The trees are finally out of the way and you can continue your journey. You calmly chew on some dried mango you dug out of your pack to replenish your strength, after all, watching them move those trees had been incredibly exhausting. Emily climbs back in the boat with the rest of the men and you offer her some mango too, but she just glares at you silently as she starts wringing the brown swamp water out of her socks. If she doesn't want any that's fine, you didn't want to get close to her anyway. You only packed three premium cotton beige shirts and there was no need to get one dirty so early on.

The water underneath the boat begins to gurgle as the engines start up again and soon, you're back to whizzing down the river that snakes through the trees like an oxybelis fulgidus, or for the less educated, a green vine snake. Swallowing the last bit of mango, you pull out your map to check your location and notice that you're  almost at your first check point already. It won't be long until you arrive. Unsurprisingly in that moment, the guide, who also happens to be holding a map, waves you over.

Carefully picking your way past all the other river-soaked passengers, you meet the guide at the helm of the boat. You hold up your map next to his to compare and chuckle, yours is definitely bigger. The guide slaps you on your shoulder, telling you to cut the nonsense and somehow, he reminds you of your mom.

The guide tells you what you already know, the first checkpoint is coming up and its where you plan to leave the boats and continue on foot. The checkpoint is just on the border of known Nativos or native territory, and the guide advises you that it's possible to go further along river if you're willing to enter the territory now.

Going downriver could save you significant time and energy, however entering the territory at a different place and earlier than planned could end up being fatal for everyone. Locals have said the area has been relatively quiet in the past weeks and no dangerous activity has recently been reported, but of course that could change in an instance.

Ultimately the decision of what to do is up to you.

Continue on into Native territory go to 4

Get off as planned go to 8