🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank youPete Casey was chest-deep in floodwater, five days without food, in the middle of the Amazon at dusk. His guide said: "This is a beautiful place to die, and the day you die is the best day of your life." No higher ground in sight, no GPS signal, no way out. This is the story of the first ever sea-to-source ascent of the Amazon River.No military training, no wealthy sponsors, no support team. Pete sold his home, scraped together £110,000 in equity, and walked into the Amazon alone. What followed was six and a half years, over 7,000 kilometres, swimming every river crossing against the current, trekking through flooded rainforest, and navigating remote indigenous communities that had never seen a Westerner pass through on foot.From near-death in flood season to coca plantations in the Andes, this is the full arc of one of the most extraordinary human-powered expeditions ever completed.What You'll Learn:• Why Pete ascended the Amazon sea-to-source — and why almost nobody does it that way• The method he built for swimming river crossings with a packraft and local guides• How 23 days in flooded forest without food nearly killed him• What encounters with remote indigenous communities actually look like• The brutal reality of coming home to nothing after six and a half yearsPete's presentation at the explorers club in NYC.🌐 ascentoftheamazon.com📸 Instagram: @p.c.casey🌿 Junglekeepers (pay it forward): junglekeepers.com00:00 Cold open — chest-deep in floodwater01:18 Who is Pete Casey and what is the Ascent of the Amazon?03:21 Growing up with no money in Sussex — how adventure didn't come naturally05:19 First trip to South America — joining Ed Stafford's Amazon walk07:50 Photography dreams and why building became his career11:32 How Pete decided to ascend the Amazon sea-to-source17:23 Selling his home — the point of no return21:17 Route planning on Google Earth and arriving alone26:26 Why Pete swam every river crossing — method and fear29:27 The Pororoca tidal bore and using the Amazon tide to gain ground34:00 First Una tribe encounters — being surrounded47:11 23 days in flooded forest, no food, chest-deep in water51:50 Recovery in Manaus and planning the next leg55:28 How kit evolved over 6.5 years — Wellington boots vs jungle boots1:00:40 What Pete ate in the jungle — farinha and sardines1:05:00 Walking alone through cocaine plantations in the Andes1:13:40 The Explorers Club, coming home, and the food bank1:23:34 Pay it forward: JunglekeepersFor full show notes and links, visit: adventurediaries.com/podcastSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering