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I’ve travelled in jungles before and I feel like the environment itself will be all right. It’s the political side, the people side, that might not there,’ Daniel explains. ‘But I’ll also be camping out in the jungle. It’s dense rainforest that’s never been cut down and it’s the wettest place on Earth, so it’s really swampy. I’ll be facing issues from pests, parasites and tropical diseases, and if I don’t take care of my feet I’ll have problems there. I’ve travelled in jungles before and I feel like the environment itself will be all right. It’s the political side, the people side, that might not. ‘Instinctively people in that part of the
world will fear someone like me. They’ll straight away think I’m American or British and they’ll say “spy, spy”! I have to explain that I’m working. They’ll be quizzing me on who I am. Am I trying to interrupt their business? Am I a freedom fighter? Have I got a political motive? They seemed to be fine with me in Panama when I came across the military there. They quizzed me for three days but once they realised why I was there it was brilliant.’ Throughout the entire ordeal, Daniel
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will be keeping a video diary. This will document his interaction with the wildlife – including jaguars, anacondas and pit vipers – and his conversations with people along the way. Through this he plans to shed light on the lives and cultures of the indigenous people of the Darién Gap, while also providing them with a voice of their own. To find out more about Daniel’s expedition visit www.merchanttraveller. com
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Salvationist 12 January 2019
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