I am sure everyone has been in the situation where you think you are going to run out of gas or better yet, have actually run out of gas at some point in your life. Whether it is running out of gas while idling in gridlock traffic or realizing that you have gone past the point of no return on stretch of road where the distance between gas stations is a lot further than you thought, it is an unsettling, frustrating yet all to familiar feeling that comes with driving. Even more so than any other scenario, going on a road trip always seems to attract at least the potential for running the tank dry at some stage in the journey.
Category Archives: Trip Thoughts
Off the grid for a few days.
November 18, 2008 – 9:14 am
We are headed into Northwest Argentina, followed by the Atacama Desert, eventually driving through the southern region of Bolivia where their famous salt flats reside and then to Santa Cruz where we will obtain our Brazilian visas for the Pantanal. This means that we will be out of contact for about the next week; however, […]
Public Servants Strike Again… Literally
November 13, 2008 – 2:28 am
The list of quotes related to patience is just about as long as the situations in life you will undoubtedly encounter that require it. Problems are inevitable in life and having the patience to deal with problems as they arise will undoubtedly make your life easier. I knew that there would be a lot of situations that would require a lot of patience on this expedition, and I like to think that over the course of the last two years, I have become a much more patient individual. Just about every day on the expedition, something will come up that requires some degree of patience. Whether it is trying to communicate with someone in a foreign language about the simplest of things, or waiting for political issues in the country you are in at the time to run their course, having the ability to be patient can get you through a frustrating situation without doing any physical or emotional harm to yourself or anyone around you.
A Rodeo is a Rodeo
November 10, 2008 – 12:45 pm
The world is full of differences and we have been very privileged to witness a tremendous amount of diversity throughout the course of the expedition. Differences abound at all levels of society and culture and learning about why people, cultures and countries do things differently and more importantly, appreciating that certain things are in fact done differently is an invaluable education. However, from time to time, you also learn that many things are quite similar and familiar to what you know and recognize from home, wherever that may be.
There is Definitely Something Cool About Chile
November 9, 2008 – 12:35 pm
Trying to decide which country one likes the most is a difficult task that necessitates a lot of reflection. Again, different countries on the expedition each hold different meaning to individual expedition members. Each country we have crossed through presents memorable moments that make impressions on all of us that will last a lifetime. In some cases, even a few of the bad experiences we have encountered along the way can sometimes transform themselves into positive memories over the course of time. Personally, the type of mood I am in at the time might also affect how I respond when asked what country I enjoyed the most on the trip. No matter what mood I am in though, there are certainly a few countries that always stand out in my mind above all others and one of those countries is Chile.
Roadside Shrines
November 2, 2008 – 10:08 pm
Having your own mode of transportation has a lot of benefits. We have said countless times that there is no substitute for having the ability to explore a country free of the constraints of public transportation and on your own schedule. When you have your own transportation, I believe you become a lot more aware of your surroundings, especially the small details that might blur by the window of a bus or a train. One thing that I have noticed a lot of here in South America are roadside shires. If you ask any of the other members on the expedition, they might actually go as far as suggesting that I have become obsessed by these roadside tributes, especially when I slam on the brakes to go and take a closer look at them.
How To Drive Through Chile Without Breaking The Bank
October 27, 2008 – 9:18 pm
Even with the rising value of the US dollar and the dropping prices of oil worldwide, when you are on an overland expedition, you still need to be a little creative in order to conserve your budget. We have been on the road for about 20 months now and during that time, we have become pretty good at coming up with ways to stretch our money.
Keep on Crashing
October 24, 2008 – 11:23 am
I am sure everyone is anxiously watching the news outlets for glimmers of hope regarding the current global financial crisis. The value of people’s pensions plans are eroding, people are worried about having to work for another five years before they retire and Wall Street analysts and financial managers are wondering if they will have a job tomorrow. Actually, we here at the World by Road could not be more pleased with the current financial turmoil circling the globe.
Kudos to Colorado
October 15, 2008 – 6:12 pm
The overlying goal of The World by Road is to inspire people to get out and travel and hopefully, through our photos, videos and stories, we will encourage more people to go explore more of the world that they live in. This is especially true for people living in the United States. We have said it countless times before and that is by and large, people in the United States do not leave the country that much…
Futaleufú y Volcán Chaitén
October 11, 2008 – 11:10 am
On May 2 of this year in the early morning, Chaitén Volcano began to erupt for the first time since what is believed to be 7,400 BCE. For most of the world, this particular eruption is but a vague memory from a segment of international news, but for residents in close proximity it was and still is life altering. Surprisingly, for all of the destruction only one life has been lost …
