Cape Town - An Argentinian couple had a dream of travelling around the world by car. Now more than 55 countries, 250 000km, 14 years and four children later they are still on the road and living their dream.
Herman Zapp and his wife Candelaria climbed into their car – a 1928 Graham Paige – and drove out of Argentina in 1999 with just $4 000 (about R25 000 then). Both had always wanted to go to Alaska, so that’s what they did. “I saw the car two months before we left and fell in love with it so I brought it,” Herman said in Cape Town, where they now live. They arrived in South Africa last year.
In 1999 Herman, an electrician, and Candelaria, a secretary, sold their house, packed what they could into the car and left. “Everyone thought we were crazy,” Herman said. “But, really, who is crazy – the one who goes for the dream or the one who doesn’t?”
The couple were afraid to start their journey. “That first day was the hardest,” said Herman. But the pair were determined. “If you let your fear take hold, your life will pass you by,” he explained.
Herman and Candelaria have been married for 20 years. “We think we will be around forever but it’s important to rethink life,” said Herman. “My mother died when she was only 46, the only legacy I have taken from her is to ‘do it now’.”
They survive mainly on the kindness of others, having been taken in by more than 2 500 households all around the world. “You have to give a chance to people to show how good they can be.”
Their children – three boys and a girl – were born in different countries. Herman said being on the road was the best education they could get.
“School is important, but it’s not the most intelligent person who survives, it is the person who learns how to adapt the fastest.” Herman is confident that his children will be better people for experiencing all the different cultures of the places they’ve been to.
“We’ve been to Australia and Canada and have stayed with kids who’ve had rooms full of toys, but we’ve also been to countries like Cambodia where children have made toys from sticks.”
This kind of education, said Herman, is priceless.
“Now they know that everything has value and meaning.” Candelaria said the children were excellent travellers and adapted easily.
The Zapps, who supplement their income by selling their book, Spark Your Dreams and giving motivational talks, are currently living in a flat in Constantia, Cape Town. But as soon as they have enough money, they plan to head to Egypt for their next adventure. - Cape Times