The Cloud Garden - Softcover

Dyke, Tom Hart; Winder, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0593051815 ISBN 13: 9780593051818

Publisher: Bantam, 2003

Synopsis

The Darién Gap is a place of legend. The only break in the Pan-American highway, which runs from Alaska to the tip of South America, it is an almost impregnable strip of swamp, jungle and cloud forest between the vast landmasses of North and South America. Stories of abduction and murder there are rife and in recent years more people have successfully climbed Everest or trekked to the South Pole than have crossed the Darién Gap.

In 2000, Tom Hart Dyke, a young botanist, set off to Central America with one thing on his mind: orchids. He knew that in order to find the rare and beautiful species he so fervently admired, he would have to visit some of the most inhospitable places on earth. Unbeknown to Tom, another young explorer, Paul Winder, was backpacking through the area at the same time. Though he sometimes worked freelance in the City of London, Paul was a fearless and intrepid traveller, happier scaling volcanoes than lounging on beaches. In every bar and café along his route, rumours abounded of the Darién Gap - and the more he heard, the greater became his desire to make the journey. Pure chance brought Paul and Tom together in northern Mexico; they formed an instant bond and their fate was sealed.

Ignoring a final, succinct warning from the Lonely Planet guide - 'Don't even think about it!' - Tom and Paul set off into the Darién: Tom in search of orchids, Paul in search of adventure. They would find plenty of each. For six days they made good progress. Then, just hours away from Colombia, the dream ended and the horror began. Paul and Tom were ambushed by FARC guerrillas who were to hold them hostage for the next nine months. From that day on, their survival was a matter of extraordinary endurance, incredible ingenuity and not a little good luck ...

About this title

Review

At first glance The Cloud Garden seems a little unlikely: a pair of twentysomething former public school boys have a great time trekking through Central America and get caught up in a bit of bother. Tom is passionate about flowers and his family lives in a castle in Kent--"Isn't it just super?!". Paul, when he isn't "hacking his way through the jungle", works in the City.

If you can get through the kissy kissy PR and the hooray Henry enthusiasm, The Cloud Garden is actually an exciting yarn. Adventurer Paul Winder and orchid enthusiast Tom Hart Dyke met up in Mexico and decided to trek through the Darién Gap--a narrow bit of jungle on the border of Panama and Colombia. Tom wanted to find some new flowers and Paul wanted a challenge. They had almost made it when they were taken captive by a band of FARC guerilla fighters with a grudge against just about everybody, a serious grunge problem and an eye for a juicy ransom for some rich boys. Our heroes survived for nine months and emerged after a harrowing ordeal with a combination of hard work, endurance and a pinch of good luck. This captivating book is well written with youthful zest, a sparky sense of humour and the scary sense that these two just might set off for another adventure next summer. --Dwight Longenecker

Review

"'Funny, engrossing and moving... Throughout the dark days, the luminous personalities of Hart Dyke and Winder shine through'" (Guardian)

"'Part adventure story, part travel memoir, part personal revelation, The Cloud Garden is one of the most exciting and interesting books I have read for years'" (Sunday Telegraph)

"'Truly captivating'" (The Scotsman)

"'A terrifying but hilarious story of true British grit and eccentricity...An emotional rollercoaster of fear and farce'" (Daily Mail)

"'An amazing story, well-told, thrilling and moving...kidnapped by terrorists, held hostage at gunpoint, in fear of being beheaded...A mixture of hell and farce'" (The Times)

Edition details

• Publisher: Bantam
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593051815
• ISBN 13: 9780593051818
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 323