Simon Chapman (1)

"What did these 'classic' expeditions feel like? That's what I wanted to know", April 28, 2015

This review is from: The Monster of the Madidi: Searching for the Giant Ape of the Bolivian Jungle (Hardcover)
I had imagined Bolivia to be a land of rocky landscapes - but no, there is a large area of Amazon rainforest too, full of tapirs, jaguars and monkeys.
Schoolteacher Simon Chapman, a jungle enthusiast (the book is dedicated to 'Carolyn, who understands my tree frog dreams') sets out on a journey inspired by a (mythical?) giant ape which lives there. He is also keen to recreate the journey of the 1920s explorer who claimed to have found the beast.
Here he describes a journey on foot and with collapsible dinghy through unchartered territory. Where the thick vegetation stops the GPS working, where snakes, flies and fungus beset them, and where differences of personality cause problems between the group. And where it's all too easy to get lost...
Well written account; I'm giving it *3 because as a female reader it's a bit blokey and not exactly my 'thing', but for afficionados of true-life adventure I would recommend it.… (meer)