Zooey and Rianne
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From Drive the Americas
Hometown
The Hague, The Netherlands
Reason for taking this trip
We first considered traveling through Australia, but thought it would be quite expensive to travel there for a year. We also wanted to leave the cold of the Netherlands for someplace warm, and were inspired by the movie ‘Zen and Zero’ to explore the idea of surfing Mexico and Central America. After buying a surf guide and confirming that the surf in Mexico and Central America would be great, we decided to fly to the US and purchase our car there, because of the favorable Euro-Dollar exchange rate.
Why did you decide to drive?
Freedom!
What type of car are you driving?
We’re driving a 1986 Toyota 4-runner 4x4.
Did you make any modifications to your car for this trip?
We added roof racks, but have found them not to be necessary. We actually think it would be preferable to store everything in the car so as to better blend in with the locals and attract less attention.
How did you save up or finance your trip?
After living with our parents and working very hard for 8 months, we saved enough money for their trip.
How long do you plan on traveling?
We plan on traveling for 1 year, more if possible.
Where do you plan on driving?
We are driving from San Diego, CA to Panama, where we will sell their car before returning to the Netherlands
What were your family’s and friends’ reactions when you told them about your trip before you left?
We thought it was a great idea.
Did you speak Spanish before you left your home country? How much Spanish? Are you taking more Spanish lessons as you travel? If so, where and for how long?
Zooey spoke a little bit of Portuguese, but neither of us spoke any Spanish. We did take lessons for 1 week in El Salvador, and have been trying to practice as much as possible.
Do you have a favorite place or country that you have visited during your trip?
We especially liked Baja California in Mexico. While there was no surf when we were there, we met some great fellow travelers. We also loved the white beaches and turquois oceans of Cabo San Lucas.
What was the weirdest thing you experienced on your trip?
Our first night of camping in Baja at around 3 or 4 in the morning, a car came racing toward our tent, engines roaring, high lights blazing. They stopped about 5 meters from our tent, backed away, drove off quickly, and then returned about 10 minutes later to repeat the same bizarre behavior. While we were scared and ready in our tent, armed with pepper spray and a machete, luckily the car drove off for good.
What was the worst border crossing?
Hands down, leaving El Salvador to enter Honduras. While we were waiting in the aduana to have our papers processed, someone ran up to us shouting something about our car. When we went outside to see what had happened, someone had smashed into our rear bumper, destroying the taillights and damaging the bumper. The other driver was driving away, but came back after we chased him down the road. While the damages were extensive, the other driver only had about $60 cash on him, and was uninsured. As we were negotiating how to settle the accident, a uniformed Honduran police officer approached them and started to shout at Zooey. The police officer first claimed that there had been no accident, but when we pointed to the broken shards of tail-light glass lying under their car, he then claimed that we had been at fault. After we disagreed with this ridiculous statement, the police officer then threatened to throw us in jail if we did not leave immediately. Faced with no alternative, we finished processing our papers and drove into Honduras. At repeated roadblocks as we drove through Honduras, the police stopped us for lacking tail-lights. At this point, we pretended that e understood no Spanish or English, and spoke only in Dutch. The police seemed startled by the exotic sounding language, and eventually let us continue on their way.
Do you have any advice for others who may be considering driving the Americas?
We have found that having 4 wheel drive and high clearance has been really useful for navigating some funky roads. Especially since our main goal for this trip is surfing, many of the beaches would not be accessible if we did not have 4 wheel drive. Also, we recommend keeping everything hidden and concealed in the car to minimize the threat of theft.
Would you do it again?
Yes
Do you have a blog or a website describing your trip? If so, what is its address?
