With the nerves building ahead of England's first game at the 2014 World Cup against Italy on Saturday, a group of supporters were treated to boat trip to see one of the most spectacular sights of Manaus.
FA Chairman Greg Dyke and General Secretary Alex Horne were joined by invited members of englandfans, the official supporters' club, to see a true natural wonder - the Meeting of the Waters.
The Meeting of the Waters is an incredible stretch of the River Amazon at the confluence of two tributaries, the Rio Solimões and the Rio Negro.
Greg Dyke with the Meeting in the Waters behind
Due to different water densities, temperatures, acidity levels and flow speeds, the black colouration of the Rio Negro and muddy brown shade of the Rio Solimões, the local name for the Amazon, remain separated for almost four miles before finally joining together.
It's a remarkable habitat and home to some wondrous, and dangerous, creatures. Piranha, pacu and candiru are amongst over 3,000 species of fish discovered in the river, which at its deepest point can be over 100m in the wet season.
The Meeting of the Waters was also witnessed by Roy Hodgson when he paid a visit to the city earlier this year.
Also on board the boat was Alex Ellis, the British Ambassador in Brazil, lyricist Sir Tim Rice and author Jonathan Rice, who were in Manaus to watch the Three Lions kick-off their World Cup campaign.
Greg Dyke speaks to one of the englandfans members
"Brazil is a remarkable country with so much traditional and natural wonder," said Dyke. "This trip to the Meeting of the Waters was another opportunity for The FA to learn more about the magnificent places we are being fortunate enough to visit during the FIFA World Cup.
"I've never seen anything like it."
"It was also important to meet with a group of England fans who will be amongst the thousands in the Arena Amazonia as England's campaign gets under way."
Horne added: "Having been so warmly welcomed everywhere we've been in Brazil, The FA is keen to fully experience everything the country has to offer in order to develop a greater appreciation of this unique part of the world.
"We were delighted that a number of England supporters could join us. Yet again, the fans have travelled in incredible numbers and The FA, Roy and all the players want to repay them for once again proving themselves to be amongst the best fans in the world."
Alex Horne with the fans on the Amazon
Following recent fan events in Miami and Rio where englandfans members had the chance to meet and pose questions to Hodgson and players Phil Jagielka and James MIlner, six more lucky supporters were drawn out to join the Amazon boat trip.
Josh Shuart, and former Oxford University student from Kansas City, USA, made an epic trip to Manaus to follow the Three Lions: "I flew Kansas City to Dallas to Miami to Manaus - it's about 16 hours of travel."
The trip was also one of the first steps on the World Cup journey for Louis Spiteri from Kent, who is in Brazil with his dad Ossie.
"We're following England all the way around, so hopefully we're here for the month, because we've got tickets until we get KO'd. Wherever England are going, we're going," he said.
When the boat returned to dry land, the group were transported to a reception hosted by Alex Ellis and the Mayor of Manaus, Arthur Virgílio Neto, at 'Great Britain House', an exhibition in the heart of the city celebrating the many links between Manaus and Great Britain.
