The Great Escape
Photos: Patricia Fehr - Story from Ciryl Mischler

Just over 10 years ago, Patricia and German, who both hail from San Nicolàs, Argentina, decided that their lives were in desperate need of change. At the time they were living a typical urban life in one of the largest, most cosmopolitan cities in Latin America: Buenos Aires. Tired of the rat race, they began planning their “great escape” to drive through the Americas from south to north, one village at a time, to discover for themselves the landscapes, people and traditions that make up the Latin American identity.

The odyssey would be called “Amunches”, which means “travellers” in the old Mapuche tongue of Patagonia. The journey they would embark on would take a year and a half. After setbacks dealt by Argentina's economic situation, sponsors were needed and the pair managed to attract companies such as Land Rover, Royal Dutch Shell, Bridgestone and Telefònica who responded to their calls – the trip was on.

Having encountered many adventures and new people on their journey through South America, the couple and their Land Rover Defender 110 successfully negotiated Panama during the rainy season and are preparing for the next leg of the journey – through Mexico and into the Western Unites States – all the way to Alaska.

Steve & Jocelyn Broyles, Sandcruisin’…

Steve and “Bebe” are a young married couple who decided to run off to Costa Rica and make a new life. Eventually, after driving all over the place, and a lot of setbacks, some of them voluntary, they arrive in Costa Rica and explore the country. Now living in Playa Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Steve and Jo surf, travel around Guanacaste, pal around with thier friends, and work some too. Well, the whole story is at www.SandCruiser.com, check it out.

François & Sandra Deroeux

François came to the US from France in 1989, where he raced motorcycles and automobiles and has a passion for driving anything on wheels. He is well known for his preparedness, sense of adventure and exploration. His fluency in several languages helps him to travel among people from many cultures.

Sandra is a degreed psychologist, who had a stable seven-year position with the State of California, which meant a cubicle and the occasionally disgruntled tax-paying customer. Francois and Sandra married in 1997 and by the end of that year, they had decided on extended travel in her native Mexico and beyond. Learn more about their 27,000 KM trip through Mexico and Central America at www.balum.com.

Epic Journey — Hong Kong to Belgium Overland

This story starts in Hong Kong with an HZJ70 Landcruiser 'troopie' that, with a Belgian couple, begins an overland journey to Brussels, a adventure of 60,000 km (37,500 miles) spanning 14 months.

“We had been living in Hong Kong for several years and had asked ourselves: "What do we do when we leave Hong Kong?" Do we just pack our belongings and board a plane to fly to the next destination? Twelve hours in a plane seat to be dropped into a different world?

“ On April 1st, we made it from Hong Kong across the border into mainland China and started our journey back to Belgium! The road lead us through Pakistan, India, Nepal and Iran before reaching Turkey. There we changed our plans and decided to check the Middle East instead of returning straight to Europe. One thing led to another and we visited part of North Africa as well ! The trip turned out to be 14 months instead of 9 and 60,000 km instead of the 25,000 km planned!.” Read about it at http://www.destoop.com/trip/trip_index.htm

Vintage Land Rovers across Africa…

In early 2001 this group of 8 men shipped their four vintage Land Rovers to Spain, and began what has now become Stage I of an epic journey. Along the way they visited the imperial cities of Morocco, battled the sand dunes of Western Sahara and Mauritania and traveled to the famed desert town of Timbuktu in Mali. They then made their way through Niger, Togo, Benin and completed the adventure in Accra Ghana. Learn More at http://adventureafrica.org/overview/