A man who is attempting to become the first person in history to walk the entirety of the Andes through its seven nations has relived the terrifying moment he was mugged at knifepoint by men carrying a machete and knives. Ollie Treviso shared the dramatic tale with WalesOnline while he walked through Colombia on the latter stages of his epic challenge.
Th 29-year-old first began the audacious effort in September 2023 and has since walked through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. He is currently in Colombia before moving on to the final country of Venezuela where his journey will end on the northern coast at the top of the continent. Carrying basic supplies and a tent his home comforts are few and far between. He is doing the challenge to raise a target of £10,000 for the Ystradgynlais branch of mental health charity Mind in the Swansea Valley. Once he finishes Ollie believes he will become the first person in history to have walked the length of the Andes.
Ollie, from St Thomas, Swansea, has overcome landscapes from deserts to forests, jungles and breath-taking glaciers and snow-capped mountains during the 8,000-mile (14,000km) south-to-north journey through western South Americ, but it has been his time in Colombia where he encountered a potentially life-threatening situation. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here.
He said: "Colombia has been a whirlwind. Within a month I think I have been bitten by a dog, dengue fever, and then I got mugged. It was just a normal day and I passed these three lads. One was obviously the leader, in his 20s. I passed them and I thought: 'Oh no'. I just had that feeling. The Colombian people are amazing, and I always say hello to everyone, but they gave me this look. I looked around and I wanted to look around me for shadows more than anything.
"It passed and I crossed over the road to speak to somebody else and as I crossed back over the road then I saw these three lads up ahead. I crossed back over again, trying not to cross paths, and then the next thing they'd come charging over, one carrying a machete and two holding knives, waving them at me towards my throat.
"In that moment everything got slow. You get that feeling in your chest and really trying to breathe properly. All I could think was just to give them what they want. It was terrifying because you're in big trouble if someone hits you with a machete."
Ollie explained how he had planned ahead in the eventuality that he found himself in such a situation and had spread his money around different parts of his person. He said: "I asked them 'What do you want?' trying to make a bit of small talk. I put cash in a few different places preparing for this and so I gave them one bit which I knew wouldn't be enough and I had some more on my waist and I said: 'Look, this is everything' even though I did have more on me. But then they saw my phone and said: 'Give me your phone, give me your phone'.
"I just had to hand it over – that was the bottom line really. What I will say is – as horrible as it is and I hope it never happens again – I was prepared and I knew it was a possibility. I crossed back over the road and I had to walk eight kilometres to the next town.
"It was one of those things. I just had to carry on – there was nothing else in that moment I could do. That was that and it just happened like a flash. When they left I knew they had my phone but I just didn't care. To me it was success in a bad situation because had they taken my rucksack with my passport in that would have been the real sledgehammer.
"They didn't physically harm me and now I'm almost proud of myself in a way. It was a very dangerous situation and I came out of it untouched, trusting that everything was going to be okay, and thankfully it was."
Thankfully Ollie was also carrying a satellite phone, which enabled him to send a message to his brother to let him know what had happened. And in a fortuitous set of circumstances he was about to meet up with someone who had offered to help him.
He said: "What's unbelievable is that, months ago, a girl from Swansea contacted me to say she is living in the middle of Colombia and that when I reached there I could come and stay and get myself sorted. There is so much planning for me to do that every now and again you do need a break. It just so happens that the day I was planning on going to her house was the following day.
"I got the bus to her house and they had a spare phone for me that they didn't want – which was exactly the same as I had – let me use the internet, I had a roof over my head for free, and obviously had someone to talk to. I can speak a lot more Spanish now but there's nothing like being able to communicate with someone from back home.
"As terrible as the situation was if I was going to get mugged it happened on the best day that it could have. I hope it never happens again but I like looking for silver linings. If I let it get to me I've had it because there's still a long way to go. It wasn't a great situation and it got me out of a hole."
Ollie is now on his way to Venezuela where he has a guide waiting for him. Providing he stays on schedule he is two weeks from reaching the Venezuelan border where he will complete a 40-day walk visiting remote parts of the country and attempting to climb the highest mountain within seven national parks.
He said: "I love the physical side of it out there all day in the elements and the camping – that's the sort of thing I love. I don't complain – it's my bread and butter. I never hesitate to think tomorrow I'm going to do it all again.
"Looking at this challenge and what it's given me is gratitude. I feel so fortunate to be from Wales. I know we complain when it's raining but I've seen people leaving Colombia, leaving Venezuela, without any shoes on and they can't even live in their country. I'm walking around with all of this kit and I think: 'Do you know what – I'm choosing to do this and they are going back the other way because they've got to.'"
As Ollie edges ever closer towards completing his historic achievement he set his eyes on what he is looking forward to when he returns home and asked the public for their help to allow him to get back safely. He said: "Life is a bit more expensive in Venezuela and I've got to get home as well so we are trying to raise a bit more just to be sure – and to help Mind Ystradgynlais, which is really struggling now. I would love to see them back on their feet as they've had to cut back treatment as they are not able to do it.
"My goal is to write a book. I write a few things down in my diary every night. The thought of going home is scary now as I've had this goal, it's all been about this finishing line, and then it's going to be gone. I also want to go around schools and colleges to share my story and to start working and learning more about the communities back home.
"This wasn't about running away – this was a big dream that I had that I thought could benefit my life after it and be an investment in myself. My focus is to really embrace family, friends, and have the best time possible in Wales. I cannot wait for my grandmother's roast dinner, 100%, and I would love a pint of Guinness. Those are the big ones. I think I'll be putting some weight on sharpish when I get back."
You can follow Ollie's progress on Instagram by clicking here and donate towards helping him cross the finishing line on his GoFundMe page by clicking here. You can also support his goal of raising money for Mind by clicking here.
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