The first person to walk across the Amazon River: Who is Ed Stafford?
Known as one of the world's best survival experts, Stafford won the 'European Adventurer of the Year' award in 2011 and the Royal Scottish Geographical Society's 'Mungo Park Medal'.
Stafford gained international fame after struggling to survive on a deserted island in southeastern Fiji for 60 days without food, clothing, and equipment for his program Naked and Stranded in 2012.
Favorite city
Ed Stafford's favorite city is Iquitos, a city in Peru that is impossible to reach by car. Despite the population of 2 million in the city, it is impossible to reach the city by road. It is possible to reach it by boat or plane. It is said that the most beautiful women in the world live in the city, which is considered the starting point of rainforest tours.
Edward James Stafford (born 26 December 1975) is an English explorer and survivalist. He holds the Guinness World Record for being the first human ever to walk the length of the Amazon River. Stafford now hosts shows on the Discovery Channel and Channel Four.
Ed Stafford is scared too
Ed Stafford's journey along the Amazon River is blocked by a local tribe. Stafford, who came face to face with death, says that this moment was one of the moments he feared the most.
Does he bring souvenirs from the places he visits?
It took Ed Stafford 13 days to light a fire during the 60 days he spent on Fiji Island without food, water, and equipment. Stafford, who took the pieces that allowed him to start a fire on the island to his home, says that it is the most meaningful memory he has ever kept.
The best night ever
A night he spent in the Atlas Mountains in Mongolia stands out as one of Ed Stafford's unforgettable moments. Stafford, who slept without a sleeping bag in a hole he dug, struggled with the freezing cold. But Stafford says it's one of the best places he's ever slept.
Arrested by the tribe
Ed Stafford explores dangerous and untouched geographies. Although this adventure is exciting, it also brings deadly dangers. Stafford is detained by a tribe called Shipibo in Peru on suspicion of murder. Stafford, who was interrogated for 8 hours, spends the night as a prisoner in a hut.
How much is his personal wealth?
Ed Stafford, who struggled alone in nature, has a personal fortune of almost 2 million dollars today.
Also a writer
Ed Stafford, who has a book describing his experiences and adventures, also manages his personal blog page.
Question: Could you tell us a little about yourself? When did your passion for adventure begin?
I have been making survival programs for television for about 14 years. I prepared 7 episodes for the Discovery Channel. I've been to 30 different countries so far. I am known as someone who does this job in the middle of nowhere and with nothing to sustain my life.
You stayed on a deserted island for 2 months. How did you dare to do this project?
I had just come back from an expedition where I worked for 2.5 years in the rainforest. On this trip, I became too dependent on the people we set out with. What I actually wanted to do was to struggle with difficulties alone. Being alone and in a place where it's just me, where I have to do everything myself. I came up with this idea. I had no food, no water, no knife, no equipment, and I was completely naked on an island. Could I make my own clothes? Could I make a life for myself? Could I make my life comfortable enough? I didn't know the answers to these questions. I wanted to try it myself. This was the best scenario in which I could test my personal abilities.
You now know the difficulties you are experiencing. Would you like to go to the same island again and spend 60 days?
This project was very exciting because it had never been done before. It was a brand-new situation for me. Since I have learned from my mistakes, life would of course be much easier if I went to the same island and did the same things. But I think there are better things to do. I prefer new challenges for myself that I haven't tried before. I think there is no point in doing the same thing again.