As we ventured into the centre of the river, disaster struck. The canoe, far too small for our load, capsized almost immediately. In those frantic moments, as the river swallowed us, I experienced the closest brush with death I have ever had. Despite my previous life-threatening experiences, both in expeditions and otherwise, this was a matter of mere seconds. On returning to the UK, I have since made it a point to swim at every opportunity, a testament to how profoundly this incident affected me.

Embarking on a six-week expedition through the dense and untamed jungles of Colombia’s Vaupés region into Brazil’s vast Amazonas was a journey that tested my limits, reshaped my perceptions, and immersed me in the vibrant tapestry of local cultures and landscapes. Joined by a journalist for the initial five days, we meticulously documented our adventure, capturing the essence of this extraordinary experience.

In the world of adventure and exploration, there are journeys that push the boundaries of human endurance and curiosity. Today, we're diving into an extraordinary narrative of relentless ambition and the countdown to an unparalleled expedition. This expedition, following in the footsteps of challenging past journeys down the Essequibo River, across the Darien Gap, and through untouched regions of three South American nations, promises to eclipse them all in terms of its audacity and isolation.

You would think I would need a break from travel after my last expedition, but, it isn’t long before I find my feet itching and the desire to fly away calling me.
However, planning an expedition is not a simple case of sticking a pin in the map and away you go.
No, it takes time. In my case, planning an expedition takes up to two years of research.
Firstly, you have to be drawn to a particular location. For me, there is always a reason behind why I want to go to a certain country.
It could be an animal I would love to see in its natural habitat, or simply the culture of the location that draws me in, making me want to experience it for myself.

That saying ‘can’t wait to get home and have a cuppa’ is no lie.
Be it a freshly brewed cup of tea, catching your favourite tv show or climbing into your own bed, as much as we can’t wait to go away, coming home to our creature comforts is a feeling you truly can not beat.
But for me, there was something else, my comfort was in being able to say ‘I did it. I proved you wrong’

I felt sick, I felt overwhelmed, I felt relieved.
Is it really possible to have so many feelings hit you simultaneously?
The truth is ‘yes’

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.

The guide and I had covered 15 miles of walking on our first day on foot in the Darién Gap. Still, we hoped to have covered more ground that day to reduce as much time spent in this hostile jungle as possible. The longer you stay, the faster you begin to break down, as though the wild slowly digests you.
We were no longer on fresh legs as we had been on day one. Now it all depended on willpower to push through on day two, where we made it into the most remote, mountainous and central region of the jungle between the start and end of this journey.

A dangerous expedition will usually have one key selling point for a daring explorer, whether it’s the natural landscape that provides the challenge, perhaps political turmoil in the area, or deadly wildlife.
Few will have every risky attraction tied to their names, yet The Darién Gap has them all—with a laundry list of challenges you must face passing through this wild, remote region between North and South America.
Drawn to this hostile region was UK explorer Daniel Eggington, who had spent 5-years working towards going on this incredible expedition to cross the Darién Gap by foot. Many would deter Eggington from embarking on this mission, including legendary survivalist Bear Grylls. Still, Eggington was adamant about completing this challenge. He was further driven by the idea of educating people on the infamous region through his first-hand experience.
Still, the question lingers, what makes The Darién Gap so infamously dangerous yet spectacular?

I'm about to head onto my next expedition, and this time I'm venturing into Colombia. Colombia itself is a country rich in culture, diversity, and history, but there are still many areas of the area that haven't been fully explored, and as you may already know, I make it my mission and passion to get into the areas that are less traveled by. Even in a country like Colombia, it can have vast differences, depending on which areas you're going to be in.