We made it! After 681 days, 43850 km, and $6755 CAD in gas, we arrived at the southernmost city in the world. It was a dream come trueโฆand somewhat of a miracle. We made it the whole way without any show-stopping breakdowns, a rare occurrence for vintage vans like ours. Lucky was definitely living up to her name. (more…)
Entering Chile was like entering the first world again. Gregor and I had just finished driving Bolivia’s Lagunas Route, where the roads were pure dirt and we had little contact with civilization for four days. Once we crossed into Chile, we found ourselves on a pristine highway with speed limit signs, tidy shoulders, SOS stations, and runaway lanes – all indicators of a safety-conscious society. At the Chilean Customs office, the uniformed officials took away our Bolivian fruits and vegetables – the protocol of a highly regulated agriculture industry. And when we were charged $30 CAD to โcamp” in a hostel parking lot, well, there was no denying that we had entered a country of means. (more…)