Walking the Gobi

For our March 2019 meeting we discussed "Walking the Gobi" by Helen Thayer.

The author of "Walking the Gobi," Helen Thayer, is a true adventurer. Born in New Zealand, she became the first woman to ski solo to the magnetic north pole. With her American husband she camped next to a wolf pack in the Yukon, walked across the Sahara and Death Valley, paddled the Amazon River, and finally fulfilled a life-long dream of walking 1,600 miles across the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.

At the time of their walk across the Gobi, Helen was 63 and her husband was 74. They walked every step, while two camels they named Tom and Jerry carried their supplies. The couple had been in a car accident just months before the trip, and Helen was injured to the extent that she was in pain with every step of the 1,600 miles.

Their journey included 126-degree temperatures, scorpions, sandstorms, smugglers, life-threatening thirst, and possible imprisonment at the Chinese border. Yet through all these struggles, Helen and her husband joyed in the beauty of the landscape, the stars at night, and especially the nomadic desert people. These hospitable people gained their admiration and respect for their love of their families and their survival in the extreme conditions of worsening droughts, freezing winter snowstorms, and the after-effects of Soviet domination.

In 1988, Helen founded Adventure Classroom, an educational program for students from kindergarten through high school, which has benefited from her explorations and incredible experiences. Thinking of these students is what pushes her through the difficulties and challenges to gain the knowledge and insights she loves to pass along.

Our group enjoyed this engaging read and learning about this amazing part of the world through the eyes of such an adventurous couple.

Review by Mary Mintz