Respect was one thing. Survival was another. It was important that I kept my priorities in the right order.

The desert was bad, but nothing could compare with the horrors of a tropical rain forest.

The rain of Madre de Dios is similar to that of the Amazon, but there is a petrifying aspect to it, as if it seeks to wound rather than to nurture.

During the days I felt myself slipping into a kind of madness. Solitary confinement has an astonishing effect on the mind. The trip was to stay calm and keep myself occupied. I spent hours working out how to break free. But trying to escape would have been instant suicide.

Contemplation is a luxury, requiring time and alternatives.

The forest did not tolerate frailty of body or mind. Show your weakness, and it would consume you without hesitation.

Respect was one thing. Survival was another. It was important that I kept my priorities in the right order.