Ed Stafford - Walking the Amazon
A Worlds first expedition completing what many said was impossible.
Ed Stafford and this book was introduced to me by a friend of mine. We were both about to go on a jungle expedition for 3 months and we decided to read this as a way to learn about the environment we were going into.
I am slow reader but this was one of the books I read super quick.
The story is absolutely incredible and the events that take place are absolutely insane. Can you imagine being in a jungle for 860 days?
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When we were on our jungle expedition for 3 months and at times it was miserable and tough, I just kept thinking to myself. Well, it's not as bad as Ed had it.
He drew a line in the sand on what true hardship is and inspired me on what is possible. He makes you believe you should question people who call something impossible.
Overview:
Ed Stafford aims to become the first person to walk the length of the Amazon from source to sea. His expedition starts in the Andes Mountains and he makes his way into the Amazon basin following the river all the way to the Atlantic Coast. He is completing his expedition unsupported in terms of there is no team backing him up on the ground, resulting in him carrying all his gear himself and sorting out all the problems on the way.
Initial Impression:
Ed is initially walking with a friend of his for the first three months as they aim to locate the source. To do this they start on the Pacific coast in Peru and then head into the Andes. So not only has he got the intention of walking the entire Amazon, but he has also added in an unexpected “warm-up” on this 2-month section. This wasn’t needed in his goal and certainly set the marker of what was to come. This 2-month trip to the summit in the Andes at the source would be a cool trip in itself, yet this is a cheeky freebie the reader gets at the start. Each chapter at the start seems more ridiculous in terms of difficulty and it makes you eagerly start the next wanting to know what happens next. His open and honest nature is clear as he opens up about his own demons in his head along with the relationship with his expedition partner. There is no dipping your toe in here it starts strong and keeps getting better making sure you stay engaged.
What I loved:
1/ The shear dogged determination of the guy. The ability day-in and day-out repeatedly get up and slog on is incredibly. There was some pretty dark and tough patches as you would imagine, but he was consistent and just kept on going. It really puts in perspective what ‘sticking to something’ really means.
2/ The openness on both his relationship with his expedition partner and also his own thoughts. He really doesn’t seem happy at times but he doesn’t gloss over this. He doesn’t try and convince you that all was rosy or that it’s always glamorous. He is honest and I love that. It adds to the whole expedition and shows it’s not just the physical battles he came up against, but also the mental as well. A few other expedition tales I have read try to maintain that old British colonial explorer with a strong upper lip type of persona which is not very real or accurate.
3/ The resilience against the big problems. This is different to his day-to-day consistency. He was going through some dangerous areas that had ridiculous red tape and bribery. These major events wouldn’t deter him, and he would approach them in a calm calculated manner. He let’s you know his feelings of course, but his way or handling himself has the greater bigger picture in mind. Which is something you can relate to your own life – whatever line of work you are in.
4/ Chipping away at a goal. Some days he hardly moved at all even when he was trying. At others times he is stuck in one place trying to solve a problem. But slowly over time he chips away at his goal. We are in a generation of quick results and unwillingness to put in the time to achieve a major goal. I am guilty of this as well. He has shown what can be done by putting your head down and staying focused.
Who is this book for?
Anyone with a desire to do a major expedition but lacks the confidence, funds or skills. The armchair adventurer who admires when someone does something amazing. Someone who is looking to be inspired by the feats of another human.
Conclusion:
Ed’s accomplishment with this expedition is in my opinion one of the greatest achievements ever in the world of expeditions. Most definitely the greatest in our modern time. It combines skill, determination, danger, physical and mental endurance, and everything else a great expedition needs.
His ability to convey this into a book is remarkable. I was in absolute awe for the whole book and absolutely blown away of one mans ability to not throw in the towel and to endure an expedition which in all sense should have killed him. From injury, shotgun, health, drowning – you name it, after two years of ongoing hammering from the Amazon odds on something would have stopped him.
I am yet to meet someone not impressed with this expedition. It is amazing, read the book, you will not be disappointed.