We start the morning at one of our Mudita Adventures charity projects, meeting the local community and seeing where the money goes. Every trip should leave somewhere a little better than we found it.

Then Georgetown, one of South America’s most underrated capitals: colonial streets, St. George’s Cathedral, busy markets and a sunset boat cruise on the Demerara River.

We leave Guyana behind and head east across the coastal plains to the border, crossing the Corentyne River by ferry. This is what travelling overland is all about.

Immigration done, we carry on through western Suriname to Paramaribo, the capital.

We drive south, swap to a traditional longboat and head up the Upper Suriname River to Jaw Jaw, a remote Saamaka village. The Saamaka are descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped into the rainforest centuries ago and kept their own language and traditions.

An afternoon exploring the village and swimming in the river. Little or no phone signal. Bliss.

Our last border. We cross the Maroni River into French Guiana, and suddenly it’s euros, French and, technically, the EU. How weird is that?

We stop in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, where prisoners bound for Devil’s Island were first received, then carry on towards Kourou.

A last morning wandering colourful Cayenne: the main squares, the markets and one last taste of French South America. I’m hoping we score some decent French wine along the way.

Then it’s Cayenne airport and home, with three new countries ticked off your list.