"A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH THE FIRST STEP" — Lao Tzu.
In 2016 British Adventurer Pete Casey, wearing Altberg jungle boots, set off on his epic journey from the Atlantic, where it washed up on the sandy shoreline at the mouth of the Amazon. Turning west he took the first step on his epic journey towards the scource of one of the world's greatest and least explored rivers.
Click here to visit's Pete's expedition website.
Five years on and he is still walking and his is one of the most inspirational journeys of his generation.
Five years ago Pete was a working builder, he sold everything he owned to fund his extraordinary dream of ascending the Amazon river.
“EVERY NOW AND THEN ORDINARY PEOPLE DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS”
No-one has ever attempted this sea to scource journey from east to west. Most sensible people go from scource to sea (downstream).
Although this expedition will achieve two world's firsts, the narrative is also about a walk through an environment and amongst indigenous people, living their everyday lives and trying to survive in a world increasingly under threat.
The wildlife, villages, communities and ecology of the forests and rivers of the Amazon Basin matter to all who inhabit our planet.
Pete's blog is a distant voice, from a distant world.
In Pete Casey’s own words: “I worked as a builder for 25 years, then I took the life-changing decision to sell my apartment and everything I owned, to try to become the first person to traverse the length of the mighty Amazon river from sea to source on foot, and by swimming across all the rivers including the Amazon river itself (several times).
"After months and months in pure jungle, and more than two years later, we finally crossed from the Brazilian border into Iquitos Peru."
Both man and nature had conspired to throw considerable obstacles in the way of the expedition, however in 2018 Pete became the first person to ascend the Brazilian Amazon on foot.
He added: “In the past five years I’ve suffered various fevers and severe stomach bugs, thousands upon thousands of mosquito bites.
"I’ve been locked up in an indigenous village, almost drowned twice, escaped during an 8.2 earthquake, suffered serious dehydration more than once, and almost starved to death walking through a flooded forest with no food whatsoever for five days.
“But all that hard won experience has prepared me mentally for the tough challenge still ahead and, physically I am fit.
“I’ve frequently paid for my bed and food by working in local communities and helping in small indigenous villages where I stopped for a few days.
“Although this expedition will achieve two ‘world firsts’ the narrative of this Odyssey is about so much more. It is about the future of the Amazon and everything it means for the entire planet.”
"LISTEN OH LORD OF THE MEETING RIVERS, THINGS STANDING SHALL FALL, BUT THE MOVING EVER SHALL BE" — Basava.
For the first five years of his incredible journey, Pete has worn Altberg Jungle Boots.
A couple of weeks ago, we sent out to him a pair of our Hot Weather Base Boots, which will be more suited to the dryer conditions he will encounter in the next stage of his ascent of the Amazon to its source.
As he approaches the higher altitudes of the Peruvian Andes, he may need a pair of our Mallerstang Mountain Boots to get him over the top of the mighty snow-capped Andes, before beginning the long descent to the west coast of Peru.
Adventurers and explorers are mostly self-funded, and it is a help to them if they can raise extra funding as they extend their journey’s of discovery and endurance.
Any small donation would be very much appreciated, and anyone donating £30 or more will get an exclusive two-year Amazon calendar on Pete‘s completion of his expedition.
Donations can be made via the support page on his website www.ascentoftheamazon.com
I have to say I am filled with respect and admiration for Pete‘s spirit and endurance.
Before he set off on his monumental journey, Pete was just an ordinary builder working in the south of England, in the same way that I am just an ordinary Bootmaker who has worked most of his life in my home town.
But we all have our dreams, and I feel that I identify with Pete Casey in so many ways.
However Pete has turned his dream into a reality, and I can’t help thinking that it is unlikely that anyone will ever repeat his incredible journey.
Every now and then someone comes along and proves to us all that “ordinary people, can do extraordinary things”.
ALTBERG SENIOR BOOTMAKER.