For many, the question "Where do I start?" arises when one has such an idea and is planning such a trip.It was the same with us. The most important thing was the idea and the urge to travel again. At first we thought wildly back and forth where we should go (at least the rough direction) and basically everything was there that was possible. Gradually the idea formed into a plan, especially regarding the "goal". This was South America first.
At this point we realised something important - it is very important to say goodbye to beautiful, semi-solidified ideas. South America has always been our dream, but there were various reasons against traveling overseas. The main reason was probably that we didn't like the idea of shipping the bus first and then flying afterwards. Then there were one or two other points that made us look east again.
In addition to the idea of where, how far and when, there are of course also purely material things that need to be resolved. This includes the bus, which has to be "ready" by the time it starts and with which you ideally already have some routine. There is also the question of what happens to the apartment and our belongings at home? How do we finance our trip? What about health insurance? What do we (maybe) want when we come back?
All important questions that can quickly overwhelm you before you get stuck in the adventure. That is probably the most important point, not to let yourself get overwhelmed by it. We had the goal in mind and always pursued it. One problem is solved after another or just wait for the solution to come.
And then Jonathan wasn't there at first. And can you even do something like this with small children or is it negligent and too dangerous? There are some things that need to be considered with children, especially small ones, that have a significant impact on planning. It starts with the space in our quite small expedition vehicle, goes over medical care and ends with the consideration of the seasons and the very strong restrictions in route planning.
We will certainly shed light on the individual questions in more detail in separate articles. Only suggestions in the form of questions should be given here. But pretty much anything can be solved. And when everything is apparently resolved, Corona will come and maybe put a thick black line through your bill.