|
Across the Roof of the World
Wilfred Skrede
ISBN 1590480406
|
Wilfred Skrede was nineteen in 1941 when the
Nazis occupied his homeland of Norway. Determined to reach a training camp
of the free Norwegian Air Force located in Toronto, Canada, the daring young
man set off across Russia, Siberia, China, Turkestan and India before
finally reaching his destination in far away North America, more than one
year later.
After the war Skrede wrote about this amazing journey describing in "Across
the Roof of the World" how he made his way along the tracks of Genghis
Khan’s hordes, followed the silk caravans from China, crossed the high
mountains of Central Asia, and miraculously made his way to freedom. Yet the
liberty he sought demanded a high price.
Being a Norwegian refugee, he was frequently arrested by various police
forces who threatened him with deportation back to his Nazi-occupied
homeland, and in communist controlled Sinkiang the young adventurer had his
back cracked by a wild truck driver. His most perilous challenge however
came when he was forced to ride horseback over the infamous 16,000 foot high
Mintaka Pass, a hideous bit of trail known for killing horses and riders
alike.
The resultant story, told with fortitude, humor and resilience, is thus
populated by a host of colorful characters, including famed English
mountaineer Eric Shipton, and Tenzing, the Sherpa who went on to conquer
Mount Everest. Amply illustrated, “Across the Roof of the World” is an epic
equestrian travel tale laced with unforgettable excitement.
Go to Amazon.co.uk or Barnes
& Noble. |
