Year Two Status Report
Two years on the road, we cannot believe it either. While we had planned for a multi-year trip, it is still unfathomable when we reach superfluous milestones such as this. Since we had never traveled before starting our Pan American journey, we really didn't have any idea of what we were in for. That probably translates into us being the kids that are slowing the class down by asking too many proverbial questions. Fortunately it's a class of two, so we can pass or fail together.
Some Basic Stats
Total Miles Driven: 30,920
Gallons of Diesel: 2,087
Average MPG: 14.82
Best MPG: 18.22
Worst MPG: 11.46
Average Cost Per Gallon of Diesel: $3.19
# Nights Spent in the Van: 478 (65%)
# Nights Spent Elsewhere: 253 (8 afloat, 11 house sitting, 74 mooching off of friends and family, 160 in a hotel/apartment/rental home)
What We've Learned
Clean is Relative
Exactly like time, but Einstein probably wouldn't agree with our layman's interpretation. We're also not referring to just taking timely showers, as if that's a thing anymore. The five second rule is more like "How long has that been there? Looks OK to me". Licked clean is clean enough but never for company, we still have some semblance of manners. Good clothes are for going into town for supplies, good meaning not as dirty as everything else, or more importantly, doesn't stink.
There is No Such Thing as Missing Out
Or more appropriately, you cannot do and/or see it all. We are much happier living in the moment instead of forcing ourselves to adhere to a prescribed itinerary. If we make it, miss it, or somehow forgot about it...such is life. Are there a few things we will do our best not to miss? Absolutely, but our day to day is a balance between exploring the sights and hanging out in camp. Some of our fondest memories are big family style dinners with lots of overlanding friends in dirty parking lots, we wouldn't trade it for the world!
Inspiration is Everywhere
While it is easy to become inspired by nature's beauty sprinkled all across this world, we find ourselves noticing it more in what was once viewed as the benign. The work ethic of the 4 year old shoe shine boy (hucking it before and after school), the determination of the aggressive taxi driver whose incessant honking will eventually snag a fare, the bravery of the women and young girls who sell fruit and other food in the middle of the highway, and, of course, the hard knock life of the street dogs who always welcome a couple easy days living under a gringo's car along with some scrumptious scraps.
Perfection is Foolish
One we still struggle with, me more so than Mandi, but not all things need to be taken so seriously. There are times when we need to make sure everything is absolutely tip top, or as good as we can accomplish, but those times aren't as frequent as we tend to think. Close enough in most things is more than enough...who really cares anyway? Slightly under cooked rice...pot scraped clean; zip tied chairs...someone's ass is still in it; a fork when you need a knife...hands. Out of all the crazy work around halfass ingenious shit we've seen the locals and overlanders do, the world kept spinning along.
Many Things Are Not What They Seem
A hard one for us at first since life outside one's home country seems a bit bizarre or even lacking. Our first inclination was to want to change things to be like what we were used to. That quickly was subdued under the realization of what culture really is, something that took experiencing for us to begin to grasp. While there are things that bother us, garbage handling being high on the list, we appreciate the differences in each of those we have had the pleasure of meeting and the communities we were able to glimpse. Instead of thinking "what they need to do is..." we think "wow, there is so much we can learn from their way of life".
Camp hosting in Idaho should be a whole new experience Rhonda, just make sure Jimbo wears that fly Guatemalan shirt to all the gatherings (too bad he didn't get the entire outfit). It's never a bad idea to always bring your own cup and plate too Geneva...we're not the only ones that lick our dishes clean ; )
Where are we now
Look Rock, TN
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