Discover the upper reaches of the Rio Negro

Dear Peter, this is just to let you know that the "Rio Negro Rainforest Experience" was a trip that will remain in our memories for quite some time. It was intense and as close up to the Amazonian nature as you can expect to get. The longer hikes on invisible trails require some experience but nothing that would even reduce our pleasure and lightness when we are arrived at the camp, which was always wisely pitched close to a rapid or a creek.

There was plenty of time to explore the amazing flora of the untouched Rainforest which did interest all of us very much. One of the highlights was the hike to the top of the "Sleeping Beauty" hill. It was a bit strenuous but the view from up there over the immenseness of the Forest was, by all means, worthwhile the effort It was breathtaking.

You also deployed excellent guides and porters. The cared about us alright. We always felt safe, even at night in the hammocks listening to the strange sound from the jungle. In short: a great trip to an unknown place and an awesome experience.

Thanks to Southern Cross and all of you.

In the jungle; the heat I am accustom to now, the rain is no more than bothersome, the insect bites tolerable and the jungle terrain I now find rather easy. As I am now over 50 years old my fitness and strength levels I estimate have dropped by up 50% and yet my efficiency in operating in miserable and difficult places seems to have gained by the same percentage so somewhat makes up the difference. We walk for 7 hours today and three boiled sweets and a litre of flavoured water is more than enough. A happy day here is dry socks in the morning and I constantly remind myself it could be worse. By the end of the expedition trekking in the jungle is not misery at all, it’s rather quite beautiful and hard routine becomes a normal day. São Gabriel da Cachoeira is situated at the country's far north border in one of the most remote parts of the Amazon jungle. It's been closed by the Army for over a decade and our expedition of three persons is the first to return. Three flights see us arrive in the small border town of Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira with a population made up mostly of the 23 native tribes.

If you want it remote try looking this place up on a map. We were forced to do the last hour of the canoe journey in total darkness. Having taken time negotiating rock outcrops and submerged trees in the daylight we were now given to luck. It's one of my most dangerous experiences yet. We nearly tipped two times and if you managed to swim ashore to a bank which was possible to climb out it would be a grim night until hopefully someone came to pick you up. It could be worse of course, there might be piranhas in the river. Oh, there are!

Branco our main guide and part Yanomami we had met in Sao Gabriel. A bit of a middle man he is a likeable character who knows everyone and can arrange anything it seems. In Maturaca we met our four porters. Augustino the head porter and Emeraldo, Paulo and Rivaldo. We also had to take a military escort, Paulo who was a Sergeant in jungle training. All the Yanomami I was soon to learn are small in stature, strong in body and kind in heart. I enjoyed my time with them immensely.

The art of misery is to me travelling as comfortable as you can in uncomfortable places and having the mind-set that of course 'things could be worse'. Our final camp we named Camp Miserable as it was already pretty grim when we arrived. At 10 pm the inevitable daily torrential downpour came and now indeed 'it did get worse'. Our camp was flooded by over 18 inches and on the one dry high spot under canopy where we all could stand we thought it rather OK. Until it got worse again as the snakes sort the high ground as well. The porters quickly despatched any that came to close by machete so all was not too bad.

A happy day now is not having to check one’s boots for tarantula every time you put them on.