Most of the action takes place in remote parts of Papua New Guinea. Benedict Allen goes back there many years after his initiation into the Niowra clan, described in his previous book 'Into the Crocodile Nest'. He has unfinished business with the clan but also, bizarrely, has been persuaded to accompany the BBC's Security Correspondent, Frank Gardner on a personal quest to observe birds of paradise. Just one problem - Frank is in a wheelchair and tropical swamps are not exactly designed to be easily accessible. Later he reconnects with another clan, the Yaifo, that has shunned the 21st Century. Having some personal experience of PNG, I can attest to the evocative accuracy of his descriptions of the rainforest, leeches and other creepy-crawlies not withstanding. There are some beautiful and poetic passages of prose. He is also pitch perfect on the subject of the local people, arising from his genuine affection and respect for them. Always there is the subcurrent of the cargo cult running through their expectations and perceived obligations but, in spite of his whiteness, Allen is able to break through and establish real relationships. His central thesis is that of the universal kindness of human towards human, even across huge cultural divides. Exploration, he believes can be undertaken 'off grid' without the aid of much in the way of technology, relying on the expertise and enthusiasm of the local people. Total immersion in, and repect for different ways, results in a more meaningful appreciation of a country and a culture. I can recommend the book as a well written and thoughtful debunking of the European myth of the tropical paradise.