I came out unscathed from the deadfall, although I witnessed it happening only 10 metres away from me, so it was difficult to get any peaceful rest. Also, I took the time to assess the damage and found that skin was torn from my shoulders and hips, and my toenails were ripped out—the exposed nerve endings kept surging me with pain—especially when I was back on the move.
Whilst following the river, I started to feel lost, and no sight of any communities or people as my guide promised — I was not meant to take on this part of the journey alone.

I began to have muscle spasms in my legs to the point it became debilitating, where I had to just take a seat and sit with my anxious thoughts. My chest was also in pain and I believed I might have picked up some disease from the insects.

Travelling West up the Amazon River from Manaus to the Tabatinga-Leticia border is a unique way to cross the border whilst absorbing the culture of local Amazonians, and gaining a real respect for the majestic rainforest river.
You won’t find tickets for sale online. To experience this trip, you really need to think and act like a local.
There are only two ships that take the seven-day journey on a (semi-)regular basis, and a smaller boat covers the route in five days by cutting out a few stops on the way.

At one point on the expedition, I actually had to move a python from the path in front of me which was surreal, to say the least. On the same day, we also had to wait two hours for a female orangutan to move off our path. It would not have been safe to scoot around her- they are bigger than you think. Eventually, she shifted and we were able to continue with our hike. Seeing the Orangutans close though was an incredible experience…and the excitement didn’t end there. I’ll never forget watching the Macaque monkeys steal our pancakes on my 18th birthday morning. Not very typical for a young man's 18th, but nevertheless, I was over the moon to be chilling out with the Macaques on my birthday.

Envisage your first lads holiday: a quick two-hour flight to Spain, a week of sun, and a load of booze and babes...
Well, I had my sights set on something slightly different for my 18th birthday.
I was 17 years old and had just left my first job at the local zoo. Shortly after leaving, I received a cheque from the taxman for £800. That is a lot of money for a 17-year-old and I had no idea what to do with it.

The equipment to take on a solo expedition lasting more than a week.