The place that stayed with me: on a wild, misty river I learned I have the strength for almost anything

Pictures of Stephanie Wood's trip to the Franklin river for the lifestyle series 'The place that stayed with me' Photograph: Supplied by Stephanie Wood

I am old, I am unfit for this project and I am colder than hell frozen over but I am also stuck. A helicopter will not winch me out because my only injuries are the agonies of dodgy hips, screaming arm muscles and deeply wounded pride.

And there are miles and days to go before I sleep again on a mattress with clean sheets and a pillow and luxuriate in a hot shower and can be propelled forward in ways that do not require the use of my arms.