Sometimes, when we hold too tightly onto our need to control what we can in life, we risk losing what makes it magical. Perhaps I built up those expectations a bit too high in my mind. Perhaps I thought I could control too much. I came into this trip with a knee brace to help a recently broken knee to heal. There had been admin chaos to deal with, too. It’s fair to say that I wanted everything else to go as predictably as possible.

How would these fully loaded boats handle in the rapids ahead? Xaver’s expression betrayed his doubts. ‘I don’t think it’s going to be easy,’ he said. I could only agree. But all we could do was try. We climbed into our packrafts, deeply laden with equipment – including mountain bikes – and I tried to visualise the challenges that lay at the crux of our journey two days ahead. Then I dipped my paddle into the water to take the first stroke.