The Amazon River, located in the north of South America, is the largest river in the world in terms of discharge volume, drainage basin, and number of tributaries. Because there is no single standard for measuring river length, different sources give different figures, one of the most common being 6,400 kilometers. It is the second-longest river in the world, but the first in discharge volume—at certain points, it is wider than the English Channel, and it has over 15,000 tributaries.
Once they arrived in Belém, the group parted ways. Along the journey there, Owen had learned a lot from talking to the others—broadening his horizons and picking up a good deal of knowledge (not just "skills," as he'd first thought).
Kroll's crew left to follow their own filming schedule. Owen and Monica had originally planned to join a local tour group, but after chatting with veterans like Kroll, they quickly abandoned that idea. As Kroll put it, local tour operators mostly take visitors to heavily developed spots—there's no real adventure. If you truly want to experience the Amazon, you have to go on your own.
In the end, Owen found a local guide who agreed to take them on a private five-day trip for $50,000. This fee included the guide's services, a boat, and basic supplies. It was expensive, but Owen had money now—and paying more meant better service.
"Adrian, do you know any good gear shops around here?"
Adrian—full name Adrian Ambrosio—was their guide, a white man with a weathered look. His boat already had the essential equipment, but Owen still wanted to buy some personal gear. Going in empty-handed made him uneasy.
"Of course. Old Arthur's shop has good stuff. I'll take you there—you'll get the friends' discount."
Adrian brought them to the shop, where Owen picked out two Ontario MK3 Navy knives. He hadn't brought his claw knife on the plane, and anyway, claw knives weren't practical for jungle use.
In addition to the MK3s, he bought two kukri-style machetes—great for cutting paths through thick vegetation. He also picked up two small waist packs, which he stocked with items he'd learned to carry during SEAL training: fast-acting anti-diarrheal medicine, water purification tablets, condoms, hemostatic agents, antibiotics, mosquito repellent, and so on. Altogether, it cost him $1,500—even at Adrian's so-called "friends' price." Owen didn't care; in tourist areas, things were always overpriced.
After saying goodbye to Old Arthur, who had just made a tidy profit, Owen and Monica stayed the night at a small inn. The next day, they finally set off on the adventure they'd been dreaming about.
The Brazilian weather was pleasant, though prone to sudden showers. Adrian's boat cruised along the main river channel, passing the occasional open-deck sightseeing boat—exactly the sort they'd have been stuck on if they'd joined a tour group.
The Amazon rainforest, often called the "lungs of the Earth," was lush with dense vegetation. It held the richest and most diverse biological resources in the world—millions of species of insects, plants, birds, and other animals, many still unknown to science.
Adrian proved to be a competent guide, well worth his fee. When not steering the boat, he gave a constant stream of explanations. Even Monica's extensive knowledge had limits—many of the species Adrian mentioned were new to her.
"Wow~~~ Look at those monkeys! They're so cute!"
Monica, camera in hand, let out a delighted cry and started snapping away. Following her gaze, Owen saw a tiny monkey holding an even tinier one on the riverbank—the larger monkey bathing the smaller.
These monkeys had slender faces, gray-brown fur mottled with light and dark spots on their backs, tufts of hair at the temples, and small ears. Most striking was their size—they were tiny. Combined with their features, they were irresistibly adorable, especially to women.
"Those are marmosets, also called tamarins or squirrel monkeys. People have been keeping them as pets since the 17th century. They mostly eat insects, but also fruit. The pygmy marmoset is the smallest known species—only about 12 centimeters tall and weighing no more than 150 grams. They live mainly in the Amazon rainforest, resemble squirrels in appearance, and usually perch on very slender branches, darting from tree to tree."
Seeing Monica's fascination, Adrian smoothly switched into guide mode. He was clearly an expert on the local wildlife. As he said, the marmosets really were about the size of squirrels—probably the smallest monkeys in the world.
Adrian guided the boat toward the shore so Monica could get a closer look. The marmosets showed no fear, staring at the humans curiously—especially the smaller one, whose big, round black eyes seemed full of wonder.
Monica laughed like silver bells and took close-up shots of the pair.
"Darling, did you see that? They're not afraid at all. The parent doesn't seem worried we might hurt its baby…"
Adrian gently corrected her. "That's not the mother—it's the father. In marmoset families, the father usually takes on more work. The mother only holds the newborn while nursing; the rest of the care falls to the father, who even bathes the baby."
"Oh—they're leaving! Let's follow them!"
As the father monkey carried the baby away, Monica eagerly wanted to go ashore. Owen glanced at Adrian, who didn't object.
Before the trip, Adrian had warned them repeatedly: even though they were paying clients, in the Amazon rainforest they had to follow his instructions—the place was full of dangers.
The boat nosed up to the shore, Adrian secured it, and the three disembarked. But the monkeys had already vanished. Monica didn't mind—there was still plenty to photograph in the jungle.
"Hold up. I need to emphasize a few things…"
Seeing Monica heading deeper in, Adrian stopped them.
Owen and Monica turned to listen as Adrian said, "There are a few rules you must remember. In the rainforest, never pick up fallen branches—pit vipers and cobras love hiding under them. Sometimes a pit viper looks just like a dried stick. Also, never lean on tree trunks, no matter how tired you are. You've heard of bullet ants and wandering spiders? The Amazon is full of creatures that defend themselves with venom. Even caterpillars are no exception. Getting bitten may not kill you, but it'll hurt for an entire day."
His tone was serious. He then pointed out a nearby tree trunk. Looking closely, Owen and Monica saw countless insects crawling over the black bark. On a nearby leaf was a vividly colored caterpillar. Anyone who watched nature shows knew this: in the rainforest, the brighter the animal, the more dangerous it tended to be. The caterpillar's brilliant orange-red hue made both of them shiver. Adrian was right—danger was everywhere here.
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