We are not exceptional. We are not especially wealthy or gifted. Nor are we hippies - hardened skeptics of "conventional life", bunking society in favour of an aimless, drifting existence. We have college degrees. (We have goals.) We like our families. So what gives us the gumption to set off on a year-long journey in a modified Chevy Astro van we've affectionately named Babo Conquista? It's as plain and simple as a this: why the heck not?

 

Sure, all the cliches apply: "life is short", "you only live once", "carpe diem"... and sure, we could wax philisophical about our definition of success and how we measure it by wisdom amassed through life experience, rather than traditional societal markers. The fact is we're lucky enough to follow the urge to go and see and learn, first-hand.

 

Beginning in May 2016, the journey thus far has taken us through the western United States, overthe California/Mexico border, south on the Baja Peninsula, across to mainland Mexico and through Central America. We begin phase II of the adventure in Columbia, mid September (2017) and will continue heading South (generally). Argentina feels a long way off and much may change along the way (life has already thrown us a few curveballs in the last year or so), but Buenos Aires is our quasi destination - if you can even call it that. It is a convenient geographical end to this journey, although who knows when or where the adventure will end? It would be foolish to tether it too tightly. After all, we are foolish enough to commit a year (or two...) of our lives (and our savings) to an idea that was but a poppyseed of a thought and has somehow bloomed - through chance meetings, books, photographs - years later, into a determined plan. Like any true adventure, we are most excited about the unknowns.

 

So, we invite you to journey with us as we experience, document and reflect upon our encounters. Again, we don't claim to be exceptional in our endeavour (though admittedly a little mad) but this is our journey and these are our stories.