On August 6th, 2023, our journey kicked off at the edge of the world in Alaska, marking the beginning of an epic expedition down the storied Dalton Highway. As we ventured southward from the Arctic Circle toward Ushuaia, Argentina, we encountered many obstacles, but none that would stop the team from making it.
The 234-day journey traversed through 16 countries, covering 20,359 miles (32,764 kilometers) from the most northern to most southern points of the mainland Americas. The only nondriveable section was the Darien Gap, a vast jungle connecting Panama and Colombia, which is incredibly difficult to pass through. Here the team shipped their bus from Colon to Cartagena.
The expedition planning took around a year, before hitting the road for our test run, and one of our biggest hurdles was finding teammates. We are always looking for new ways to reach fellow adventurers and for this particular expedition, we were looking for teammates to join for at least one month. This not-for-profit journey was testing, and we anticipated this before hitting the road so it was really important for us to find solid teammates and to have some consistency. We didn’t want too many people hopping on and off. We were also searching for teammates who could bring a useful skill, and thanks to Explorers Connect we were contacted by Mildred, a photographer, creative, and budding adventure. Mildred was able to capture some of the unique moments we shared on the road as well as being a fantastic team player and motivator.
Mildred was looking for her next escapade, when she checked out Explorers Connect she was captivated by the audacious idea of a converted American school bus journeying from Alaska to Argentina. The decision to leave her job and embark on this journey aligned seamlessly with her interest in exploring South America.
“A converted American school bus, driving from Alaska to Argentina? So random!” were her thoughts as she scrolled through the page. For a while, she pondered the idea of joining and proposed the idea to her friends. Eventually, she made a decision and her plans to leave her job coincided perfectly with joining the expedition.
“I’m a curious person and always seek out novel experiences, and I’d always wanted to go to South America.”
Mildred brought so much positivity to the team and was a breath of fresh air that I think we all needed after having been on the road for 7 months living in tight quarters. Upon completing our journey I asked what her most enjoyable moments were, as it is really important to us to find out what went well and what things we can improve for future expeditions.
“The first is an activity highlight, which has to be Torres del Paine. Driving through Patagonia and seeing the spiky mountains was pretty special, but then hiking for 9 hours in total, 6 hours on the ascent, and coming up to this lake and seeing the iconic three towers - that was amazing.”
“My second highlight was being on the bus with ten other strangers for a month. I have no issue putting myself in situations where I don’t know anyone, but to get along well and feel so comfortable with a group of people I didn’t know weeks ago? That was really special and I treasure these friendships. I have no doubt that despite not being in the same place, these are people I will see again and again over the course of my life.”
For us, facilitating such transformative experiences is both a challenge and a privilege. Through travel and adventure, we endeavor to break down barriers, foster meaningful connections, and inspire personal growth. Overlanding is our tool to experience raw adventure.
For Mildred, the biggest thing she learned was that strangers are not scary and most people are not out to get you. When she travels alone or moves somewhere new, her biggest fear is always about being alone. “I wouldn’t say that I’m the type of person that just strikes up a conversation with people, but the trip reminded me that I can become very good friends with strangers”. One of the reasons why we travel is to learn, grow, and improve our well-being. Adventure is not only good for the soul, it can have life-changing impacts. Mildred couldn’t agree more and not only did she have a great adventure but she was also reminded that adventure keeps us connected.
“I think it helps to remind you that the world is huge, that nature is amazing, most people are friendly (or at least, not bad), and it helps put things into perspective.”
If you're curious to learn more about our expedition, follow this link. To witness more of Mildred's captivating work, click here.
Mildred’s work: https://mildredlike.com/
Global Convoy Bus Project: https://www.globalconvoy.com/bus
