Well, if you have read the ‘About’ section you will have seen that ‘Plan A’ went up in smoke around the first week of August, due to the almost civil war in Nicaragua and the security issues in the new drug capital of the Americas Mexico.
‘Plan B’ a workable alternative, also had to be ‘canned’ as Joe ‘B’ on August 22nd had to unfortunately exclude himself from the trip only five short weeks before departure for his own personal reasons which we understand and accepted. It was Joe that was to have registered in his name the vehicle we were buying in the USA so effectively, so no Joe, equaled no possibility of taking our own vehicle from the USA.
In reality as of that date after 18 months of planning, with five weeks to go, we didn’t have a workable plan!
Plan ‘Z’ ‘- is now the plan, and it’s the final plan, as there are no other letters to use in the Alphabet.
It is said that true professionals work best under stress and I guess in our own careers Chris, Mike and John have faced a lot of stress as we have worked so hard in the past three weeks and now have a viable plan, not quite the original but a workable one all the same.
We have had to change focus slightly and introduce some flights as border crossings with a vehicle you don’t own are almost prohibitive.
We still drive around 2,000 miles in four countries in Central America; Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. Then we hop across to South America to drive some 5,500 miles from top to bottom through six countries Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina to reach Tierra Del Fuego or ‘The Land of Fire’.
We will achieve this through a mix of being lent a vehicle in Guatemala and El Salvador, renting in others but the hard work with a challenging route, much of which is at high altitude through Peru, Bolivia, Northern Chile and across the Andes into Argentina is in a prepared cross-country Nissan Patrol 4×4.
For the final leg of some 2500 miles from Finca Ambrosia to Ushuaia, the team will be seven strong, using two SUV’s and we will take 14 days for this leg running down the spine of South America and crossing between Chile and Argentina and skirting the infamous Patagonia Desert.
Our final destination, ‘The End of the World’ should be reached by December 9th, and from there we are a stones throw from Cape Horn.
Job Done !
See the route section for more details.
Join us on Instagram – americaschallengedrive
P.S. – We are building the site as we are on the move and I need my good friend Rab Fyfe to just tweak some of the photos.
Our America’s Challenge Drive 
Way to go guys. An amazing trip. Will follow you closely. Go well and comeback well ! Very best Alistair & Gabi
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Good luck guys. Look forward to following the updates….
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I look forward to following your travels!
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What a great adventure – I am exhausted just reading about your journey plan
Good luck and have lots of fun, we look forward to your stories
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Looks like a fabulous adventure. May good fortune be with you!
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Good luck and stay healthy in this 150 % challenging “trip”
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Enjoy guys, looking forward to the updates that follow and good luck!
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You will have a great adventure! Good luck and stay safe.
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Come on down to Florida on your return IF and When you all survive as am certain you will!
Regards
Gio
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BTW
Torre Del Paine is the best place in Chile and worth a couple of days as well as a hike up the Towers or a boat ride next to the Glacier on Grey lake!
Explora Hotel awaits!
Enjoy
gio
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Is preparation for a trip normally not half the fun? Well, in your case you already had plenty of fun …..
Amazing route, it will be a great adventure.
Enjoy the ride !!!!
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Happy you do not speak and use the Chinese alphabet (> 6000 signs). Irrespective the number of plans: Z1 or Z2018, no rush! 75 days or more who cares? Since your website is setup (courtesy Rab) keep it alive and fun ASAP (as Safe as possible).
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what a “faff”!! all in a car!! I am swiss and rich and “did south america” in a plane as a reward of retirement. one month from venezuela down to ushuaia! lugage always plane-hotel-plane! what a treat! I am glad that I am rich!
your not-envious flying don arminio – good luck, anyway, guys!!
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GM Swiss people were always paid better, wish we could afford 5 star air travel but we are only Brits. Great comment Armin, from you nothing else was expected. Best wishes to you, Chris
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I’m going to enjoy following your journey. Good luck, stay safe! Have an amazing time!
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