Episode 216 of The Adventure Podcast is Part Two of the conversation with Charlie Reynolds. If you've not listened to the first half, go back to episode 215. We start this episode where left off, on a canoe in the waves after a brutal storm. Matt and Charlie continue unpacking his extraordinary journey, and several near misses, through South America. They dig into what those moments taught Charlie about instinct, trust, risk, and why some of his most meaningful insights came from silence rather than adrenaline. Charlie speaks openly about the emotional crash that followed his expedition. The hollow feeling of coming home, how identity becomes intertwined with extreme experiences, and why the aftermath can sometimes be the hardest to navigate. It's an episode packed full of adventure - from crossing an abandoned railway bridge with a no-fall zone, to accidentally befriending illegal gold miners, being robbed at knifepoint while camped in the mountains, and spending hours stuck in volcanic mud between two enormous Ecuadorian volcanoes - its a ride and a half. If Part 1 was about the catalyst that launched him, Part 2 is the proof that once Charlie started chasing uncertainty, the world kept handing him more.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00:00-00:05:00: Charlie arrives exhausted in Bogotá, sleeps for days, and rebuilds his bike setup before launching into the second half of the journey.

00:12:50-00:15:25: He describes arriving in Colombia soaked, gear ruined.

00:22:07-00:24:50: Charlie tells Matt about riding across a terrifying abandoned railway viaduct - narrow, unsupported, rattling, and suspended high above a Colombian river.

00:31:04-00:33:51: He recounts being approached by armed miners who ended up asking for drone shots, following him on Instagram, and turning what could have been a dangerous situation into a strangely wholesome encounter.

00:34:14-00:36:35: Riding south, he meets Diego, who gives him a list of spicy routes, including one that would become one of his biggest “struggle-fests” of the whole expedition.

00:36:35-00:38:35: Charlie explains the notorious volcanic mud route.

00:40:15-00:42:33: He describes camping in freezing marshland beneath Chimborazo, eating frozen tuna-rice for breakfast, and spending hours trying to haul his 200kg bike up a slope.

00:46:04-00:48:28: With an injured leg and almost no energy, Charlie sends a single InReach message home.

00:49:52-00:52:14: He recounts being robbed by men who spent hours at his tent demanding money.

00:59:38-01:01:32: A detour with a friend ends in them burying a rental car deep in a canyon

01:07:16-01:08:24: As he reaches southern South America, the adventure becomes less intense, but not less meaningful.

01:08:42-01:11:47: Worried about losing momentum and returning to rent-paying normality, Charlie impulsively buys an old expedition truck in Quebec and limps it across North America with almost no money.

01:11:47-End; Charlie reflects on how the journey has rewired him.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

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Episode 215 of The Adventure Podcast features adventurer and overland explorer, Charlie Reynolds. In 2024, Charlie left the UK with almost no experience and rode a motorbike the length of North and Central America. He then attempted something far more daring. The Darién Gap is one of the most dangerous jungles on Earth and represents a frontier very few people attempt. Charlie decided to cross it by a hand-built boat. In this episode, Matt and Charlie explore the catalysts behind his journey, a confrontation with mortality, a hunger for discomfort, and what exactly happened on that trip. Fuelled by equal parts curiosity and chaos. This is only Part One, but it already feels like the start of a legend. There's a whole load more wild stories to follow in Part Two.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00 - 00:06: Introductions and early reflections. What drives someone to step into the unknown?

00:06 - 00:09: Charlie breaks down what the Darién Gap actually is, and why nobody is 'supposed' to go there.

00:09 - 00:13: The mindset shift. Chasing discomfort to feel alive.

00:32 - 00:34: The Catalyst, facing mortality, and deciding to leave the UK.

00:38 - 00:40: Riding south through the US, learning logistics the hard way, and finding rhythm in chaos.

00:48 - 00:51: Arriving in Panama and negotiating for a dugout canoe in a language he barely speaks.

00:54 - 00:56: Steep learning curves, wind, reefs, survival and pride.

00:56 - 00:58: The reality of solitude, risk and responsibility - and dolphins guiding his boat.

00:58 - 01:00: He realises people already know he's coming. A mystery takes shape.

01:00 - 01:03: A surreal moment; Charlie is asked to speak at the funeral of a man he never met.

01:03 - 01:05: Maybe this is what he came looking for all along.

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This episode is available for subscribers to watch in vision on The Adventure Podcast+ substack.

Episode 214 of The Adventure Podcast features solo sailor and triple amputee, Craig Wood. Craig's life changed at 18 years old when, three months into his first military tour, he lost both legs and his left hand in an explosion in Afghanistan. It took eight months for him to learn to walk again. He recently made history by becoming the world’s first triple amputee to sail solo, nonstop and unsupported across the Pacific Ocean. In this episode, Craig talks to Matt about trauma, radical acceptance, and the pursuit of contentment instead of happiness. They unpack how Craig rebuilt his life through Paralympic sailing, discovered peace living aboard a boat with his young family, and learned to find meaning in waiting, patience, and purpose.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00 - Craig recalls the explosion in 2009 that left him a triple amputee, his surreal coma hallucinations, and the first moments of realising life would never be the same.

07:00 - A powerful turning point: Craig’s mother challenges him to take action rather than despair. He begins the long road of rehab, learning independence and resilience.

10:00 - Introduced to Paralympic sailing while in recovery, Craig rediscovers competition, identity, and hope - leading him to represent his country and dream of open water.

13:00 - After Paralympic sailing is cut from the Games, Craig pivots, buying his own boat and setting his sights on the ocean.

16:00 - Matt and Craig dive into what it’s really like to live aboard with his wife and two small children; balancing risk, love, and the constant hum of adventure.

23:00 - Craig recounts his 7,500-mile solo voyage from Mexico to Japan; the storms, the stillness, the pizza-making, and the lessons in solitude and self-sufficiency.

33:00 - They discuss how society defines disability, the importance of trying over assuming limits, and how Craig’s story challenges ideas of what’s possible.

45:00 - Craig opens up about raising £68,000 for veterans’ charities, finding meaning in contribution, and sailing not just for himself but for others.

53:00 - Reflections on fatherhood, partnership, and what true contentment means; the quiet power of being “okay” rather than endlessly chasing happiness.

59:00 - Craig and Matt wrap up on how adventure can rebuild a life - not through escape, but through deep engagement with the world, family, and self.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

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