AMAZON BOUND TO BOUND BY THE AMAZON

HIS NAME IS NICK HOLMES

Bound by forest, rivers and torrential rains, fighting back from Malaria to worm infected wounds to over coming multiple robberies, fighting off bandits with his 2 dogs, and now down to his last $50.

This is his storey.

March 2023 due to the fact that a number of clients owed him some big money for work completed by his property revival business in Australia, a physical therapy business that never really climbed back to its pre pandemic heights, a string of unlucky relationship choices, an estranged family for way over a decade, ever increasing cost of living, the mundaneness of unable to find trustworthy staff after many of his contractors became seriously sick after covid jabs, 2 adopted hounds left in his care and a decision not to continue drinking 6 days a week to take his mind off how lonely his life had become with work work work , he decided to finish up his outstanding projects and close up both his businesses after 30 years in Queenlsnd Australia.

After many restless nights sleep, he decided it was time to pack himself up with his hounds Mika, Spud into boxes and back packs and head some 16,000 km across the pacific to his previously purchased Acreage in Peru. Here we would build a simple cabin, plant what was needed to be planted and begin a more sustainable lifestyle in the middle of the rainy season.

Although his financial plan was in place, he was still owed money from clients, yet with with his varied working skill set built up from over the last 40 years, he was confident a work contract would meet him half way.

Saying goodbye to everything he had worked for yet again. after losing all his investments to a consortium of vampires some 8 years prior. he packed up of his babies, his tools, clothes, mobile office and a mattress into the back of his ute, it was time to take off to Melbourne to attempt to reconnect with his estranged parents, as this would be his last opportunity to say goodbye if he was not convinced to stay and assist them transition smoothly into their declining stages of life.

Unfortunately this was not meant to be, and after literally fixing the side fence, and despite the dogs being incredibly happy to chase the rabbits throughout Victorias Corinella peninsular, it was back into the car to find a camp site close to the water to realign his chi and coordinate the planned second choice destination.

Number 1 priority now became the verification of the recall of the “Covid Leptospirosis Vaccine” for the dogs which meant he had to coordinate an alternative solution to dog transition regulations between Australia and Peru, the incredible long list of ongoing veterinarian and vaccination expenses, not to mention their flights, boxes and time of travel.

With a list as long as his arm on multiple occasions, one by one, against all the odds, together, they would go on to pass all the examination required for their passage ticking them off as they moved between towns, cities, beaches, forests, roadside rest areas, camp sites, houses, states and ultimately countries for appointments, paperwork and saying goodbye to close friends, ultimately costing them way in excess of what was budgeted due to the delay in ‘vaccine solution” between Australia and Peru.

The stress of saying goodbye to his dogs at Melbourne Airport locked up in 2 off 1200 x 700 x 800 solid plywood boxes with just water, for some 16,000 km as the crossed the Pacific Ocean, transiting in Santiago Chile and not seeing them for close to 50 hours later after all their health checks in Lima Peru, was intense.

Yet true to his plan however, he remained off the alcohol and re focussed back on his health despite his lack of sleep.

The next chapter was the transition to the farm in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon via Iquitos

Reality finally hit him as they moved into a vacant house with no furniture, a toilet and a tap in the low lying water drenched slums of Iquitos, realising this was the start of their new life as the dogs lay fast asleep totally exhausted after their life changing ordeal. The yoga mat was set up under the mosquito net for the first of what would be close to 3 months of exceptionally uncomfortable mat sleeping.

Being delayed in the transition in Australia due to the Covid Leptospirosis de·bacle, they had hit their destination bang smack in the middle of rainy season. Not only did they have to rent a house 7km from the farm until they built a roof structure, they also had to prepare food for their sunrise hike in, an over night camp and a late afternoon return. They would spend 1 day preparation for 2 days of hiking and working and repeating the cycle for close to 4 months before finally transiting into the forest full time.

Throughout this period he was offered 2 work contracts to legitimise his stay in Peru after the 3 month visa expired and there was no way he would leave my dogs behind. Unfortunately after thousands of dollars of immigration paperwork conformance, he concluded that both companies were in fact not of ethical back ground and the contract fine print left him open for substantial liability.

Little did he know how difficult it was going to be to tie up a work contract and stay in Peru permanently. Now finally after the removal of 26 worms from an infected leg, a short bout of malaria and many bandit confrontations, the Cabin is now built and main crops are planted, and he just has to patiently survive for 3 months to 3 years for the edible returns.

With all his savings now used up in border visa runs , consistant expense of travelling with dogs, being robbed at the farm each time I depart for supplies, illegitimate work contracts, another round of expensive Australian police and Interpol checks for my visa that is about to expire and unsuccessful search for a good home for Spud n Mika, they are desperately trying to fund 5 to 10k to verify Nicks presence in Peru under a new 2 year work contract.

This is the big step to begin the inspirational unbreakable trios journey to permanent residency as not to face a family separation and a notice to leave the country. Despite his son in Australia, Spud n Mika have been his closest to family for over 30 years, together they have conquered more hurdles than I could ever had imagined of any other human.

With the property on the market the rainy season makes access very difficult which also makes this by far the hardest challenge they are to face,

Nick is more than happy to trade off property shares, contract architectural work or my book sales once he has finished it finished it.

Nick has no choice just yet but to stay in Peru with his dogs as is heavily involved in the coordinating and financial delivery of the ethical synergetic safe net between humans and the environment working on projects that will truly make a difference.

Nicks fundraising entrepreneurship began back in the late 90’s when he developed the ‘original Create The Balance Business Concept which contributed to the original ‘ creating an environment conducive to health “ campaign, ultimately Inspiring 1000’s of his clients and community members in Australia not only to improve their own health through choice, assisting in the financing and body maintenance of many of Australias elite athletes, but also assisting in the fund raising for many charities over that decade. Englands Rob Mathers www.againstmalaria.com campaign and Americas Nuskins Force For Good Foundation through Pharmanex multivitamins.

Integrity of Charities has now become the biggest hurdles we face today, consequently leading to the high transparency standards set by the likes Rod and the Against Malaria Campaign and the very reason that it still flourishes to this day.

The move to Peru’s Andean Amazonian Corridor presented a whole new set of parameters, challenges and a new set of community issues, far greater than any western country can begin to comprehend.

To be embraced by community and develop trust takes time and commitment, and despite ones eagerness, Nick often has to take 3 steps back before 1 step forward.

How Funds Will Be Used :

1. To assist in the feeding and support network of 2 adopted Australian hounds Mika and Spud, currently residing in Loreto Peru, currently responsible for unconditional love, lifting community spirits and security to those they are loyal to, ensuring that they can remain between the farm and community projects with their adopted parent of 9 years while immigration verifies new work contract for emergency income for their dad, as not to offload them to further adoption and a substandard unhealthy quality of life.

2. Contributing to the emergency food and transport of Nick to enable him to continue with the hands on directing and physical mentoring of community flood, land and road regeneration projects, until his work prospects and trade opportunities are become more financially viable.

Projects currently involved with :

Laguna De Mango :

The regeneration of an existing abandoned 27 hectare deeply forested farmland property in the hills of Yarina Loreto through sound management and planning of cultivation, restoration, and conservation to re-establish the balance between human needs and environmental preservation of natural grassland and Forest ecosystems.

The goal is to acquire surrounding properties to re=establish protection pathways though out the region that assist in the direct flora and fauna reestablishment to flourish naturally and return the habitat into the Eden it once was.

In addition, previously used farmland is cultivated, naturally fertilised and planted with crops and fruits to not only sustainably maintain the farms patrons but to provide surrounding communities in need such as low lying Triunfo and Ex Petrolera a profit share in product sale.

Triunfo Distrito Flood Recovery :

Currently still bound by raised water levels due to ever changing torrential rain and weather extremes throughout the Amazon Region, the low lying District of Triunfo Iquitos, Peru despite 10 truck loads of fill delivered to the region, remains flooded for since early may 2025 and despite the calm acceptance of such a burden to its citizens lifestyle, there is much planning of work required to ensure that hundreds of families are not displaced if the rains are to return again.

The Food, Education and Rebuild better program assists directly to the low lying residents of the estimated 500,000 strong city of Iquitos. from rubbish collection, to sanitary drainage, recycling and future raised home planning and the triggering community synergy to a revitalized forward thinking belief in a better future for all.

Destino 417

Building roads throughout the Amazon region is a tough gig to say the least, it is always raining, knee deep in mud and water and previously bull dozed overgrown tracks are constantly drenched to greater disrepair as a result of substandard big picture planning. often leading to 3 step backwards for the environment to 1 step forward for the community.

It is imperative that the few government grants are put aside for such projects are managed correctly, not waisted or distributed to corrupt individuals along the way.

Nick began manual machete clearing and spade working to re contour the parabolic camber of drenched rain and vehicle damaged sections of 417. By reducing the width of carriage, providing shoulders for strength to oncoming traffic and submerging the kerb line of the previously bulldozed existing road, the community is now slowly building the foundation for a solid well drained convex ridge well drained to existing water table run off points.

This hard manual labour will enable the community to confidently create a road that will carry traffic without damaging the camber.

Fundraising will ultimately provide essential road base to form the ridge and will directly assist in force feeding the local council to provide more support.

Amazon Aquatic :

Centro de Salud y Fitness Amazon Aquatica

Commenced a proposal to turn the rarely utilised official local Olympic swimming pool into a financially viable community driven multi discipline health and fitness establishment targeting groups of all ages

Nicks vast experience in designing, planning and development of such fitness centres, swimming pools and health retreats, knows how important it is to develop good relationships with the local council, and that also takes time.