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.

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.

First of all, I set out a budget for the trip, I usually aim for a round figure but it is always upwards of £5,000 - more than enough for a trip anywhere in the world for four to six weeks.
Don’t think you can load up the credit card and a way you go either.
Remember, travelling to rural, remote locations cash is king!
Money talks anywhere in the world, from bribes to transport costs to all in between.

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.

So you have caught the adventure travel bug and you are gearing for your next international trip. At the same time, overseas excursions are hard to pull off and the logistics can seem overwhelming. You're making plans, booking rooms, finalising work arrangement, preparing to board the plane-- have you stopped and ask why you're doing it all in the first place.

I’m never home for long before I start to feel the urge to go on another adventure. Planning an expedition is a lot of work. These are some of the things that I consider when choosing my next big adventure and prepare for it.

How a cycling novice faced down hypothermia, a crash, and torrential weather on a 1000 mile cycle expedition from the UK to Northern Spain

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

I headed to Puerto Rico for a stop gap of relaxation, before I headed over to Colombia and prepared for the Darien gap.

So as we arrived in the favela we were immediately stared at, me in particular as I evidently don’t look Brazilian and people who travel in the favelas are known almost always by the young men and women on the front gate.