John Harrison (5) (1950–)

This is the account of Harrison's attempt to reach the limit of the Jari River, a tributary of the Amazon, and to then continue into French Guiana.

It was a really tough trip. They were travelling by canoe, which is fine when the rivers are wide and deep, but the further up the tributary they went, the harder the travelling was. His first companion gave up after a month or so, and he had to travel back to Monte Dourado to find another companion.

The second part of the trip went well, but it show more was really tough on them and their bodies. Travel was easy on the lower reaches, but the further up they went, the had to carry around the rapids, and overturned a few times, and had to struggle past fallen trees. They suffered several times from malaria, dysentery and the friction associated with two people being so close to each other 24 hours a day.

He describes the scenery and wildlife very well, and I feel it is a reasonably honest account of his journey. I think he may have left the odd thing out, but mostly is true. It is quite scary just how close they came to disaster and death, with the malaria, as well as the way the rainforest can affect the body so much.

They had an extended delay at a prospectors camp, but more by luck and good fortune they survived. show less

Harrison takes off on a trip, with his wife, through some really remote parts of the Amazon rainforest, inspired by and following a Frenchman called Raymond Maufrais, who went through the same area a number of years previously, and died.

The voyage is mainly by canoe, but to get through the jungle, they have to carry all their kit in stages between two tributaries of the Amazon. Through the trip they almost fall out, get very lost, and run out of food. But in the end make it through to French show more Guiana.

I really enjoyed this, it came across as a really tough journey, that was very close to ending in disaster, in particular when they were separated whilst moving kit. They came out the other side ok, and hopefully they are stronger because of it. I fully intend to read his other book, Up the Creek. show less

An interesting account of the author's trip to the Amazon with his wife.