Jungle Nightmare
Back in Manaus where the accident with Judy happened some months previously, Alby joined up with a medical orderly called Paco whom he had befriended whilst hospitalised with his injuries. They decided for the benefit of "vision, vision, vision" to take the jungle route to Peru rather than travel around Venezuala, through Colombia and along the coast. They were strongly advised to desist because the area had received the heaviest rains in years, but Alby would heed no warnings, because he loves his audience and wants to deliver the best viewing experience for us.
First the trailer started to fall apart: the spring broke, several tyres blew, and when the axle snapped they had to discard it altogether. The jungle track became a nightmare that lasted weeks and weeks. They were continually bogged. They used bamboo, cut-down trees, spare tyres, clothing, anything to put under the wheels to gain traction. Finally, as if to spare them, the axle on the jeep broke and they were forced to abandon it and hire some mules and horses for the rest of the journey.
Along the way, Paco cut his foot rather badly while cutting bamboo, it became infected and very painful, and he had to be left in the care of a small monastery. Chalk up another one to the Curse of Alby.