Stafford - Walking the Amazon: 860 days. One step at a time

Walking the
Amazon

860 Days. One Step at a Time.

Ed Stafford

A PLUME BOOK

For my dad, Jeremy Stafford, for moral courage,
mental strength and unquestioning love.

PLUME

Published by the Penguin Group

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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL England

Published by Plume, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Originally published in the United Kingdom by Virgin Books, an imprint of Ebury Publishing, in 2011.

First American Printing, September 2012

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Copyright Ed Stafford, 2011

All rights reserved

REGISTERED TRADEMARKMARCA REGISTRADA

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Stafford, Ed.

Walking the Amazon : 860 days. one step at a time / Ed Stafford.

p. cm.

ISBN: 978-1-101-60347-5

1. HikingAmazon River Region. 2. Stafford, EdTravelAmazon River

Region. 3. Amazon River RegionDescription and travel. I. Title.

GV199.45.A45S73 2012

918.11dc23

2012010986

Printed in the United States of America

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ALWAYS LEARNING

PEARSON

When the trustees of the Transglobe Expedition Trust (TET) first heard of Ed Staffords planned attempt to walk the length of the Amazon, we asked some notable authorities on the region for their opinion. The reply came back impossible. TET likes to support projects that are so challenging that they risk failure. We like to share the risks in the hope that, against the odds, the expedition will succeed and make a significant impact in the evolution of human achievement. Our Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, in describing the 1979 Transglobe Expedition, referred to it as mad (as an almost impossible goal) but marvellous (in its achievement). Ed Staffords plans were clearly mad and, if he succeeded against the advice of the pundits, it would also be marvellous.

When Ed set out, he was accompanied by a colleague, Luke Collyer. For various reasons, Luke had had enough after three months and returned to the UK. Undeterred, Ed carried on. One of the most impressive aspects of his performance throughout this expedition is Eds absolute determination to succeed. On an almost daily basis, he must have faced obstacles that would put most people off. His is a truly magnificent demonstration of the stubborn grit that you need to succeed in such difficult and dangerous terrain. Five months into the expedition, Ed met Gadiel Cho Sanchez, a local who agreed to walk for five days with Ed. Two years later Ed and Cho were still marching.

We in the TET are delighted and hugely impressed by Ed and Chos success, not only in the physical achievement but also in Eds dedication to relaying on his website the environmental and humanitarian stories, which were followed by both schoolchildren and adults around the world. Such stories draw much-needed attention to the very real problems that exist in the Amazon basin and beyond.

I am delighted to have been involved as a supporter and look forward to hearing what Ed will be attempting next. You can be sure it will be every bit as mad and, hopefully, equally marvellous.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes

After receiving a very direct warning over the HF radio that we would be killed if we decided to continue our journey, we reach the downriver end of the shingle island in the middle of the Amazon. I drop my inflated pack raft into the shallow brown waters and roll my heavy backpack off my stiff, grimy back and into the rubber boat.

Mira, Ed, atrs. Look, Ed, behind you, says Cho calmly. As I turn I see five dugout canoes coming towards us fast, full of indigenous Indians. Many of the Indians are standing up in the narrow boats; bows drawn, arrows trained on us. Those who are seated are thrusting hard with big wooden paddles.

Fuck. My T-shirt clings to my body and sweat pours down my temples. My body is still but my heart is quickening, adrenaline pours into my brain allowing me to process the imminent danger rapidly. My perception of time slows down. The carved boats cut through the choppy river fluently. The dangerous scene in the middle distance is framed by a green wall of overhanging jungle beyond. The brown faces of the Asheninka men and women are warlike and fierce, highlighted by lines of bright red face paint. I notice the women are all clutching machetes.

As the boats beach, the tribe leap out and run directly towards us. The mens faces are now taut with anger, eyes wide and white, and the women look possessed. Cho and I are unarmed, with nowhere to run, trapped at the tip of the island like animals. Every sense is now alert and our minds ignore all that is not relevant to immediate survival.

Conception to Birth

A furious cage of heavy tropical rain enclosed the wall-less bar. The extraordinary force of water drowned out the persistent Creole drums from across the muddy street. A cool evening freshness accompanied the rain, cutting through the usual humidity. I sat, beer in hand, with a fellow expedition leader, Luke Collyer, and breathed in the cleansing power of nature. As we reclined in low wooden chairs, a ball of excited apprehension sat conspicuously in both of our stomachs. Wed just come to a decision that could change our lives for ever and we had shaken on it. We had agreed to attempt to walk the entire length of the Amazon River together. My eyes gleamed and I grinned at Luke. Fucking hell, mate this is going to be mental.