Ash Dykes (Eye Books)
If spirit, courage and sheer determination could be measured in money, then Ash Dykes would be a very wealthy man. As a teenager in North Wales, Dykes wanted something more from life than just living for the weekend. He studied documentaries of remote tribes on the other side of the world and longed for adventure. Rather than just dream about it, Dykes brought it to reality by embarking on an adventure across Thailand and Australia. But this only served as an appetiser. He wanted more. At the age of 23 he became the first person to walk solo and unsupported across Mongolia taking in the Altai Mountains and the Gobi Desert on the way. His encounters with wild dogs, wolves and Mongol nomads are truly epic and his faith in human kindness is both tested and justified during his arduous journey. An utterly captivating book that details exactly how he executed his dream, including the training and the preparation, but it’s also a real tribute to the human spirit and what can be achieved if you have the right motivation. The pacing of the book was slightly frustrating, which is my only issue. While it’s packed with good stories I found myself wanting more detail on some of them. I gladly would have enjoyed another 100 pages if they could have embellished on some of the stories. Nevertheless, a great read for any aspiring adventurer or indeed any armchair adventurer.
Price: £9.99. Info: www.eye-books.com
words CHRIS ANDREWS