We never knew what that great shadow was.

Thor Heyerdahl has died. The Kon Tiki Expedition was the first adult book I ever read. My Grandmother bought it for me I think. I still have it in the main bookcase. Funnily enough it was mentioned on the first program of the BBC series "Reading the Century" ( Which has no link by the way) only two weeks ago. Its a book where, although there is a great sense of adventure and danger, you never ever feel anxious for the people in it. They always seemed to be totally in control and to know what is right though I detected a certain undercurrent in some of the relationships between the crew. Anyway, they were all heroes in the true "Boys' Own" sense. The book of drawings of the expedition by Erik Hesselberg called "Kon-tiki and I" is also very good, though you can only get it second hand - I think there are quite a few copies around.

(From The Kon-Tiki Museum site)

It was a bit of a craze when I was nine because we had a competion at school to make the best model of the Kon-Tiki. My Dad cut wood from the hills and together we made quite a good version and although I thought mine was the best, I refused to enter it because I had had help. Anyway, years after this model had been thrown away when the wood went slimy, I decided to make my own version out of Balsa. It was lashed together just like the real thing though I had to use some glue, I was very proud of it even if I never completely "fitted it out" with a sail etc. My Dad visited one day and I was very happy when he said that it was a "proper version". It got broken when we moved house but now I have access to workshop space, I may have another go at it along with all the other projects.

Thor Heyerdahl was a great Internationalist. He burnt the Tigris in protest after it was prevented from entering the Red Sea by local conflicts. A man of whom we can say that he achieved a lot of things. Be sad and happy. His is a better life to remember than recent more prominent departures for other lives.