In Gualeguaychu, in the northwest of Buenos Aires, one of the last stages a few hours and 230 km from the end of the trip, Herman Zapp wonders whether he should say to himself “my dream is over” or “I have realized my dream “. It doesn’t matter in the end. “Everything was more beautiful than we had imagined,” he says.
102 countries crossed, 362,000 km covered. This Argentinian family ends its somewhat crazy journey this Sunday in Buenos Aires, during which four children were born, Pampa, now 19, born in the United States, Tehue (16) on a return to Argentina, Paloma (14) in Canada, and Wallaby (12) in Australia.
Why did the couple take to the roads? They were 31 and 29 years old, earning a good living, a house in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, desires of parenthood. But just before, there was this old dream for two: a six-month backpacker trip, from Argentina to Alaska, with 4,000 dollars in his pocket. And then someone offered them this tired old collector’s car for sale, an unlikely means of transportation: a 1928 Graham-Paige, wooden rims, “that wouldn’t even start,” but that they fell in love with. The journey would therefore be made in antiquity.
“It doesn’t have the best seats, not the best shock absorbers, and no air conditioning. It’s a car that forces you to be on alert […] But she was wonderful, ”summarizes Herman. A “machine for opening doors”, smiles, helping hands.
Humanity “is incredible”
But to tell the truth, the Zapps have mostly slept with locals, guests in more than 2,000 homes around the world, they estimate. “We never imagined that people could be so beautiful in the world. This humanity in which we live is incredible,” Candelaria, 51, still cannot believe it. A meal, accommodation, free repairs… “Many helped us because they wanted to be part of a dream”.