A Solo Trek in the World's Deadliest Jungle Goes Terribly Wrong

[@adventuresgonewrong]

Get your MyHeritage DNA kit here: bit.ly/AGW_MH and use the coupon code AGW for free shipping!

[@danyellethornton5844]

Would you happen to have a sister who is/was a pediatrician in South Louisiana? If not, she is your doppelganger in every way!

[@natalieawdry993]

Wow! Are you going to contact your uncle?

[@canansaritas]

I wish he hadn't just studied statistics but believed in them too

[@IGuess...]

THIS. 🎯

[@mikeh892]

Truth. All the data in the world is pointless if none of it is applied.

[@benjie128]

Maybe he went to the Han solo school of stats.

[@puddintain9164]

Many such cases

[@defundhollywood3259]

To be fair, if you study statistics you see how easily they can be manipulated and that they don't always predict what will happen in individual cases. Outliers are a thing.

[@jadewolf22]

Being book smart does not necessarily translate to having common sense or being smart in practical ways. It doesn’t matter how many languages he spoke or that he received a phd in math from Cambridge- walking off into the Darien Gap solo one day is so so stupid.

[@kalpanabharatme]

@@jadewolf22 Exactly my thoughts 🤦

[@mammajamma4397]

What really gets me is that the he didn't even make it to the gap. The second he got off the boat to go into the gap, he was kidnapped.

[@whitedragoness23]

@@mammajamma4397the irony, he was so close but understood too late how serious the local warfare was. I’m not surprised that the people thought he was something he wasn’t. In times of war people tend to just attack anyone. Act first then ask questions.

[@briesthoughts2261]

So true!

[@lisaperry5999]

​@@mammajamma4397 he's EXACTLY the type a cartel would hold for ransom Wealthy and white.

[@howard385]

Relying on the kindness of strangers when you have resources of your own is a high form of entitlement.

[@Beanhill_94]

Strangers who certainly had less than him

[@Bald-American-Idiot]

Maybe he left a tip?

[@cam5816]

Coming well off from Sweden gig him living in a different world from the real one.

[@marymauceri5921]

@@howard385 agreed

[@TheSeaKND]

A lot of these stories involve a combination of over confidence, lack of diligent research on the safety of the area, and sometimes not bringing the right supplies/not properly physically preparing. You can’t assume that every place on earth is as safe as taking a quick stroll around your neighborhood.

[@adventuresgonewrong]

There's a few common denominators in some of them for sure.

[@whitedragoness23]

I agree, that was his downfall, over confidence and thinking it was a safe place. Those two were the biggest factors because I’m sure he must of seen some terrifying things regarding the warfare.

[@HanaNoNeko]

Maybe my skin is particularly delicate, or I am a crybaby, but I cannot phantom wearing sandals in a jungle... If I take any long walk, no matter the terrain, I have to wear close shoes. And that's the tip of the iceberg...

[@plantainsweetie]

@@HanaNoNekoi’m sorry but that part of the story bothered me so badly. sandals.. in the jungle.. i can’t even begin to fathom that

[@_nick_d]

@@plantainsweetiethat’s just asking for your feet & skin to go to hell

[@GreatBooker]

Lots going on here but only bringing one change of underwear for a three month trip is the scariest thing I’ve ever heard on this channel.

[@horsepanther]

LOL

[@IGuess...]

OK?!??!!?! 😂😂😂 I literally paused it on that picture of his gear and just stared 😐

[@IGuess...]

...Even scarier than hanging upside down off a rope below a giant serac on K2 in the middle of a snowstorm in the death zone right after an earthquake and avalanche???😂 Scarier than that???! 😳😳😂

[@whitedragoness23]

Omg, imagine if he got diarrhea, not all local or street food or local plants can be contaminated.

[@plantainsweetie]

LMAO that detail was gag inducing. and the fact that he had so much space in his bag after he had packed everything!? like cmon you can throw in a couple more pairs of underwear it’s not like they’re heavy!!! 😭

[@Techelettt]

This doesn’t sound adventurous. It sounds careless and unprepared, a kind of Western romantic notion about the unknown, certain that your curiosity will protect you. Magical thinking indeed.

[@Kattycorner59]

Great comment !

[@juliebrady8583]

Exactly.

[@ifitdontapplydontyoucry]

Yup! Thinking all people are good 🙄

[@CepedaAlonso]

Agreed, also a misguided feeling of security as if by being a "white foreigner" would put him "out of reach" from the felons, paramilitaries, drug cartels, gangs, thiefs, psychos and murderers that infect the Darien gap...

[@matthewcollins5344]

Many people do this and many succeed in learning about other cultures along the way. I know people of all colors who have done and do wild treks like these. You hate of northern culture, or whatever it is you are babbling about, is your own ignorance.

[@lornarettig3215]

Wowsers - so no local families have offered to host you (I mean, what??), they have kindly suggested a hotel which costs very little in the next town, but it’s all about you so you impose upon them anyway because you ‘don’t like hotels’ 🙄 I’m somewhat surprised he’d never been punched in the face for his entitlement and pomposity, long before he was mistaken for a drugs officer. I really can’t bear that sort of attitude.

[@wendymartin6479]

This is very common behaviour by Europeans when visiting developing countries. Seems to be a superior attitude by imposing/intimidating rural locals who they believe are not allowed to challenge them.

[@sarahpoynter9652]

I know right?! I thought the same thing. And how he’s taking from what sounded like their meager supplies. I hope he paid them for staying there…

[@littleblackcar]

. . . and then offering them less than half the hotel rate even though $7 is nothing in American or European money.

[@c-puff]

A lot of this feels like entitlement too. Like "I am the European foreigner who has money and am used to these kinds of adventures. of COURSE one of these locals will make me, a complete stranger, a guest in their HOME over night." As someone from a very dangerous, poorer country, this kind of entitlement by people from richer countries who view themselves as untouchable is extremely common and its infuriating.

[@GanymedeXD]

Thats complete nonsense … nothing to do with entitlement … thats also oblivious western behaviours to quickly come up with ‘entitlement’. Looking at what he wrote and his routines and behaviours … academically smart but otherwise pretty naive and rigid in his routines and beliefs he has quite a lot of autistic traits that are mistaken for entitlement!

[@user-zo6xg8bx4l]

Just because you are brilliant doesn't mean that you aren't also a FOOL.

[@merilupa9942]

@@user-zo6xg8bx4l so true

[@Adelicows]

So many nasty people in the comments. Nearly everyone who is commenting is nothing but a heartless piece of trash.

[@matthewcollins5344]

@@user-zo6xg8bx4l Sounds great from that cozy keyboard ⌨️ 🤦🏼‍♂️.

[@JosephB-tv7gf]

@@Adelicows Or they are suffering from charity fatigue. You are welcome to house a homeless refugee or a cadger yourself. Do you?

[@webshark0]

@@Adelicows He literally did that to himself, he studied statistics but didn't care about them and relied on poor people to open their homes and give him food even tho he's a wealthy white dude... If anything, it's just karma getting to him, finally

[@c-puff]

Yet another case of "I am a European from a richer country than yours. I am above your petty local squabbles, and you will open your home freely to me because that is how you, a local, should treat me, the European. Nothing bad will happen to me because you're all beneath me and I am not involved." The hubris and arrogance is off the charts. As someone from a dangerous African country myself, it is absolutely insane the arrogance that even tourists from Europe, American, and China will exhibit when they visit. They really think that you and your country are so inferior to them, so any dangers present here just won't affect them because they're too important for it. It's insane how common this is.

[@Juu_de]

Glad to hear that side too. I am European and was talking about travelling with a friend of mine and she said she was interested in going somewhere in African continent. As it was a little last minute, I said I didn't want to go unprepared. if I were to go I would want to really know where would be safe to travel and prepare well for the different climate, culture and other aspects, because I am aware that there's different ways of living and I didn't want to be that European person just going because I can...

[@MMMNemesis]

I remember this case in the Swedish news. I read his blog afterwards and what I took from it is to always listen to the locals. The thing I remember most clearly was when he would ask a local if a weird person he had met was dangerous the local said "yes, very dangerous", and he wrote that he was surprised by that answer and it was very clear he didn't want to hear the country was actually dangerous in any way. I don't think he deserved to die, I just want to say some (white) tourists seem to believe they have plot armour. This also made me think about the canoeist that died by the Amazon river. Some locals even got angry at her for not listening, and I assume it is because they genuinely didn't want her to die and she still didn't listen.

[@AllThingsConsidered333]

They must just shake their heads at us.. freaking first world whites just assuming they are invincible. I would love to explore wild places but the potential danger that would kill me keeps me from venturing out physically instead I watch videos from people far more brave and prepared than I am!

[@spazzypengin]

The biggest thing people need to remember when traveling/trekking is "You are not the main character. Nobody is." Listen to the locals, they tend to know more about their home turf than you!

[@cremebrulee4759]

Jan mentioned the canoeist near the end of the video and said that there is a video on her channel about this woman. Her first name was Sandy. She really did not take what the locals told her seriously. I guess because she couldn't let go of her dream/goal. She paid for it with her life. Definitely not worth that price.

[@jakual339]

The moment I heard the anecdote about how he'd been warned not to go to a particular town, and then decided to go there *specifically* because of that warning... I lost a lot of sympathy for the guy. It seems like his desire to get to know the real place by staying with locals was pretty superficial; he wanted to engage with them socially and culturally, but didn't have any respect for their knowledge and experience of the area.

[@joasok3642]

I think these people have some mental health issues

[@mehitabel325]

Further ideas for the intrepid tourist: Christmas in Eastern Ukraine, Biking in Afghanistan (especially interesting for women!), Missionary tours in Pakistan, Mountain hiking in West-Jemen, Desert trekking in Libya, Tunnel touring Gaza, Visiting the last head hunters in West Papua, Beach combing on North Sentinel Island

[@anaconda7184]

Very good! I shall put them all on my 'bucket list', ha!

[@Don.tKillTheMessanger]

😂 For ppl with a death wish.

[@buentaste]

White people love it... You forgot Guerrero México....😄

[@JosephB-tv7gf]

@@mehitabel325 New Guinea! See the film "Welcome to the Jungle".

[@Kari.F.]

What to choose first... They are all so tempting! 😳😂

[@DerpRulesAll]

You have to wonder what he was thinking, wearing sandals for such a hike? He really thought he'd just step across from Colombia to Panama? And then there was that line in his blog about getting "good Hash."

[@adventuresgonewrong]

He was really obsessed with taking minimal gear so I think that's why he opted for some light footwear.

[@agatamars]

@@adventuresgonewrong Obsessing over that to the point of being absolutely unreasonable, reckless and putting oneslf in danger points to the OCD or autistic spectrum disorder - imo.

[@fluxem3908]

@@agatamars Math PhD - he was definitely on the spectrum

[@colinandrew7745]

Similar to those who refuse oxygen on Everest.

[@jonathanflopstein8587]

@@DerpRulesAll Wearing sandals in a tropical jungle sounds horrifying

[@kiapet286]

There's something thay just doesn't sit right with me about a wealthy guy from the global north relying on the charity of poor people in the global south to put him up for his adventures. There's a fine line between getting to know the locals and taking advantage of them

[@adventuresgonewrong]

I thought the same, expecting people who have very little to share their food/home is a bit much.

[@wrenmassey6876]

And to not plan for the possibility that you might not find hospitality adds to the entitlement that he exuded. Like, of course these local people will want to welcome a complete stranger into their home and feed him a home cooked meal while dealing with their own day to day struggles , why wouldn't they (/sarcasm)

[@horsepanther]

@@wrenmassey6876 Good point. I mean, I live in a quite safe town in the U.S. and obviously am not nearly as poor as the people he encountered, but I would be pretty shocked if some stranger traveling from another country knocked on my door asking to be put up for the night. WTF!?

[@MMMNemesis]

I think it's slightly racist actually, it's this romanticised view on poor brown people that can teach the rich white man how to actually be happy by living a simple life.

[@mammajamma4397]

This is what irked me the most!

[@crochetology12]

I spent nearly two decades living in some places that could politely be described as troubled. I’d routinely come across underprepared, overconfident travelers who acted as if their “outsider-ness” shielded them from dangerous people in dangerous places. They were usually young men who were overconfident in their abilities and thought highly of their own intelligence. Most of them ended their travels unscathed, or at most out some money as victims of a gemstone, gold, or antiques scam. There were others, however, who fell victim to robbery or extortion because they were seen by unscrupulous locals and/or corrupt officials as outsiders with more money than common sense.

[@horsepanther]

Wow, it amazes me that there are so many others like him out there. Such a bizarre attitude.

[@MMMNemesis]

Protagonist syndrome.

[@joasok3642]

Im sure locals hate them lol

[@Atlas-tp8dw]

@@MMMNemesis this is it

[@GanymedeXD]

@@horsepantherNot bizarre … but quite strong autistic traits with plenty of magical thinking that he has!

[@elipotter369]

I travelled alone in Indonesia when I was 20. I was too naive to understand distances, time it took to get somewhere, religion & cultural practices, local political issues, facilities available when i arrived somewhere, etc. Looking back, it seemed i had a guardian angel or angels because I repeatedly had people suddenly appear, latch on to me & keep me safe, then they would disappear out of my life when I was in a safe spot or handed over to the next "angel'. Looking back, it takes my breath away seeing how clueless I was & all the help I was freely given. There's no way i would tempt fate by keeping my naive ways as an ongoing travel philosophy - which is what these travellers choosing dangerous places seem to do.

[@GanymedeXD]

Thats not the problem … he attempted to hike the most dangerous, challenging and remote place on earth without any gear, supplies … in shorts and sandals …

[@Mayfitz]

Im a scubadiver,female,solo traveler & I never got to Indo,my bucket list.As a petite blonde I look back & feel the same.Being young,hormones pushing us on to hunt & seek 🫣

[@booognish]

@@GanymedeXDthat’s not what cost him his life

[@Elwyn_the_Weird]

I’m flabbergasted that this guy was so naive about this place! Swimming through rivers!? 50kms a day?

[@BastardKitty]

And wore sandals

[@GanymedeXD]

Plenty of magical thinking … theoretically and under optimal conditions possible … but not whilst hardcore jungle himing in the most challenging terrain … without gear and food … in sandals ..

[@xladycaosx]

@@BastardKitty the sandals really shocked me. I’m not particularly outdoorsy these days and all my “adventure training” is being raised in the countryside in a not super safe country and being a girl scout, and even I know that you need protection from snakes and other animals in such environments. I wouldn’t wear sandals in my local hills if the grass was too tall! How can people around him think he was an experienced traveler?

[@AnnQlder]

He imposed himself on people who had lost a family member the day before?! On top of all his other appalling habits? This sort of behaviour isn’t adventuring or travelling or experiencing the world, it’s hubris, arrogance, entitlement, selfishness and narcissistic, colonial, grandiosity. I’m kind of speechless but not surprised 😢

[@so.many.obstacles]

Everything you said was spot on. This behavior goes well beyond adventure seeking off the beaten path. This type of behavior is not naïveté. It’s the thought that one can ignore warning and come through unscathed as if you can go anywhere.

[@shawnaweesner3759]

To @AnnOlder: Ummm….”colonial”? How you used the word, “colonial,” to describe this guy is incorrect. This guy is NOT a “foreign power dominating another group of people, politically, socially, economically, and culturally over a long period of time” (definition from the internet).

[@shawnaweesner3759]

@@so.many.obstacles. Well, not everything. I definitely don’t think this guy is acting “colonial.”

[@shawnaweesner3759]

@@so.many.obstacles. In other-words, stupidity.

[@thefirststudentzero]

@@AnnQlder 💯👍

[@Mavisdundundunnnmanston]

I feel how some travelers impose on locals beyond frustrating. Even giving shelter to an outsider can be deadly. Seriously. It is pure privilege.

[@aftertheheadlines]

He really upset me. I am the kind of person who would die a thousand deaths before I would impose upon people. Also, who would want a strange man staying in their home with their wife, daughters, and sons? To save money he imposed himself on people. I don’t think it was for the immersive experience, I think it was the only way he could really afford to travel.

[@randombutler]

​@@aftertheheadlinesoh I betcha he had the money. Which makes it worse that he'd chisel locals for the "authentic experience" or whatever Folks get reeeeal-sick of tourists "bargaining/bartering" I'm sure

[@chrisnoname2725]

@@aftertheheadlinesso if he was poor why isn’t he deserving of help like any economic migrant? He was the wrong colour for you to be comfortable with him receiving charity? People can survive in their countries but want something more just like he as a traveller wanted something more.

[@Marz859]

@@chrisnoname2725migrants are t forcing their way into peoples homes….are you slow ?

[@CanItAlready]

​@@chrisnoname2725He wasn't an economic migrant. He was a tourist on vacation.

[@buentaste]

I was born in Panamá and I definitely could tell you the most dangerous animal you can come across in that jungle is called "human" being ........

[@Albertanator]

Even worse then those big huge spiders you have there???

[@asdk3090]

I'd say risk of decapitation is a bit worse than a bite

[@buentaste]

@@Albertanator lol 😆 Believe it or not these spiders 🕷️ can becomes your friend and are better than many but many humans...

[@chrisnolan7423]

Sadly plenty of travelers buy into the notion that if you're a good person everyone you come across will treat you the same,because humans are generally good at heart.Unfortunately reality has a way of proving this theory wrong and it only takes one time

[@Soundbrigade]

“I don’t want to learn from others’ mistakes, I want to make my own …”

[@lorissprankles6556]

Bahaaaaaa 🤣

[@JosephB-tv7gf]

@@Soundbrigade definitely a much more thorough way never to forget them.

[@Atlas-tp8dw]

😂

[@CoffeeFirst_100]

Sounds to me like Jan just didn’t do his homework well. He seemed totally unaware of the extreme danger and risk and didn’t have a thorough understanding of the local happenings, checking with different sources.

[@whitedragoness23]

He must of been aware some Level. I mean he was asking if some homeless guy following him was a threat. He also noted how a local was mourning the death of a relative who died in what was probably “gang” related. Or social unrest, The issue was he was not taking it seriously and thought he was immune to danger. I’m not sure if it’s because of his age, he was a foreigner, or he was sheltered. But I find it hard to believe that he didn’t see even more intense situations of violence. Or maybe he was just that lucky.

[@imadogsass6717]

​@JasonVoorhees-357conquer your hate man.

[@qrstw]

Any amount of research would've ended in the same conclusion: don't go. Since that went against what he wanted, why bother...

[@Kattycorner59]

@JasonVoorhees-357 😵‍💫🫠😂

[@GanymedeXD]

@JasonVoorhees-357Disgusting comment … stupid and unreflected use of the word hate! What do you hate him for? For having a disability? He was obviously on the autistic spectrum … a lot of magical thinking, strict routines, rigid beliefs, lack of empathy, own logic, exceptionally smart academically, but unable to see the risks … as he had no ill will or intention why should others have it … his minimalism for him was logic … 50 miles in a day, rivers he can swim, sandals healthy … hence no need for s lot if gear like sleeping bag or tent … this also as he is good in communicating, always being able to source a place to sleep for the night … that he went on a 7 day & night hardcore jungle hike through lawless narco territory he did not seem to have considered … a route mainly used by traffickers, army and migrants … the latter meaning that there are no accommodations free of charge … as all are managed by the narcos and on the other side by border force as him trying to illegally crossing the border will get him to migrant camp (not sure how intense the number of migrants was back then.

[@ellyw7201]

I wear all-terrain sandals (sometimes no socks, sometimes with thick socks) for hiking in all sorts of places. But would I ever wear them in a jungle? Heck no! Venomous snakes, poisonous spiders and bugs, centipedes and millipedes, scorpions...In a jungle, you want dang good boots. The fact that Jan wore sandals into the Darien Gap tells me he wasn't thinking accurately about the territory he was hiking into. You know the biggest lesson I've learned? Wherever you're going, talk to at least one person who's gone there (preferably many times) successfully and safely. Question them in detail about everything they wear, carry, do...and what they consider in decision-making and planning. You get the details of their "success formula" and then you do the details, their way. You don't cut corners. There's a mountain I hike up a few times every July. It's brutally sunny and hot. I've been to the summit of that mountain 18 times. Last summer I offered to take 3 people with me to the top. I gave them all the details of my "success formula." They tried to cheat on the details. Two had to turn back early in the hike. The third made it but with considerable discomfort. She wasn't in danger because I had enough "back-up" in my pack and in my capacity to reach rescuers if they were needed. But it was a fine example of failing to "Do the details and do them RIGHT." Jan didn't talk to anybody who could give him the information he needed re: the Darien Gap. He didn't think and prepare realistically, and he died. So sad for his family...

[@GanymedeXD]

He was obviously on the autistic spectrum … rigid routines … own logic … sandals healthy, will keep feet dryer than boots … but stomping up the mountain for hours through knee deep mud, climbing rocks and steep slopes, walking through the jungle with all its nightmarish creatures … not good …

[@satutoivonen9679]

I got the feeling he just didn't quite understand how violence works. Many people who've grown up in a very safe environment don't. He might've thought killing a tourist isn't going to benefit anyone so it's unlikely to happen. Which is not how it works. I'm a pretty safety conscious person but have a similar attitude towards wildlife. Having grown up in an environment where the wildlife always runs the others way when encountering humans I just can't seem to take risks posed by wildlife seriously when travelling. Rationally thinking I know I should be prepared for wildlife encounters, but in reality I never am. Maybe the Swedish guy had a similar glitch regarding violence.

[@jakual339]

Honestly, if you've lived a life that hasn't involved any physical violence or serious injury, those concepts are sort of... abstract to you? Like, the first time you experience very serious pain is an absolute psychological shock to the system. You can see it in the way some young athletes, after breaking a bone, say, may recover physically, but never have the same confidence and self-faith again. And especially when it comes to active and intentional harm by other human beings, if your entire life, no one has ever broken the unspoken rules about not hurting one another, you may come to think of them as actual natural *laws*, rather than conventions. There's a world of difference between knowing, intellectually, that you could be harmed, and *believing* that you can be harmed.

[@roseduste80]

That was my thought too. This is a man who's never been afraid of what other people could do to him.

[@_nick_d]

I’m Panamanian & my family that lives in Panama wouldn’t even dare to step foot in the Darian. Bunch of bandits & drug groups thrive all in those jungles

[@GanymedeXD]

Well, now you are accompanied by half a million migrants per year! It became busier than most city centres! And more dangerous …

[@GaZonk100]

set foot

[@prettyprincess8187]

He had a bunch of money but felt entitled to the help and hospitality of random poor families in the countries he visited? What a maroon. He walked around like he had plot armor.

[@fluffyfour]

No, he offered payment.

[@heidihunt-qu1vl]

How can someone speak like this? As if cause he, being young an naive, lacking the real danger is deserving death. I think the true mistake was believing that generally speaking are good at heart. My heart feels so much sadness an lost for his beautiful devoted wife his mother an father. I can only imagine the grief they are suffering..something that never goes away. So unless you personally knew him it seems as if you are making some pretty large assumptions concerning this man's life that you are not qualified to make. I lose more and more faith in humanity every day and it is no wonder that AI thinks humans are horrible an need extermination. Why is it that humans no longer have any compassion for one another

[@tdurb0]

I love that he took a charger. If there’s one thing Darien Pass is not renowned for, it’s USB ports

[@user-uo1qr6vn1q]

@@tdurb0 Oh those Gen Zers. Gotta love ‘em… 🙄

[@partiallyhealedsunburn1881]

they make battery packs that you can charge your phone with. i’m not sure if this guy had one at some point, but in general it’s not that strange. he’d, at the very least, want to keep his phone from dying in case of emergency. they also make chargeable satellite phones these days

[@wilsonov87]

@@user-uo1qr6vn1q this was in 2013 - he's a millenial. But actually it's nothing to do with his generation, he's just a damned fool

[@Lilybun]

doesn't weigh much so probably smarter to take it along rather than throw it away and buy a new one in panama?

[@whitedragoness23]

Genius!

[@Biciklom_oko_sveta]

I am a woman who has cycled alone around the world since 2011. When I was in Colombia, I received notifications every day from the security of the Red Cross that my friend works for. And I listened when they told me: you don't go there by bike, but only by bus. or: you don't even go there by bus - nobody goes there.

[@cremebrulee4759]

You were smart but still had a great adventure.

[@wormhol3]

Zdravooo, moja mama svaki dan sluša vaše priče na instagramu i youtubu, puno pozdrava!!

[@buentaste]

Thank you.. I have learned many of you white women going to my third world countries thinking 🤔 we are just like you... Big mistake remember Kris Kremers and Lisane Froon? It broke my heart...

[@Biciklom_oko_sveta]

@@buentaste I don't understand your comment. The fact is that there are unsafe zones in Koluymbia where even locals do not go unless they are members of these paramilitary formations and gangs. It has nothing to do with the color of the skin, but only with common sense.

[@proudmilitarybrat76]

@Biciklom_oko_sveta I think they're saying naive American tourists (mostly female) go there thinking it's safe like the suburbs and culture they're used to and get hurt.

[@Jasper_the_Cat]

So, as an American female, I've been traveling to Colombia multiple times- it's one of my favorite places to visit as a tourist. The scenery is breathtaking, the infrastructure is good, the people are warm and welcoming. And it has a mud volcano! Who doesn't love a bath in a mud volcano! Lol. But you MUST listen to the Colombians who live there. They are proud of their country and really want to have normal tourists visit and be safe. I feel grateful to have experienced that protective nature of Colombians multiple times during my visits. They will tell you where and what to avoid. But that generosity should go both ways, meaning that, to play my part, I should honor that by following the advice and not going to 'no-go' zones. There's plenty enough to do and see in Colombia that going into FARC and Para heartland seems worse than foolish- it makes all of Colombia look bad when the inevitable happens, when it's really not (granted you're also not a dingdong flashing money around and/or going out at night looking for trouble).

[@lornarettig3215]

Such a warm-hearted comment; good for you! I’m in Europe so unlikely to go to Colombia any time soon but you have genuinely changed my mind about the possibility of visiting; thank you ❤

[@waitaminute2015]

​@@lornarettig3215Albania is beautiful and safer for travelers. There's hiking in the north and beautiful coastal towns.

[@Airbzyt709]

Mud volcano sounds cool! 🤗

[@Catsy29]

@@Jasper_the_Cat Hi, what a great comment!! I am glad you like my country, you are completely right about how these tragedies reflect on us. This case is frustrating, of course nobody deserves to die while traveling, but he acted so irresponsible and ignorant, I wouldn't travel through the Darien even if someone pays me. I am a biologist and a woman and I avoid places like that like the plague. There is so much conflict attached to it, guerrilla, Paras, narcos, is insane.

[@Lutoria99]

As a Colombiana, ¡ Gracias por tú respeto! 🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴

[@ChicaG-vg7pj]

We went to Colombia in 1991. We went because a war was on, and it was cheap, lol. We were in mostly tourist places, but there were dodgy areas as well. It was amazing, and Colombia and it's people were welcoming. As with everywhere, most people are decent, and the fringe makes things exciting or dangerous, depending on the size and motivations of the fringe. Most nights the sirens would go off, warning people to not go on the roads because of conflict. Anyway, there was a gal on our flight that was returning to Colombia to visit her family. She had been away a few years. She told us that Bogota was so dangerous, she couldn't leave her family home without a guide. They were constantly crossing the street, because there were homes you couldn't walk in front of without being shot. This is a gal, in her home town, in her home community, fully versed in the language, that needed a guide to walk around her neighborhood. Yeah, it's playing Russian roulette to not take the advice of locals and the experienced.

[@10.6.12.]

Most of these tragedies are partnered with an obvious hubris. Too much is never enough ...

[@whitedragoness23]

I can’t believe he entered a war zone and areas with turmoil and people with guns.

[@qatestbrian1]

Or he grew up in a sheltered life that led him to believe people are mostly good and the world is a safe place. He was probably a kind, generous person who believed most other people were as well? Maybe? I didn't know him so can't say for sure

[@GanymedeXD]

Too much never enough? Makes no sense in this context? Has nothing to do with going on an adventure.

[@GanymedeXD]

@JasonVoorhees-357It was basically planned suicide!

[@GanymedeXD]

@@whitedragoness23Its no war zone! What nonsense! The Darien gap is in the hands of narcos as they traffic drugs and migrants. Its a dangerous area. On one hand as criminals can easily kill you and nobody will ever know … on the other hand as its a 7-day hardcore jungle hike! 2014 FARCs was still operating there and the army was fighting their terrorist activities there! He was oblivious to everything … even the most basic problem … that you need gear for a 7-day hime … food, clothes, tent, sleeping bag, sufficient water for 7 days hardcore hiking … guns? 😂 Thats ridiculous! Then you must svoid many countries!

[@qrstw]

Why do people who lived such sheltered and pampered lives think they are better than natives who know better?

[@unicornsandrainbowsandchic2336]

That was what I was thinking.

[@brise9118]

They believe that just because they wouldn’t bite the tiger, the tiger would never bite them. Naïveté

[@paytimeforREDRUM]

sheltered? he was an avid traveller this was not his first rodeo. This was a case of mistaken identity.... locals dont feel the urge to venture out like travellers do

[@whitedragoness23]

There’s was no accommodation in one area. So he stays with families but that means they have to go out of their way. Keep him warm, feed him rather than use a hotel. They are families and private residence. Not hotels and you can’t expect families to open their arms to a total stranger. If he doesn’t want to use hotels then bring your own tent and blankets and supplies. It’s great he gave them money but money can’t buy you everything.

[@IAmPlaysWithSquirrel]

There’s one particular demographic who’s consistently guilty of this…

[@CocoLicious]

I really don’t like the attitude that you have the extreme need to experience "local life" means to push yourself into the privacy of people and rely on their kindness. If there is a small guesthouse, for the love of god pay the locals that try to earn their living in the area. If you can just leave anywhere again, the authenticity of your experience is always a limited, tourist one. And that is fine.

[@elipotter369]

That's true. It was somewhat selfish to want to stay with a local family who told him a guest house was available.

[@sarasilly]

And you don't even have to stay with them, you could just befriend a local anf they could show you around.

[@warwickpadmore4644]

“Everything that’s bad for you is in there.” Wonderfully understated in your inimitable fashion. 😊

[@HanaNoNeko]

I am KINDA reevaluating Australia...

[@TetrapodsOfLaniakea]

Except frostbite! 😂

[@_nick_d]

@@TetrapodsOfLaniakeait’s got malaria & more mosquitoes than you would ever imagine to make up for no frostbite

[@barbarapaine8054]

There was another video on KZbin of leaf cutter ants taking apart most of a man’s tent and carrying it away while he was staying in a South American jungle. And to top it off, he woke up with a tarantula next to him on his pillow.

[@davidsaenz6912]

I have seen a lot of comments about "imposing" himself on locals, and while that's a legitimate concern as a Colombian I can say there is a lot more nuance about randomly crashing with locals in these areas. These so called "red zones" are usually hosting not one, but several illegal groups. So the darien region has left-wing Farc guerillas, but at the same time it also has right-wing paramilitary groups (nowadays theres even mexican cartels in the region). Hosting a random stranger is incredibly dangerous in these areas for both parties because you have no way of knowing who you are hosting/being hosted by. This can get you labeled a "collaborator", generally wrongly labelled, by any of the armed groups in the region who think you may be aligned with anotther group (or the state). Local people can get displaced or killed as a consequence.

[@valeriaavendano12]

Being born and reused in Colombia, we were told NEVER to go to the Darien gap. I wish he had reached out to a Colombian before 😢

[@_nick_d]

I’m sure he was told probably 20x not go with interactions he had w various people but some people will stick to their plans no matter what you tell them

[@sarahtyster7342]

he was I think? it seems he stayed with and spoke to many columbians but decided to go anyway. sadly.

[@Gaius_Sinstone]

17:07 He imposed on a family for the night who had just lost a family member that day?? The audacity of this guy. It sounds like his entitlement may be what got him killed.

[@TheSeaKND]

I’m such a scaredy cat. The most adventure I get is from watching other people’s adventures go wrong, here on KZbin. 😅

[@NinaErrante]

I love how AGW has the far flung adventure but her place looks so cozy. I always watch the dogs behind her as she talks.

[@adventuresgonewrong]

😂😂

[@GreatBooker]

Yeah, my adventure expeditions include going down Wikipedia rabbit holes (sometimes spurred by this channel) and falling asleep to the mountaineering multi-parters. Sometimes I feel really risky and I read wiki travel pages and state advisories about far-flung countries. 😂

[@thismodernidea9563]

Me too! 😂

[@Kattycorner59]

Me too!

[@RedStickHistorian]

This was another great story, well told. Jan may have been a genius, but it sounds like he failed to research the area he was traveling. My rule of travel is never to vacation in a war zone, and it has served me well. Thanks for telling Jan's story.

[@horsepanther]

Words to live by. Literally.

[@whitedragoness23]

Educational genius is no substitute for dangerous locations. And Mother Nature doesn’t care if you got a BA. It will be harsh and unforgiving.

[@IAmPlaysWithSquirrel]

This is what I find deeply ironic. Smart enough to study at Cambridge, acquire a doctorate in statistics, speak multiple languages yet not smart enough to do basic research on the region he was obsessed with exploring. Honestly this guy is the best example showcasing that book smarts and street smarts are two *very* different things.

[@OfWavesAndWinds]

​​@@whitedragoness23Nature? He was killed by humans.

[@sietesamurais]

Jan went to cross a jungle with less stuff than an average person would have to go to buy donuts 😮

[@Andrew-oi1qp]

My grandfather's brother went to South America around 1900 to mine gold, but was never heard from again.

[@behindthespotlight7983]

Ten months before the “disappearance” of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon. They pretty much treated Panama with the same naïveté. Their remains were planted in plain view 7 weeks after they were declared missing. There are many places from the Rio Grande south to the tip of Argentina that are as dangerous as Sudan or Somalia.

[@redemption3830]

nah Somali is not that lawless or Sudan am from East Africa.

[@wrenmassey6876]

This story really makes me feel for those who are trying to pass through the Gap to try to start a new life. I can not even fathom the desparation and severity of a situation that would lead you to feel like it is better to risk traveling through this region with all of your possessions on your back than to remain in your home

[@MMMNemesis]

People probably need to leave a lot of things behind too :(

[@hilaryb8807]

That’s the first thing I thought of as well…

[@juliusfucik4011]

Or maybe they are stupid as well and are just brainwashed into thinking life for them will be easier up north? 🤷‍♂️

[@jay-1800]

Because they have more incentive to do so now more than ever. Why stay in a country that’s unstable when you can travel north until you get to a country where they’ll transport you to a major city you agree to show up to court (many don’t) and also given free food and a government allowance.

[@sarahtyster7342]

@@jay-1800 if only that was really how it was.

[@ceeemm1901]

For those thinking the same question, "Why isn't there a highway through the gap?" Well........ Environmental concerns:- A United Nations agency reported in 1994 that the road would cause significant environmental damage. Cultural erosion:- Indigenous tribes, such as the Embera-Wounaan and Guna, are concerned that the road would destroy their food sources and erode their cultures. Disease prevention:- The Darién Gap has prevented the spread of foot-and-mouth disease into Central and North America. The US Department of Agriculture blocked support for a road in 1978 to prevent the spread of the disease.

[@dd6325]

I am pretty well traveled in Latin America and I will never understand where people’s fascination comes from trying to kayak, hike through the Darien and other remote dangerous areas. There are so many safer options, and when locals advise you to not do something, 10/10 times you absolutely should not do it yet they always seem to disregard the warnings.

[@user-nq9gz4xf7f]

For a bright guy he was incredibly ill prepared! What a shame, youth often have not acquired common sense!

[@tarantellalarouge7632]

he seemed intellectually bright but very naïve about his surroundings (human and natural environment)

[@bluejava9397]

Well he had traveled in “dangerous” places before, might of had a false sense of security

[@davidhenderson9707]

@@bluejava9397 clearly his luck ran out

[@davidhenderson9707]

There is a massive difference between rote academic intelligence and perceptive intelligence. However in this instance I think his arrogance and addictive drive overrode his sense of personal safety in the same way mountaineers get summit fever.

[@BuntingClipClop]

The undertaking seems a little child-like. To wander into a place filled with brutal thugs and crushing poverty, no means of self-protection, no gun, no knife, no karate skills, no proper shoes, hi tech equipment in your backpack that's easy to misinterpret, no guide, no food, no tent, no sleeping bag, wow. I mean, would you throw yourself into piranha tank crying "I mean you no harm, guys"? Would you jump out of a plane with no parachute, hoping the kindness of the trees will break your fall? Your environment can only compensate for so much ill-preparedness. It's his wife I feel sorry for. How awful to be deported. He set her up for failure as much as himself. Great storyteller, sad story. We humans sure are a strange bunch.

[@bogdiworksV2]

Very well said, especially the piranha bit 😁 the poor wife, a widow and deported. A lot of adventurous people sound like they lack emotional intelligence.

[@JosephB-tv7gf]

@@BuntingClipClopWas she an illegal immigrant? Something else? In Sweden they do not deport except in extreme circumstances. Look at who is living in Malmø.

[@sarasilly]

That's a good point that he was planning on going into the jungle without food, since he was constantly depending on locals. He really wasn't thinking.

[@MMMNemesis]

@JosephB-tv7gf She probably had a visa that was dependent on him. Often called "sambo visa". Absolutely not an illegal immigrant but without him she didn't have any legal reason to stay unfortunately.

[@Hollylivengood]

Every time they say that "Those who knew him said..." well they were the same kind of person. He wasn't an experienced traveler, he was an experienced user, and he came upon some people who didn't want to be used. Something to think about.

[@rileybear836]

There’s such an entitlement to thinking that these dangers don’t apply to you.

[@carolynesoucy6658]

I really enjoy your style of storytelling. A lot of storytelling channels seem to all repeat the same stories. I like the that you find the untold stories that seem to have fallen by the wayside. I'm glad I found your channel 🙂

[@adventuresgonewrong]

Wait until the next one, I bet 99% of my viewers have never heard of it!

[@sara.3042]

I could never imagine traveling like this, relying on the generosity of strangers, trusting them to be kind and not hurt me. Another great video. Thank you for sharing. I feel like I could listen to you tell stories all day long. I hope that you and yours are all doing well.

[@mammajamma4397]

@@sara.3042 not even just the worry of them not hurting you, but the absolute audacity to be from such a wealthy country as Sweden and insist the locals in these poor countries share their limited resources on you and attend to your needs when they met you 3 seconds ago. And to do it over and over! His entire way of traveling was reckless and selfish.

[@discoj7112]

The overwhelming majority of strangers, even in very dangerous areas, are kind and generous. It takes bad luck and truly extreme circumstances, like deadly violence from other outsiders for these areas to be dangerous to someone who isn't involved in the illicit activity there. Usually the worst case scenario is to be robbed or held for ransom, at least for a young European adult man like Jan. Unfortunately for Jan, he was walking into a situation where his previous experience would not apply, and he didn't seem to be aware of that. Even still, he was only killed because of a mistake. Always trust your instincts when traveling and trust the advice of locals, but the only places that are truly a no-go area are the ones where people that are like you (race, religion, class, etc.) have been using deadly violence against people in that area and you are allied with or could be mistaken for the perpetrators. In Jan's case, it was an active drug war.

[@adventuresgonewrong]

Appreciate it!

[@Sheena000]

@@mammajamma4397 it comes across as entitlement sometimes. It’s one thing to end up in a bad situation that couldn’t be foreseen. (Car breaks down, lost/stolen wallet, take a wrong turn) And it’s incredibly kind of people to see someone who needs help and choose to intervene. But it’s also understandable that they may be worried for their own safety and so won’t get involved. I cannot imagine knowingly putting myself in a situation where I’d rely on strangers with no obligation to help me. Why would I choose to inconvenience others like that?Why would I assume that there’s even someone who had the means to help me, let alone that they would? It’s like having the money and ability to buy yourself a train ticket but choosing instead to show up at the station and expect find someone who has an extra ticket they’ll give you.

[@Biciklom_oko_sveta]

But in general, the world IS a much better and more beautiful place than the media wants us to believe. I've been on the road for 13 years, a single woman on a bicycle, on a tight budget, which is why I often camp and depend on the hospitality of the locals, and I've never had any serious danger, but I'm extremely careful.

[@IntrepidFraidyCat]

Tragic story. It reminds me of a young woman who decided to go down the Amazon river by herself. She was warned about the an area she was entering but decided to keep going. She was murdered. (I can't remember her name at the moment)

[@silencestation557]

I think you're talking about Emma Kelty. There's a video about her story on this channel as well...

[@elizabethtobin6894]

Remembering Christopher McCandless also in the US.

[@IKFKSwitch]

Privilege, self- entitlement, and complacency are a dangerous combination.

[@silviafarfallina]

I just wanna remind some folks that thousands of Venezuelan immigrants go through the Darien gap, some with children in order to find a better life. Be kind. They've had a rough one.

[@MMMNemesis]

This needs to be respected, it's not some tourist trail for fun for most people.

[@ZebaKnight]

There is a world of difference between migrants who must pass through the Darien Gap to have a shot at survival and this clueless gadfly who came from a comfortable home in a rich, safe country. I have immense sympathy for the former group, none for Jan.

[@SuzetteG316]

@@ZebaKnight I have to agree with you. While he had every right to put himself in extreme and almost certain danger, I cannot respect him for it.

[@SuzetteG316]

I don't see anyone criticizing or judging those risking it all looking for a better life. So I don't really understand the point of your comment.

[@silviafarfallina]

@@SuzetteG316 I wasn't directly addressing any other comment. I was thinking about people you meet in real life who don't appreciate the suffering people go through to find better opportunities.

[@Thecaveman007]

Travelling on locals expenses is not cool 😎

[@lololandify]

Don't go into a river called "Rio Sucio"-->translated to Dirty River

[@_nick_d]

He was a sucio vato

[@Cocc0nuttt0]

"Hiker goes missing on Devil Mountain" "Diving accident at the Cursed Hole" "Tourists found dead at the Death Wall" Perhaps there's a reason for these names.

[@lololandify]

@@Cocc0nuttt0 😁

[@milacruz3970]

I've lived my whole life in Colombia and I would never think of doing that. People do it out of need and desperation. It's kinda disrespectul that people like him do it out of "fun and adventure". What the actual heck.

[@lolz6449]

White peopling😂

[@angrydeer6011]

It's like saying jogging is disrespectful because some people were forced to run from mortal danger. We do something for fun all the time that was a very unpleasant necessity for someone else.

[@connoroleary591]

Keep your feet on the ground. Just because your parents and family love you, doesn't mean that others regard you as special.

[@winkieblink7625]

Interesting how he ignored ALL cautions of DANGER. What was his purpose? Did he have a missing piece in his decision making skills?

[@rivermoon6190]

Looking at the photos of Jan he does look autistic to me so maybe the part of his brain concerned with danger was not developed? We have all seen stories of some really talented autistic children and adults who can draw, play instruments, learn languages, have brilliant recollection skills - all at genius level but they themselves are so childlike and socially undeveloped. I suspect Jan fitted in this category but to a milder degree.

[@GanymedeXD]

What nonsense … there is no autistic ‘look’ … the most autistic look would be a typical nerd!

[@wendymartin6479]

Going to walk through a jungle with sandals. Very good idea.

[@mael2039]

I have no sympathy for rich people who want to go on adventures so they disregard everything locals tell him and use poor people's charity to further their "adventure". That Africa story where he insisted on going to a town everyone told him not to go isn't a fun adventure story, it's the story of a white guy who can't take no for an answer and doesn't grasp that not every place is for you, not all of our places are for tourists, and you're not "immersing yourself" in our culture, you're just a tourist who thinks he's better than other tourists because you go people watching in places you have no business being in. I absolutely think it's a tragedy that he went missing and he didn't deserve that, but what he did wasn't a cool adventure, it was a white guy taking advantage of poor people's charity because he thought it was adventurous. He went into a place where people who have to live there suffer and die and he wanted to go into it to look at all of that, for a tourist adventure.

[@DesireeGonza]

Completely reckless. Hadn’t he read anything coming out of Colombia. Waste of a life.

[@shammydammy2610]

I think the 'naive and overconfident' encompasses it all.

[@ToDreamOfJade]

On a personal note, can't believe we got a name reveal! I'd been puzzling over your first name on and off since I started watching the channel. Nice to "meet" you, Stacie!

[@adventuresgonewrong]

Ha I guess I never introduce myself 😂

[@SuzetteG316]

He is in one of the most dangerous places on earth. I'm pretty sure he knew, the whole way, he was headed into danger. He just did it anyway. But I do love your videos. Always a good listen!

[@Bluebell8967-f3n]

I am annoyed he relied on other poor people to help him. He should be the one helping them. Selfish

[@piros100]

yes, and I wonder what the repairs and work he did as "payment" could have been. not like he carried anything with him to use for that work, that the locals could otherwise not afford. so even for that he had to use their resources, sounds a bit weird to me.

[@annieseaside]

This is a well earned Darwin Award. Young people tend to think they know everything and they feel bulletproof. Previous travel in which his bad choices did not turn badly, bolstered his hubris. I am sorry for those who loved him. Every choice he made was absurd. This was the obvious outcome before he ever got to the continent. Even loving someone cannot fix stupid. I can't drum up sympathy for him which is a first for this channel. You do have such a wonderful way of storytelling. Well done as always!

[@Kattycorner59]

I have absolutely no sympathy either !

[@raddison6084]

How to respect naive stupidity?

[@creativian68]

I am afraid that we who grew up in the Nordic countries are terribly naive. We don't like to venture into the world being afraid and thinking that strangers are bad.

[@RedStickHistorian]

@@creativian68 That's a lovely thought but often is untrue. I worked at a prison and learned too many people view kindness as weakness.

[@pburgvenom]

Him: “I am heading into the Colombian jungle”. Me: “Can I have your car”

[@adkBanjo]

Idiotic grandiose self delusion - just like that idiot that thought he could bring the bible to North Sentinel Island.

[@so.many.obstacles]

Exactly!!!

[@JudasMaccabeus1]

Yeah dude really thought he was the modern day Ignatius Loyola. Found out he was just target practice

[@lorenzomagazzeni5425]

LOL, he worked in Singapore ! possibly the safest country on hearth...

[@toscadonna]

When I was a teenager, my sister told me, “You are book smart, but you are not life smart. You have NO street smarts, and you need to get some.” Jan was like I was-nose in a book, naive, inexperienced. Too bad he didn’t get a 2nd chance.

[@IGuess...]

O.M.G. this story is WILD! 😲 My jaw is still being put back together! 😂😩 Your storytelling videos are thrilling 🤌🤌🤌 Well worth the wait! BRAVO and thank you! 🙌🙌

[@emilyhaas6136]

I'm always impressed at the level of detail you put into your videos. They're really well researched.

[@skateywatey]

A young man from my hometown was traveling in Mexico (I wanna say this was 2018/2019?) and he was super friendly, always asking the locals about things, a traveler. Just a really kind man. He came over to my house a bunch to help tutor my brother. Well a cartel kidnapped and murdered him bc they found him suspicious for asking so many questions about the people and area and being a foreigner who was so fluent in spanish. He was “missing” for a while and then weeks later they found his body. Just awful. You need to be careful in lawless places.

[@DEATH-THE-GOAT]

_"One does not simply walk into the Darien gap, alone"_

[@danisarmi30]

Oftentimes it feels like the people you cover have a mix of bad luck and wrong place wrong time with sometimes a smiidge of unprepared or unaware, but Jan is just baffling. He went into a country long known to be in conflict (it started in 1964, and let's be honest it's still not fully over even though las FARC gave up arms), walked into the town where a guy had been killed on the street "but people are walking out and so it's safe" (as if people didn't get used to living in fear and danger). Then he ignored everyone who warned him of the danger and held up tight to the one person who told him it wasn't who may not have even understood him, ignored all the evidence in front of him that it wasn't safe, then walked into the untamed jungle with no shelter, no sleeping bag, no closed shoes even! That's like expecting to be the main character of a cartoon, like the plot armor will keep you safe from harm because main characters always make it out. Was he even aware he was in danger? Because his lack of care or worry make me doubt that. He may have been smart but his cluelessness and overconfidence as to enter an active warzone with the intention of walking it out is nothing but baffling. Even with migrants only the most desperate try to treck it. And he fully planned to just stroll through it as if it were a park

[@danahsutton101]

This reminds me: John Allen Chau had been trying to reach members of an isolated and protected tribe to convert them to Christianity. The people of North Sentinel Island had fired arrows at him in warning, and on his third attempt to visit the island, they killed him.

[@zsuzsablom8731]

The hubris of missionaries.

[@zsuzsablom8731]

The hubris of a missionary.

[@anaconda7184]

It would be good if Adventures Gone Wrong covered his story. He was even more naive than this guy.

[@troutfisher7182]

Youthful folly, combined with a youthful sense of immortality RIP

[@pandapounce]

“To many Jan’s journey might seem reckless, but to those who knew him they saw it differently.” This guy was incredibly unprepared, so he was either reckless or stupid. It’s tragic, but also entirely predictable.

[@TheOneanjel]

Sounds like he lived in his own world instead of the real world. It doesn't get much more naive than sandals in the jungle.

[@lbj4993]

And btw, hundreds of thousands of folks walk through that exact route annually these days, but of course they're not your average Gringo...and they possibly have less education but more common sense.

[@francoisona]

Crossing a jungle on sandals. Thats all you need to know about that dude's connection with reality. Play stupid games. Claim stupid prizes.

[@ExSpoonman]

One pair of underwear. Yeah, a real genius here

[@rocketrider1405]

Footwear - sandals? Seriously? Was he living in a dream world? Too sad.

[@jmart1233]

I truly believe he had no idea what he was getting into he was young and believed he could talk his way out of anything I truly feel sorry for his wife and for the family.

[@jamespaul2587]

Next Adventures Gone Wrong: Swedish Chef visits an unfamiliar kitchen, admiring all the razor-sharp knives... 😊

[@creativian68]

@jamespaul, I think this was a racist, stupid comment!

[@AllThingsConsidered333]

🤣🤣🤣

[@dogdad1997]

I finally ponied up and bought a PRB before my last trip, and your channel definitely played a part in that decision. Hope I'll never have to use it, but I'm glad if worst comes to worst I have a plan. These stories are certainly interesting, but they're also good lessons how often bad things can happen outdoors. Thank you for the reminder to stay prepared and stay safe.

[@thesilversurfer7136]

I do not understand how you can go into the jungle so ill prepared. Even hiking on a less difficult trail can be hazardous. People think they’re invulnerable. I can just see this guy in sandals running about the jungle. Sad he really didn’t take survivalist courses. To be so trusting of the locals too is absurd. So crazy.

[@Jackie-v3z5e]

Sorry he died but he didn't seem to be living in the real world.He thought he was invincible. Also forcing his way into people's homes making them share blankets with him and their food,just sounds very self centred.

[@behindthespotlight7983]

Western Europeans and Central/South America are too often a bad combo. They just don’t have a perspective on how dangerous the third world is.

[@paytimeforREDRUM]

I didnt know Bronx was a safe area😂😂😂 and that is first world..... for every BAD end there are 100s who have ventured in Latin America and have had excellent experiences... I know of a few people doing that around the same years.... maybe not the Darien but all around latin america incl Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil off track routes

[@itsalwaysteatime3803]

@@behindthespotlight7983 well I'm Irish and we know all about farc 😬😬 plus the climate is so different. You don't know any of the plants or bug's. You can take 3 steps and get lost. And the dude seemed completely oblivious to the fact that some people are just violent for no reason. He seemed very naive with danger and people. Like I can usually spot dodgy people and sussy situations easily but this guy seemed blissfully unaware.

[@mingiinimene3335]

@@itsalwaysteatime3803 But those people in this story had a reason. They thought he was a narc and it was a logical assumption because they did not know some foreigner could be this stupid and go somewhere this dangerous for fun.

[@seamus7d]

this channels so fuckin dope

[@Buckshot9796]

"little did he know he was heading into real danger" Should of, could of, would of!

[@nowistime8070]

he was reckless . he even messed his wife's life up too

[@newforestpixie5297]

Jan obviously needed his own company & egotistic ambitions than to comprehend the possible if not probable repercussions to be endured by his loved ones 😔

[@brookswade5774]

I’ve always heard, play stupid games, win bonus stupid prizes. It’s a terrible occurrence but, wake up.

[@Elwyn_the_Weird]

Imagine having this little anxiety

[@sabineb.5616]

@Elwyn, this shows that a certain amount of anxiety is an evolutionary ad advantage. Jan was eliminated because of too little anxiety.

[@samroot]

I travel to Darien Gap via boat too a small village. It was with a local guide and accommodations were taken care of. Even at that you can tell things were a bit sketchy. There were no roads no obvious signs of any civilization outside of where we were. The only people we saw outside of the villagers were armed soldiers. Some of the stories the guys tell me on the down low since it wasn't very good for business . Stories of extortion, murders, and kidnapping. This is not stories from long ago I was just there back in late 2023.

[@creativian68]

Jan's friends from school said he wore sandals all year round, which was a bit odd. The winters in Sweden are definitly not "sandal seasons". If you understand Swedish, I recommend the Sveriges Radio podcast Jan från Norrköping försvann i Colombias djungel.

[@horsepanther]

That's interesting info. I wonder why he would want to wear sandals in the middle of winter in Sweden. I wish I could understand the language--it would be very interesting to hear that podcast.

[@agatamars]

Yeah, there's a picture of him in winter clothing and sandals on (with socks). I think he was a bit autistic or neurodivergent, perhaps claimed that regular boots hurt his feet or sth.

[@adventuresgonewrong]

There are a couple people here in the Yukon who wear shorts year round, even outside at -30. Frostbite is a real thing!

[@creativian68]

@@adventuresgonewrong wow! Now I know where the expression "freezing my arse off" must have originated.

[@mingiinimene3335]

@@agatamars That would explain why he didn't listen locals advice but would not explain how he got along with locals and entered their homes. It is pretty hard for most people to ask strangers for help and he was in a foreign country. I thought autistic people had more trouble with communicating but sounds like he was quite good at it although he was not god at listening and learning from others outside of a classroom.

[@grimmgoosegoose216]

Sorry, this is long, i had alot of thoughts, before anything else tho, thank you for an excellent video! Honestly... I am deeply conflicted about this one. With Emma Kelty it was clear that she had spend a significant amount of energy understanding the risks and taking into account what to do if/when she hit trouble. She also had experience with trips going wrong (like the antarctic trips). She was a semi professional traveler after a sense. With Braunisch... he more reminds me of a slightly better prepared version of that kid who wanted to tube the amazon... Sure, there is no question he had some experience and simply by having a GPS tracker/detailed maps, he was head and shoulders over ALOT of adventurers. But, the way he "wanted to see if it was true for himself" is frankly a pretty asinine thing to think/do. I follow several reporters/journalists who work in conflict zones. They have pretty strict rules about how to embed for a *reason*. I want to believe in the good of humanity, but if I as a white woman can catch heat simply for walking around a dark neighborhood in my very safe state, i genuinely believe there should be more criticism for people who actively choose to engage in areas KNOWN for the direct material danger and who choose to go in actively ill prepared. When reporters go into columbia or other conflict zones, bribe money and kidnapping insurance is a part of the goddamn budget. I do not believe Mr. Braunisch deserved any part of what happened to him, and his wife's deportation is genuinely heartbreaking. I simply cannot also say that he truly understood his actual risk and I think we need to acknowledge that.

[@discoj7112]

I'm guessing he probably traveled in a lot of places he was told to avoid because of racist or classist assumptions about the areas. There are many places that are truly lovely but are overlooked due to poverty or outdated assumptions based on past or occasional violence. But because he had so many good experiences, he didn't really understand the risks he was taking and assumed everywhere was less dangerous than it seemed.

[@benjaminwaters241]

I would rather climb Everest naked with my 0 high altitude experience than cross the Darian Gap. Absolute nightmare place.