After an incredible 859 days and 6,000 miles British ...



After an incredible 859 days and 6,000 miles British explorer Ed Stafford has become the first man to walk the entire length of the Amazon.

He had to contend with flesh-eating piranhas, anacondas, insects, threatening villagers and drug traffickers.

He said that he hoped the walk would raise awareness about the ongoing destruction of the Amazon rain forest.

The former Army captain reached the Atlantic in Brazil – two and a half years after he started his epic adventure in the jungles of Peru.

The final leg proved one of the most challenging, with Mr Stafford collapsing at the side of the road a few hours before reaching his final destination.

But he made it to the Maruda beach on Brazil’s northern coast, accompanied by Peruvian forestry worker Gadiel ‘Cho’ Sanchez Rivera, 31, who joined him five months into his journey.

The ex-soldier wrote on Twitter: ‘Job done. 28 months and Cho and I have finished walking the Amazon. I always knew it was possible.’

Mr Stafford, 33, from Hallaton, Leicestershire, who suffered an estimated 50,000 mosquito bites, said: ‘It’s been an incredible journey with some amazing highs, but also some pretty horrendous lows as well. But I just couldn’t consider giving up.’

Although the Amazon measures 4,000 miles, he estimates he had to walk an extra 2,000 miles up and down mountains and through jungle to conquer it.

He began on April 2, 2008, with walking partner Luke Collyer, 37, an outdoor activities instructor. But less than three months in, the pair fell out over an iPod and Mr Collyer returned to the UK. Mr Stafford advertised for a new walking partner and was joined by Mr Sanchez Rivera.

Living off piranha and rice, the pair made their way through Peru, Colombia and Brazil.

At one point, in Peru, local tribesmen imprisoned Mr Stafford and his partner on suspicion of murder. They were released after 48 hours, and only had their machete confiscated.

Mr Stafford said on Monday: ‘All I want now is a portion of fish and chips and a nice cold beer.’

Questions:

1) How many days did the journey take?

2) Why did Ed Stafford do the walk?

3) What was Ed’s job before his adventure?

4) When did Ed begin the walk?

5) Why did his first partner return to the UK?

6) What did the pair eat?

7) Why were they imprisoned?

8) What did the local tribesmen take from them?

9) What does he want now?

Task 1

Imagine you are going to interview Ed. Write 10 question you want to ask him.

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

9)

10)

Task 2

You are now going to interview you partner, who will pretend to be Ed. Write down the answers to the questions, so you can remember them.

Your partner then now interview you. Pretend you are Ed, and answer the questions as if you were him. Be as imaginative as possible!

Task 3 - homework

You are now going to write the interview.

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Ed has suffered two scorpion stings

Got through two pairs of wellies, three pairs of boots and four pairs of Crocs

Lost 7kg in body weight

Eaten 15 piranhas a day (but been bitten by none)

Carried 40kg in his pack

Removed 42 ticks from his skin in one sitting

Been told he will die 104 times

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