Juan Flores, Ilse Mena and the little “Federico” plan to tour the entire American continent in their combi.
The couple, originally from Puebla, expressed that the idea of this adventure was born as they realized that a week’s vacation at work was not enough to satisfy their passion for traveling. The first option was to become fulltime backpackers, but then they decided to use a Combi (Volkswagen Mini Bus) as they saw that there is a large community of travelers using this type of mobile homes.
So, with this motivation, they saved money in order to buy the vehicle and adapt it to their needs.
After a year and a half of planning, the couple resigned to their jobs as architect and textile designer respectively, to undertake the adventure in February in company of their faithful four legged friend “Federico”.
Their family, did not believe them at first; they thought it was a crazy idea, but in the end they all ended up supporting them.
They have already toured Oaxaca, Veracruz, Campeche and now they are in Yucatán. Their plan is to travel the entire continent; First, get to the southern tip, in Argentina, and then, drive all the way north to Alaska.
“We plan to travel America in two or three years and after living all these experiences, settling down somewhere along the way. We do not know if we will return to Puebla or if we will settle in another country, but we will decide that during the trip. ”
But not everything is peaches and cream, because when they visited Campeche they had an unexpected issue with the Combi’s engine, so they hade to return to Puebla, where they stayed for three months while the vehicle was fixed, but this did not discourage them, but gave them more strength to continue with their adventure.
To cover their daily expenses, and mainly to make some money for the gasoline that allows them to keep on this adventure, the couple elaborates and sells handicrafts.
“We got up, we clean the house, we have toasted bread, egg or quesadillas … depending on our budget. We then in the afternoon look for a shadow to make, bracelets and the crafts we sell to be able to keep traveling. On weekends we go to crowded places to sell our products and when we have enough saved for gasoline, we advance to the next destination. ”
They changed the comfort of a house with all the services to this Combi that is equipped with a sofa bed, a stove, a sink and a television, but they lack bathrooms and showers.
The young people, 31 and 27 years old, say that Merida loves them. “It’s the first time we’ve come, the people are very friendly, the food is delicious: the cochinita, the horchata water, the marquesitas, everything; Paseo de Montejo is very beautiful, the houses that are incredible, the Cathedral is also amazing. We want to go to Celestún, Chichen Itza, Valladolid and visit all the cenotes that we find along the way “.
TYT Newsroom with information from yucatan.com.mx
