger - all with experience as skiing, climbing and adventure generally, cross Greenland from east to west on foot towing sledges! The journey is largely through uninhabited land (other than at the beginning and the end (other than the American base, which being secret is not acknowledged by the authorities, but they are welcomed nevertheless!) As they reach the west coast, they are met by their children, brought over by a friend who is to stay with Mrytle for a few weeks while Hugh and the others take canoes and complete a further leg of the journey.
The book begins with their preparations, touches on earlier explorers journeys in Greenland, explains the approvals they cannot obtain from Denmark (but go anyway) and then crack on to the journey itself. The author does a good job of carrying the story without excessive repetition. A chapter near the end is written by Hugh, covering the canoe journey, and an appendix contains an article about his medical research undertaken on the journey, which is only briefly touched on in the narrative (research in to adrenaline).
I am not sure if other editions contain photos, but my copy (Travel Book Club edition) had no photos at all, which was disappointing. The two maps were also of poor quality, offering little explanation as to the journey. Notwithstanding these faults, the book is readable and interesting.
3 stars
Well travelled family, but despite the blurb, they travel for the most part in this book without their young children, who join Myrtle near the end of the journey.
Essentially, Myrtle and husband Hugh, joined by Bill an Roger - all with experience as skiing, climbing and adventure generally, cross Greenland from east to west on foot towing sledges! The journey is largely through uninhabited land (other than at the beginning and the end (other than the American base, which being secret is not acknowledged by the authorities, but they are welcomed nevertheless!) As they reach the west coast, they are met by their children, brought over by a friend who is to stay with Mrytle for a few weeks while Hugh and the others take canoes and complete a further leg of the journey.
The book begins with their preparations, touches on earlier explorers journeys in Greenland, explains the approvals they cannot obtain from Denmark (but go anyway) and then crack on to the journey itself. The author does a good job of carrying the story without excessive repetition. A chapter near the end is written by Hugh, covering the canoe journey, and an appendix contains an article about his medical research undertaken on the journey, which is only briefly touched on in the narrative (research in to adrenaline).
I am not sure if other editions contain photos, but my copy (Travel Book Club edition) had no photos at all, which was disappointing. The two maps were also of poor quality, offering little explanation as to the journey. Notwithstanding these faults, the book is readable and interesting.
3 stars