Whole step, more than 900 million mosquito and ant
bites 200,000 times, more than 860 days (Cao accompany me to go 733
days) to walk more than 8000 km, the Hornets stung nearly 600 times, the
scorpion stings the twelve.
In retrospect, can not say I did not receive a warning. I gave an
Indian chief by a village in radio contact, and then I heard a loud,
clear sound of the threat: "If that Gringo dare to come in, he will be
killed."Peru Wizard Cao (Cho) came up with a solution: do not pass through the hostile village, and we need to inflate the rubber raft, the raft across a long island covered with pebbles. Therefore, I can without fear of attack and continue the mission of my foot across the entire Amazon River.
That is what we were doing. Then the other side of the island, the dock rubber raft, Cao Pingjing to say: "Ed, look behind you."
Turned around, I saw five canoes loaded with the native Indians, their faces red paint to draw lines, they are moving fast approaching. Many of them are standing, pull the bow and arrow at us. I noticed that all the women are holding a machete.
I feel the sweat dripping from the temple has been. My heart beats faster, I feel time slow down.
When these canoe dock, this Axiningka (Asheninka) Indian tribes out of the boat, and came running toward us. As they are getting closer, I saw men face thus anger and tension, while women do not look so crazy.
Cao no weapons and I like the animal on the end of the island as they capture. I remember that was outdated ideas, "These people want to kill us how ill-considered. They do not realize we're fighting?"
In 2005, I have through the 4345 miles (about 6992.6 km) long Amazon River this idea, I was being helped to arrange the time Atta, Patagonia, Argentina Argentine Patagonia, the scientific research visits.
Was cold, I found myself for the jungle some dreams - presumably where the sun is warmer, the trees will be higher, the more savage.
Whim, I use the Google search for "Amazon on foot (Amazon walk), however, I found the history of mankind has not a person on foot the Amazon River, full-length. Since then, the foot Amazon that this idea has been lingering in my mind.
I am not actually seen the Amazon, of course, be sure, I know it is the one wearing the flow of the rivers of South America. Before that, I did a three-year expedition leader, when four years of British officers: on foot there, how hard can it?
Three years later, I was finally ready - With the sponsorship, visa, buy a backpack, and even a companion. I met 35-year-old Luke Collier (Luke Collyer), four years older than me. At that time we have done a short-term nature conservation adventure, we find that we have one thing in common: we have, regardless of danger "to do some amazing things" desire.
In our pre-departure preparation stage, we continue to participate in the gathering, completely forgot about the physical training. When we get on the plane to Peru on March 1, 2008, we were both portly, bloodshot eyes, chin have a lot of fat.
In advance I would like to prepare? I think I do not know. Of course, I found it difficult to believe that I will soon face deadly snakes, eating endangered species, one run into a hostile tribe, a series of effort by a few days full of piranhas waist-deep waters .
When starting from the coast of Peru to find the source of the Amazon River (an overhanging rock 15 meters high waterfall), we desire it only 100 meters. Not only that, the locals laughed our backpack is too large.
This is how we think will be a pile of English novels and bird guide and binoculars, a machete, a compass, spare clothes, backpacks, fishing gear and the extra tool to give an overwhelmed Peruvian villagers reasons.
Soon we walk through the world's second-deep Colca River Canyon Colca Canyon (Translator's Note: Colca Canyon Colca Canyon, once the depth of 3191 m is called the world's deepest canyon, but unfortunately people later found in Peru Dakota Huaxi Canyon Cotahuasi Canyon,, it Bikeerka gorge 163 m deep). You do not know that how remote we are actually through the ancient Inca mummy group - they've got hair, skin was exposed to the landslide side.
Dangerous cliff to climb, and almost has also been a sudden rock fall to their lives, our mood began to collapse. Luke's a very slow pace, I am so very frustrating; he felt that I did not help him. He accompanied me 75 days later, I know to no common language between us.
Finally broke up when I told him that he is a lump of feces in the travel. He was angry, the next quarrel with each other are injured. This situation is a serious breakdown of the feelings of a loving couple.
Therefore, the first victim of the expedition is Luke, he decided to leave. Although I am a bit scared, but my reaction is really happy, at least I can act my own way.
Now, I have been into the notorious Peruvian Red Zone (Red Zone of Peru) - a stronghold of drug traffickers and terrorists, according to the locals say, after no one can walk through there. I named Oz (Oz) Peru wizard finally coca coca fields planted there all the cocaine.
A man told us they will be killed, if we accidentally discovered a drug-processing plants, one at the start. He said, "There is no second way is optional." A shop owner also told us the same information: "You can not barefoot through this area," he insisted, "they will kill you."
At this time, and I was with Oz feel very afraid, he decided to go home. Indian communities in the near 波多奥克帕 of Puerto Ocopa from a Ashaningka (Ashaninka) find a 16-year-old wizard, Elias (Elias,), he can speak the indigenous language.
Since then, I asked Elias about his home. He told me that his mother was six days before the murder, a nail through her throat. I dared not ask him why.
July 30, 2008, we went to the the criminals town of 达纳蒂维达 Germany (Natividad). I feel a bit like George W. Bush hanging in the strongholds of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and do not wish to be found.
Fair, people are shocked, and then the four Mianshan gun man came straight to us. Explains why we are here after I was shot facing escorted to a hotel.
"We have no justice," they told me, so I figure out the situation.
On the main road, a thin and high, long goatee man glided from beside me. Before he slipped away in a threatening manner, "Take care, Gringo!" This kind of feeling as if my exposure to make people laugh, Italy to American Westerns.
Explain the function of the backpack items, we are able to move on.
In the next couple of villages, using stroke care (masato) to entertain us, it is the women chew the yucca (yucca) will spit in a bowl made from a fermented beverage. Do not drink this beverage would be considered very rude, so we Helehaoji liters of this liquid.
But many Indians to move around with a bow and arrow, which makes me very nervous. They are not like hunting, gathering food ancestors, they seem to sit around all day drinking. After the reception I was informed that a third of women severely beaten by their drunken partner.
Many Indians, I doubt it very much. In a remote community Papa Maggie Ali (Pamakiari), the locals threw at us a bucket, a women's red vegetable dyes applied on my face.
In another community, they have towards me down three barrels of thin concrete. Then, a girl angrily shouted some of the concrete mixture into my mouth.
In the third village, a friendly Indian warned me that the next settlement, people are prepared to "a pile of bone spurs, because they think I went to their underground Touyou. Brutally rejected and scolding, I began to feel depressed.
Fortunately, when I met a 30-year-old forestry worker plus Lauderdale · Sanchez Rivera (Gadiel Sanchez, Rivera) - He was known as Cao (Cho). He agreed to do my guide. I began to relax through the red zone.
We are now leaving the dry forest and enter more than the biological significance of different rainforest. Forward speed is very slow. Tangle of some of the riverbank, soaked in water, others are long endless grass, these are wrapped around our feet.
August 24, we have a thrilling encounter the murderous Indians in the canoe. I tried to remain calm, to show them my empty hands, desperate to try to see their evil faces.
Their gestures and screams are barbaric, they forced us back to the river, we will be escorted to their villages in the center of a community huts. They threatened to walk beside us, their leader angrily yelling, saying that unauthorized manner here to insult them.
Once again, we were ordered to empty the backpack and explain each item, which seems to have calmed down. Surprisingly, we were then told that if we hire their leader and his brother wizard, then we can get out of there.
Alfonso East sector (Alfonso Dongo) and Andrea East Frame, Andreas Dongo able to speak basic Spanish, they are not the kind of person elected partners of the foot, but they have their usefulness.
Another hostile villages, we are by no accident, I asked the East constitutive brother If only I go alone what will happen and Cao. They laugh, find fault with that of an arrow fired into the back of my head, but my head will burst in the recent tree flowering.
But even in their protection, I still can not enter the hostile village. The shout rang out: "the Pera Carla (Pela cara)!" Which literally means stripping the nerve (face-peeler).
Finally one woman explained, that area there were human organs, is found the bodies of some organs. She said, "criminals are Americans - just like you, gringo." Others evidently believe that the foreigners stealing their children. The results I have several times been a serious warning, if I found in the dark after a place located in the village, I will kill.
Our trip the end of the day is always a variety of ways to wisely manage this risk, but I have become emotionally exhausted, just trying to prove a new community for me is harmless .
I began to feel depressed and frustrated. Put on my wet clothes - every night the laundry in the river - as a mental disorder. I walk more and more difficult, I can not find pleasant things. Many nights in a hammock, I quietly cry, self-injury self-pity tears drip down along the face.
September 11, I still lack of energy. At that time, we arrived in the village of a man named Christian Dior Bam bar (Diobamba), we were invited to dine. Alfonso (of Alfonso) has picked up a turtle as a gift, so we may be more enthusiastic welcome than ever.
The people we live in that night is headed by one year about 34 years old, tall and robust, a widow, she has elegant curves of the female, straight at me. East constitutive brothers make fun of me said she wanted me to be her husband - I can feel the excitement and warmth of a sudden. Listening to her hearty laughter, I think the heart trembled a little, and again back to reality.
The dinner is the tortoise - I had naively thought it was just sent for the pet - and an armadillo meat. I can feel my strength is restored.
But anyway, the walk to the stage we cut a path through the jungle with machetes. I several times Kandao wasp's nest hidden in the leaves under, we had to run away to escape them.
I learned to make their own activities in the trees, the tree of ants crawling up my arm, people intense pain. As for mosquitoes, one minute I was stung a dozen, some flew from my trouser leg. Even when I carefully climbed into my hammock, I still being stung about 30 times.
I have often in the end-result is difficult to sleep, because I worry about the next journey. I started medication to sleep, I even to trial morphine.
And East constitutive brothers farewell after Cao and through several settlements. In some settlements, small rooster testicles and the mother chicken soup to entertain us. On one occasion, we also eat monkey meat.
Every time we stop, everyone will stare at us. Even if in a hammock with a flashlight reading, I often will be about 20 Indians surrounded them watching me Zhideng Deng. They say: "Are you crazy? Shot dead you will be another tribe, or the jaguar will eat you."
Time, Cao shouted stop and pointing to something in the bushes. A spearhead snake (fer de lance) disk in there, ready to attack. As long as its bite, before he died of blood will flow out from the hair follicles, eyes, ears, nose and nails at.
Feel very fragile rubber sole canvas shoes, I put in a residential area on the way to buy Wellington boots.
By the end of November, the rainy season. Flood overflowing the woods, rattan and roots formed wood of more than one network, its variety of biting insects.
I once went to a branch to open an ants, which led to tens of thousands of ants crawling my body. I had to Guangzhuobangzi, one by one will catch them out.
To make matters worse, we realize that we will continue to encounter anacondas, caimans and piranhas.
We spent ten days and only 25 km away. Sometimes we walk through the sharp vines and spikes of palm leaves, the water depth to our neck. Some plants thorns on terror, they can pierce through the long system boots or pierce the knee.
Nevertheless, we finally came to a dry area of the forest, where I hired a local as an additional Wizard. One day, he disappeared for a while, came back dragging a pregnant tapir (tapir) legs. The tapir is a very front rank of an animal of the endangered list.
I am very angry. Although it is already dead, but I really do not want to eat it. We spent the whole night, smoked, salted the meat of it to supplement our meager supply.
Every day I have to ask ourselves the feasibility of the expedition. When we can enter to Brazil, the worst terrain yet to emerge.
This is a new place: away from any settlements, often from the river waters boating travel five days. We know we have to overcome a variety of potential emergency situations.
We seize the piranhas, and bake them mounted on the fire. We occasionally find some Brazilian fruit, or cut down the palm tree to get its soft white core. Even so, I also calculated the case of the next eight days, every day we have 450 calories to survive.
The night I dreamed of Mr Kipling French colors snacks (Mr Kipling French Fancies) and easy to eat the pancakes in a hammock. The eighth day of night, only half a catty of salt, and is surrounded by traces of human habitation. Our blood sugar drop very low so that we continue to fall in the mud.
The next day, Cao accidentally hit a tortoise. I chopped, then it is a terrible job. Production of bacon on the fire. I began to like the locals in the forest in search of prey: It is not difficult to capture, is about to become extinct, but can act as a food animal.
Found a an Indian lived in a wooden shack, we can buy some supplies. The road where the time we are still the worst environment: low, chaotic rainforest blot out the sun, the mud did to our thighs.
One day in October, Cao started complaining about headaches, light dark and blurry vision. I am also very upset: if he fell ill and can not continue to go, he will die here. He also knows this.
We are delighted that the next day, his recovery can continue to walk.
December 2009, I have gone 21 months, do not want to continue bumps in the Amazon. I would like to see my friends, watching a few games, stroll nightclub.
In order to boost morale, I sing the "sacrifice" (Dedication). That is the theme song of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), a children 's program "record" (Record The Breakers), artist Luo Yi Custer (Roy Castle).
As we move closer and closer to the river estuary, we stumbled upon a few months we have seen the road. For monkeys climbing in the trees, walking on a flat surface covered with asphalt macadam feel very odd.
The days we walked 40 or 45 kilometers. But ahead of us there are vast tracts of bushland, where the mountains and plains are the thorns. This brings me to Philippians pain, lung injury.
We often reach the top only to find the front of the only way is down to the same as cracks in the valley below.
In contrast, after crossing a large tributary of the Amazon through the Sao Sebastiao (São Sebastiao) - a strict sense of the church steeples of the township. Where nearly 30 people to see we paddled the boat, let go of the the kayaking gas strapped to the backpack on.
The reality is that I am now very thin, I have to mention my shorts. We both dressed in striped linen, the Cao boots tied together with strings, a pony fly in my head.
For the last 85 kilometers, we decided that the starry night and hardships. 3:00, I fell asleep in the great strides.
August 8, when we are close to the beach, I suddenly smelled the salt smell in the air. We dropped the backpacks, and rushed into the Atlantic Ocean. Cao is the first time, he had never seen the sea.
The end of the trip! Whole step, more than 900 million mosquito and ant bites 200,000 times, more than 860 days (Cao accompany me to go 733 days) to walk more than 8000 km, the Hornets stung nearly 600 times, twelve of scorpion stings and a Guinness World Records, I feel that life has never been so happy.
This article is from Ed (Ed Stafford), Staffordshire, walk the Amazon "(of The Walking the Amazon). The book will be published by Virgin Books (Virgin Books) in June this year.
