We have been regularly informing you about a group of enthusiasts who decided to ride scooters across America. Eight months flew by like water, and everyone gradually reached their destination. What are the immediate impressions, and what made this journey so special? We asked Sany, the closest friend of our Pandora, about it.
Hello, Sany!
First of all, I would like to congratulate you on successfully completing your journey and express my admiration. What was the first thing that crossed your mind when you crossed the imaginary finish line?
Hello, Adéla,
thank you for the congratulations. Honestly, we had mixed feelings. Of course, joy that we managed to do it all without harm, but also sadness that our journey was ending. After all, for eight whole months, we were more or less on the move every day, with a few exceptions, so it is currently unimaginable for us to arrive in Kolín and just sit in one place. But I guess we will have to get used to it...
Were there moments during your travels that you will not look back on fondly?
I don't think there were situations that I wouldn't like to look back on with the benefit of hindsight. However, not everything was always rosy. For example, in our last days in Brazil, we ran out of money because we lost the only payment card we had with us in Argentina. We had money sent via Western Union, but we had no idea that it would be such a problem for us as foreigners to pick up the money. So for a few days, we simply didn't have a penny. We used up all possible and impossible food supplies and everything we had. For example, the honey we had been carrying for almost seven months and had taken through ten countries (we bought it in Nicaragua). :-D
I had to sell earrings that I really liked, but it was simply the only way to get some money. The funny thing was that we wanted to use this money for a bus ticket to Rio de Janeiro, where we could have easily withdrawn money even as foreigners. In the end, the money from the earrings wasn't enough for the ticket, so we had to continue on foot. Finally, we were saved by a firefighter who drove us 100 kilometers by car to Rio de Janeiro, thus ending our final struggle.
However, we look back on this experience fondly as well.
And what, on the contrary, was the most intense experience in a positive sense?
The most positive thing for us was the interest of the people and their natural friendliness. Throughout our journey, we were accompanied by good people who became our good friends, whom we will never forget and hope to see again someday.
Such a journey is also a demanding test for interpersonal relationships. Did you experience any turbulence in this area?
Yes, of course. Especially at the beginning of our journey, when we were eight members (seven scooter riders + Pandora), it was very demanding to coordinate everything. In general, the more people, the more problems. Everyone simply had different expectations of this trip. While the main organizer of the whole event, Marek Jelínek, went with the goal of crossing the continent on a scooter, we went with the goal of seeing and learning something. A split was sooner or later inevitable, and in the end, it was the best thing we did. So we continued with four people (me, Lukáš, Káťa, and Tomáš). In this group, we reached the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil, where we said goodbye to Tomáš and Káťa and continued separately.
It was also the first trip of this type for me and my boyfriend, and none of us knew how the other would behave in extreme situations. It was a big test for us, which we passed.
And what about your personal experience? Did you ever feel lonely? Or did the months spent on the road help you rethink your relationship with yourself or your overall view of the world?
Honestly, the first two months were hell for me! I hated the scooter. I was the "brake" of the group, which bothered me a lot. Every day I wanted to buy a plane ticket and go home. Everything started to change in Nicaragua, when I realized what we had already managed to travel, and that not everyone gets to do that, and it would be a shame to quit. At that time, I started to enjoy the trip. When we were in Colombia and took a month-long trip north with just a backpack – without scooters – I even started to miss my two-wheeled vehicle.
I never felt lonely, because there were always nice people by my side, and especially my boyfriend, who supported me mentally.
For me, this trip was probably the biggest adventure, as I had never even camped before. I always had everything nicely planned. Suddenly, you wake up every morning knowing almost nothing. You don't know where you'll end up, you don't know where you'll sleep. So we all had to learn to act according to the situation.
I would say we were incredibly lucky with people. But maybe it wasn't luck. People were simply very friendly and very happy and willing to help. The less a person has, the more they would give to you.
Our Pandora was also part of the party. Did it take long for you to get used to your little panda companion?
Pandora was an equal partner from the very beginning, and I think she enjoyed the whole adventure with us. After all, she has the most photos of us... :-)
Now to the material things – what can one really hardly do without on such a trip? Is there anything you would definitely not recommend similar adventurers to forget at home?
There are many things that are needed. A tent and sleeping bags will occur to everyone. Those are things that everyone will surely take. But among the less known ones, I would definitely mention a water filter, which saved us a lot of money on the road. What we didn't take and missed a lot was a gas stove.
What are your plans now? Will you continue to share your experiences, perhaps use them for charitable or educational purposes, or will you keep them more as personal enrichment?
I will share my experiences with my loved ones, and if anyone is interested, I will be happy to give advice. I'm not planning any bigger events in the near future. I think everyone should take their own journey. It doesn't have to be eight months long, it doesn't have to be on scooters... But it should be such that you expose yourself to unpleasant and unpredictable situations, because those develop you the most. I cannot describe in words how much such a journey helps everyone.
Do you have a kind message or a curious question for Sany? You can contact her at the email address [email protected]. If it is within her power, she will be happy to advise you.
Do you already have an idea where you will go next? And will it be on scooters again, or do you not want to "even see" them anymore?
I definitely can't say that we got sick of scooters. Quite the opposite. We had to "fight our way" to them. :-) However, next time we would probably choose a vehicle that can handle hills better and can fit more bags. A scooter is unfortunately quite limited in this sense. We would definitely like to return to South America to explore other interesting places on this continent.
We are also planning to travel through Eurasia sometime in the future and get to Siberia, to Lake Baikal, where my family lives.
Thank you very much for your answers and I wish you many more successes!
Thank you too and have a nice day.
And what about you? Are you also attracted by adventurous expeditions beyond your comfort zone, or do you prefer to choose an all-inclusive rest? Share it with us in the comments!
