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As Cho, Pete and I descended a muddy forested slope, the horizon, normally obscured by the trees, appeared - a sure sign that a river was ahead. We were confronted by the most depressing wall of tight bamboo cane interwoven with razor grass.
We had to cross this valley and normally at times like this Cho and I bite the bullet and just continue cutting at a snail’s pace, knuckles raw and bleeding from the close machete work.
On this occasion I had a bit of an epiphany. If we use our all-powerful omnipotent friend beginning with the letter ‘G’ we might find the answer to our prayers.
So I got out the Macbook and opened Google Earth. It did not need the internet connection as the images were cashed in the memory - thank Google.
I picked out an apex of a sweeping meander, 45 degrees off course and thought that if we headed for it we would be able to keep the bamboo on our left and skirt around our nightmare. I plotted the Google coordinates into my new GPS and got a bearing to which Cho, Pete and I set our compasses.
As we started walking I had a smirk appearing on my face and as the bamboo faded off to the left the A-Team music started playing in my head, adding to the boyish adventure of it all. We made the 1.2km to the river floodplain without entering a single patch of cane or razor grass. As the light of the vast river appeared ahead, and we broke through the trees to the view of a majestic jungle river, a satisfied, wide John ‘Hannibal’ Smith smile spread across my face. Just missing the fat cigar I savoured the moment.
I love it when a plan comes together.
Amazing what technology can do! Nice work Murdoch.
Hi Ed, Cho and Pete and BA?
Is there any way you could give us the co-ordinates where you are now so that we can punch them into Google ourselves and see where you guys are.
Thanks, and oh can you stop playing with vipers, its not funny and its not clever :o)
Very, very happy to see you guys are safe and well.
Simon, Sharon, Kian and family xxx
We are doing a project on the Amazon Rain-Forest. We were wondering what animals are commonly found along the river, or close to it.
Thanks,
Caylie and Autumn
wow, just read about you today in Hello! magazine and was seriously impressed! You’ve taken on a 2 year dangerous adventure and had major upsets (loss of partner and sponsor) but you’re still determined to complete your dream, I have total admiration for you, you will make it! This beats ‘I’m a celebrity’ hands down, it’s the real thing, take care, Lynda x
[...] I love it when a plan comes together. via walkingtheamazon.com [...]
After all the slog I’m glad you haven’t lost your sense of fun
Ed, Cho, and Pete,
Good job escaping the razor grass. Keep on going! Our class is so happy your luck has risen! We’re glad you have a smile on your face. We know that you can cross the Amazon. See you next week!
http://www.sd25.org/~MarkNoltner/dryden/index.html
4 messages from Ba;
1. Simon - I think you just have to click on ’see stats’ above.
2. Caylie & Autumn - Ed may not pick up this message until he is next in a town and has more time and better internet aceess. I will remind him, because he will have a huge amount to read up on.
3. Ed - loved your shower and guppy fish photographs
4. It was good to read a positive message in ‘Issues’
Love, Ba x
Wonderful! x
Good to hear that the good ol’ A-Team is still with you. I bet you’ve had the Benny Hill theme a couple of times as well. Keep it up buddy, I’m well impressed.
For Google Earth, you need to use a different coordinate format. This should work: 4°14’30.61’’S 64°21’25.42’’W
A-Team !
Teaching Rainforests at the moment, and the kids are avidly following you. They LOVE your adventures. Can you answer some more questions and put another video answer for them to watch. Hope the fingers heals OK!