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AMAZON 5000 Expedition Blog
Eco-Planet Adventure is the home for 'AMAZON 5000 - for the Cure', a nonprofit organization, with same visionary man behind whose goal is always to make 'The Impossible - Possible'!!! MICKEY GROSMAN a recent cancer survivor!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Press Announcement: Last 100 Miles
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Word From the Amazon
Hello Everyone -
I know there is a lot of curiosity as to where the Amazon 5000 expedition is - and how things are going. First off - the expedition crew is doing well and making progress towards their destination. We have had to stop sending updates as to their location because of the many pirates that have been targeting their location. Each time we have sent messages that can help pinpoint their location - they have been found and robbed. They have lost most of their equipment - and also most of the one thing they need most right now - batteries.
Luckily they have run into some friendly tourists that have helped them out with various supplies including batteries. The team has had to stick with travel mostly through the jungle and avoiding roads simply to ensure their own safety and not become a target. It is not easy getting news out of the jungle as communication is limited and the group is traveling through "unconventional" routes to avoid being raided. We'll try to let everyone know how it is going.
I know there is a lot of curiosity as to where the Amazon 5000 expedition is - and how things are going. First off - the expedition crew is doing well and making progress towards their destination. We have had to stop sending updates as to their location because of the many pirates that have been targeting their location. Each time we have sent messages that can help pinpoint their location - they have been found and robbed. They have lost most of their equipment - and also most of the one thing they need most right now - batteries.
Luckily they have run into some friendly tourists that have helped them out with various supplies including batteries. The team has had to stick with travel mostly through the jungle and avoiding roads simply to ensure their own safety and not become a target. It is not easy getting news out of the jungle as communication is limited and the group is traveling through "unconventional" routes to avoid being raided. We'll try to let everyone know how it is going.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Today I made 4000 Impossible miles into Possible!
January 5, 2013
Today I made 4000 Impossible miles into Possible! Throughout eight months of harsh environment and brutal terrain across the treacherous Andes Mountains and along the mighty Amazon River, I pushed myself to new limits every day. When my body crushed under the tropical disease, Dengue fever, I didn't stop and now have pushed myself OVER the limit... One more final push to go and I must take a pause.
I must pause to heal my body, gain energy, and bring myself to stand strong back on my feet to enable the accomplishment of my goals.
At no moment along these tough months did I second guess my decision to go on this path. With every Amazonian mile I crossed and with each obstacle in my way, I became stronger. Each mile that I have passed charged my soul and boosted my energy. But my body, although young of 64 years, could not sustain a little mosquito of the tropics...
Unable to intake food due to the Dengue fever I lost 40 pounds in a short time. Weakness from the disease slows me down and threatens to impair my judgement. The final expedition stretch along the Amazon region in Brazil is infested with drug trafficking and automatic weaponry pointed at us at each curve of the mighty River. This holds a great danger to me and my team; not from nature, nor the elements, ONLY mankind! Such hostile environment requires my full vigilance! My responsibility as the expedition leader is greater than ever. Therefore, I must pause and seek proper medical evaluation and treatment before heading back on the trail.
"We are not retreating - we are advancing in another direction!"
...and I will continue!!!
Mickey Grosman
Amazon 5000 expedition leader
Sunday, December 30, 2012
TERROR IN THE AMAZON!
“URGENT! WE WERE ATTACKED BY PIRATES ARMED WITH HIGH-CALIBER
WEAPONRY!”
We found the above posting in our facebook message box. It came
from the Amazon 5000 expedition support team members in Brazil.
Back in Orlando at the Amazon 5000 command center we tensed reading the message. We know that the expedition body has been split into
two teams with Mickey inland seeking medical care to his illness while
the other team is on a makeshift balsa raft floating on the mighty Amazon River
- a No-man land. They are on their way to a dedicated checkpoint that Mickey
has assigned for them all to meet later on.
“THE ASSAULT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AMAZON RIVER as we
crossed to a small jungle village location" they wrote. "We were afraid for our lives as
they have threatened us seriously. The pirates had us drowning in the river. They
beat our heads up with the butts of their powerful automatic sub-machine guns and
threw us all into the river. They then searched
all our backpacks for “DRUGS".
After 20 minutes of torture and threats when they didn't find any drugs
they left us all together in the middle of the AMAZON RIVER. They stole most of
our expedition gear and the money we carried. It took us great EFFORTS IN ORDER
TO reach the village. We are nervous and
terrified following this terror event ...”
The team continued to say:
“We were threatened! We were not injured but tortured. These
were dramatic moments we can hardly erase from our minds”.
While none of the Amazon 5000 team members has been
physically injured they have had yet another emotional trauma experiencing yet
another TERROR ON THE AMAZON, while on locations the expedition crosses along their cancer awareness journey.
Back at home in Florida, we are in direct contact with the
expedition team whom are keeping a low profile in a small village while recuperating from their trauma. Meanwhile Mickey is seriously ill and must be treated by
professional medical care so to regain his strength in order to be able to continue
to lead the last 1000 miles of the expedition.
Since crossing into Brazil the Amazon 5000 team has experienced
raid after raid by the Military Federal Police forces. With each community they
pass by along the river someone is reporting our team to the police and yet another
armed unit appears from nowhere with automatic machine guns pointed at the
Amazon 5000 team members’ heads and seeking for drugs and drugs and drugs. This
is madness!
Armed pirates roaming free along the Amazon River on one hand, Armed Federal
Military Police on the other, and hostile local Brazilian indigenous communities
in the middle… And the unarmed Amazon 5000 team is now in a constant danger and
at a constant big risk to their life: Not by the Elements! Not by Nature! Nor the
Wildlife! ONLY by Mankind!!!
The AMAZON 5000 expedition, to remind you all, is all about
SURVIVAL of the ELEMENTS through rugged terrain, harsh climate and pristine
wilderness, all are part of the marvels of the Mighty AMAZON we all grew to
love so much in the past 8 months and 4000 miles throughout the virtual window
MICKEY GROSMAN has provided us with in a constant LIVE electronic
communication.
But MANKIND proved to be the most dangerous element among
all and the biggest obstacle Mickey and his crew are to overcome!
We must end here with our big concern to Mickey’s health and to the safety of his team, as
without him able to stand back on his feet and lead his expedition safely, the
remaining 1000 miles of the Amazon 5000 expedition is in jeopardy.
Mickey himself has now come to big concerns for the nearest future of the expedition. His concerns are mainly with the safety of his people – the Amazon 5000 support team - and the fact he is still going through the turmoil of his illness, a fact that prevents him from being fully focused and alert as needed in such a hostile environment.
He weighs various options to complete the
last 1000 miles of this inspirational journey in a way that will assure no one’s
life is at stake and no one will be harmed by mankind.
While he has confidence in their ability to survive the elements along their 5000 miles path
it is now obvious mankind is the biggest threat of all!
*** We wish to shed a strong spotlight here on Mickey’s loyal and courageous crew that despite all the TERROR IN THE AMAZON they are standing
firm behind him. These are some of their words:
“Hoy
somos mas fuertes que nunca! Y continuaremos inteligentemente por las vias que
sean necesarias....”
Translation – “Today we are
stronger than ever! And we will continue along the tracks intelligently
necessary…”
“Nosotros
estamos firmes para apoyar a Mickey! Incluso hemos arriengado nuestras vidas…”
Translation – “We are firm to
support Mickey! Even if we risk our lives …”
“que hoy
somos mas uertes que nunca… NI UN PASO ATRAS!”
Translation -“we are today stronger than ever
... Not one step back!”
“Ya
estamos mejor y el equipo aqui esta muy solido!”
Translation – “We're better and
the team here is very solid!”
The latest quote we received from
the Amazon 5000 team:
We regret the difficult situation
Mickey is at. I particularly have been with him in recent months "in the
deep jungle of the Amazon" And I saw his courage and determination in
favor of his cause, fighting cancer. I've seen Mickey a great person and great
human being with a strong and explosive character and he is for me like a
father with the learning to be a living on ... Never forgets his strength in
the most difficult time!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
RULES OF THE WILD
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Sunday, November 18, 2012
Did I find the "LOST TRIBE" of Israel living peacefully in the AMAZON?
October 16 - Trekking in the dense jungle for hours all
tired and hungry I suddenly hear voices…singing voices… and music played. I
cannot believe my ears…but my expedition people confirming…yes, yes, music,
drums….but not JUST music… I personally know the melody….is it possible? I am
in the Amazon! Is it my imagination? So many months of intense trekking in the
Amazon jungle accompanied by indigenous Amazonians, hardly speaking English
with any human, not to mention speaking my own native language, Hebrew… but now
this music? It is music from the past…melody of my childhood. How come?
We all are tired, hungry and filthy dirty from days over
days of trekking the jungle and its swamps, living of the land, surviving the
elements, hardly seeing any humans… but suddenly we all felt elated, energized.
It’s the music that pulls us in, like a magnet… In a fast pace we walk the
direction where the music and the singing are coming from. Within a short hour of navigation the music
sounded closer to us. I knew I am now walking
towards the Amazon River. This is not
the expedition direction, as I navigate my jungle expedition always East,
parallel to the river…. but I now have changed direction…I am chasing the music;
Squinting my eyes I am humming the melody… bringing it up from layers of years
and time.
Stepping out of the dense jungle behind me I spotted several
thatched roof huts. Children were
playing at the yard in front of the huts where in a split of a second they saw
us embarking the thick trees. Fear on their faces they begun running towards
the huts and pointed their hands to our direction. The adults turn their heads
in big surprise. What thoughts have crossed their minds that moment…? We were six
men and one woman all covered with mud, wearing dirty jungle clothing, carrying
military style backpacks… I ordered my team
to wave their hands in peace, and with the biggest smile I could put on face I
continued walking towards the people that were standing in the center of the
village. They were on alert not sure
what they see…BUT, the biggest surprise was MINE!
For a moment I couldn’t understand what my eyes were seeing…
Men wearing long toga gowns, old Roman style, dressed up like in the bible
time, long beards covers their faces, wearing long hair…like Jesus…? Some are
barefoot some wearing bible style sandals…. I felt as if I am walking through a
time machine…walking into the past. Still confused with the sight of people
that looked nothing like the traditional indigenes Indians I stopped, letting
myself and the men in front of me few moments to observe each other.
A young man of about 30 years old was the
first one to take a move and started walking towards me. The rest of the people
stood behind keeping a safety distance between us. With the help of the
Argentinean girl Lucy – my expedition team member who speaks fluent Spanish I
started communicating with the young man. After explaining him that we are
crossing the Amazon on a 5000 miles journey I introduced myself and my
Ecuadorian and Peruvian team members that were standing few yards behind me. He
was still alert and suspicious. But I could not hold my curiosity. The music
was still playing at a nearby distance. I asked the young man what this
community is. I Z R A E L he said…! I stopped talking. I could not believe my
ears… Israel? I repeated what he just said… Israel? That explains the music – Old bible
Israeli music – my heritage… but in the jungle? In the Amazon? I am probably
hallucinating… too tired, too hungry…Israel people don’t live here…they are far,
at the Middle East… I asked one of my team members to come closer to
me and pinch me. Is it a mystical jungle
mirage? Or… that I just found the famous
“Lost Tribe” of Israel? Excitement filled my heart. The young man explained me
they are a community of “Bnei-Israel” (Israel children) and that Israel is
right there, in the Amazon. I didn’t argue with him… I just mentioned that I am
an Israeli born – I am from the holy land – from Israel. Now he stopped talking and his facial demeanor
changed drastically. He rushed back to
his people and begun confiding with them. For a second I had a change of heart.
Maybe I shouldn’t have told him that I am from Israel… I am now not sure if it
was a good idea to reveal my origin?
Three minutes has passed by and three of the village leaders
approached me and to my astonishment bent down bowing my direction. One by one
they held my hand and bowed… in a speed of a light the word spread out around
the village: The Messiah is here… the Messiah
is in the Jungle! People lined up bowed and shook my hand. My expedition team
members were stunt. I had a big smile smeared on my face. Not every day that I
am considered to be the Messiah. And I felt happy, actually happy to find these
people. They touched my heart. They escorted
me and my team with much respect into their village. It has been a holiday that
week. A religious holiday of the bible
time. I couldn’t have showed up at a better time…. The community’s religion
leader told his followers only several days before I arrived that he had a
dream. In his dream a very important person will come over to their community
from nowhere. He anxiously waited for his dream to come true
– he was convinced and tried to convince his followers for few days that
someone important will come to spend the holiday with them. Seeing me embarking
out of the dense woods into their village, a location no one, no stranger is
ever coming from (Only meshige Israeli can) him and his people were left
speechless. To them I was the Messiah!
Immediately they asked me to stay there with them. They
assigned a person, who took me to the river, undressed my filthy jungle clothing
off my tired body, and after a good deep and a good wash in the river he
handled me a traditional Toga gown to wear, flip flaps on my feet, and not to
forget… “gatkes” (underwear). Wearing underwear again was a privilege as I lost
mine along the journey long ago…What can I say? It has been a while since
someone has been taking care of me. I received a VIP treatment – A real Messiah
treatment! Who am I to refuse it? They took my filthy clothing to the river and
washed it for me… My personal bag that has all my precious electronic gear in
and of which I carry on me at all time… now they carried it for me. I was not
allowed to pick up a thing. A real king…. It’s good to be the king!!! I cannot wait to share it with my wife… she
will be jealous!
From that point they took me to the center of the village.
The holiday ceremony was about to begin. A ceremony where they are offering
sacrifice to God - to Jehovah. With the entire village taking a part in the ceremony
and like in the Jewish tradition there is a full separation between men and
women. A band is playing music and the
audience sings their songs – by the bible script. The same exact music that pulled
me over into their community only few hours earlier! They invited me to take a
part in the ceremony – a jester I appreciated and felt honored of as they never
share such with others then their own tribal mates. I guess I was considered a
tribal mate today – a brother. I probably am… They also don’t let such ceremony
or their life style being filmed or photo. Today was an exception. I was
allowed to document the event and interview the people and their about. While I
took part in the ceremony my film crew documented the event from behind without
interfering with the special time of this community.
The lamb scarify ceremony took about 45 minutes at mid day
and under the blazing sun. I was brought
to the front of the crowed all dressed up with a Toga gown bible style and with
a person assigned to hold a parasol over my head. Having my skin subject to
melanoma cancer less than two years ago and my face grafted in a repairing
surgery I could not wish for better care under the Amazon sun that day.
Following the ceremony all came inside a large structure of
about 5000 sq. ft. (500 sq. meters) with floor of compact clay, tin roof and tall.
It was well insulated and provided chilled air. Like in a tradition Synagogue
women were on the left side and men on the right – gender separation. Men,
women and children all looked like were taken from the bible stories, head
covers, light blue and crimson colors gowns. The community leader now introduced me to his
congregates as the…. Messiah. He reminded them of the dream story he shared
with them only a few days earlier and all clapped their hands in cheers. To me
that was too much…I wanted out, back to the jungle… but not before Messiah meal was prepared for
me and my hungry team that seems very pleased with the opportunity to eat real
food with such honoree treatment. Lucy,
my Argentinean team member was taken aside earlier, dressed up with “bible”
gown and kept with the women – in the kitchen… poor Lucy. But she also seemed
to enjoy the moment.
At the end of the ceremony day my new followers offered me
to stay with them for as long as I wish and committed to care for my needs at
all time as an obligation to the important guest who came to them on their holy
day just as their leader predicted…( At a second thought this offer seems not
too bad at all…as a life style option…. mmm). At least seven days, they asked.
Please stay they said. I explained them
the nature of the Amazon 5000 expedition and emphasized the importance in
keeping the expedition going and told them about the people from around the
world who are following me and of which I cannot disappoint. Sharing with them
my Impossible Possible mission of inspiration to those who battle cancer it was
brought to my attention that this village helps cancer patients and others of
terminal illnesses to recover, practicing holistic treatments with remedies
from the jungle and…faith, using natural remedies without conventional medicine. I have not experienced any treatment there
but I believe them.
Leaving a chapter of history behind me I am now heading east
to Tabatinga, Brazil along the Amazon River and all the way to its mouth at the
shores of the Atlantic Ocean. I will see what a new day will bring upon me.
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