LAFLECHE – Sometimes the best place to meet international travellers on an epic adventure is in small town Saskatchewan.
This was the case for a chance encounter with Elisa and Daniel Schwartz - a German couple who are travelling with their dog, Samy, across Canada.
But Halifax to Vancouver is just one small part of their journey - the loose plan over the next few years is to see how far south their 1985 Kuno van can take them: perhaps Argentina.
The impetus for the Pan-American road trip began after Elisa’s adventures through Asia and South America. She took a year off work for travel, and after her journey, yearned to return to the open road.
“When I came back, I knew that was not the last time,” she said. “It was just time for a new part in our life.”
After this adventure, Elisa met Daniel and shared the wonder of her travels and the desire to once again venture out. Daniel was also excited about the adventure Alisa had begun to formulate.
“She told me about this trip, I want to make this with you in the future,” he said. “Now, one year later, we started.”
The couple saved up enough financial resources to sustain their nomadic life, converted the van to best suit their needs, then left their German jobs. The Schwartz’s flew to Halifax, shipping their van from Germany to the Canadian port (the shortest route between Europe and Canada), then took to the highway. The van travelled for 15 days across the Atlantic Ocean, costing about €3,200.
To document their journey, the couple developed a YouTube channel called Kuno and Us, which follows their adventures as they meander along the way.
“Like everything in life, I think if you share it, it’s getting more beautiful,” said Elisa. “Also, it’s good for remembering things - a diary in video.”
Lingering a while longer through Nova Scotia and the Great Lakes, the couple soon discovered the challenge of visiting all the places recommended by fellow road-trippers. Favouring areas near water, the Schwatrz’s took their time basking in the wilderness of Eastern Canada prior to their Prairie introduction.
With Saskatchewan famous for stunning skies, the couple was looking forward to beautiful sunrises, sunsets, and the movement of clouds throughout the day. Nature had different plans, though, and the majority of their time across southern Saskatchewan was smoke-filled. This didn’t dampen their spirits, camping along the Wood River before making their pit stop in Lafleche to upload their latest YouTube video.
Grasslands National Park was their destination before hitting Alberta - now able to dispel the myth of this province being flat. The preference is to travel down less-travelled roads, mostly due to the fact that the van itself is rather slow. With an average top speed of 80 km/hr (around 30 km/hr going up hills), they’ve experienced a fair share of frustrated motorists. As an added benefit, this “off the beaten path” route allows for sightseeing not usually observed from the main thoroughfares.
About the only expenses for the couple on this grand adventure are fuel and food; and the larger portion sizes in North America came as a surprise for the Schwartz’s. They take advantage of reduced foods, buying only enough to sustain a day or two at a time.
“The goal is not earning money, the goal is having enough money to live,” Elisa explained. However, should the need arise, Alisa is confident to find online office work given her experience in a German bank, plus Daniel is an electrician and woodworker
“There will always be a possibility to earn money to live, until somebody gets sick or something,” she said.
Daniel spoke of a shift in the mindset of people in Europe where work is no longer the biggest goal in life. Instead of saving money and making sacrifices to enjoy freedom after retirement, the tendency is to pursue dreams before future ailments take hold; possibly interrupting those daydreams.
“The generation for us, the parents saved a lot of money for the children,” Daniel explained. “And the children have no idea what to do for future things.”
One concern the couple has is how the climate of countries from Mexico onward will affect nine-year-old Samy.
“Right now, we don’t have air conditioning,” Elisa noted, adding that they might just winter in the Baja California peninsula. “I think that’s very exhausting for a dog - the heat and humidity.”
“Travelling with this car, this long way and long distances, it’s new for us,” Daniel said.
A tour of their home on wheels reveals a very spartan, functional, and tidy space. But there are comforts - an important feature is their coffee maker. Large containers for extra fuel and water are attached to the exterior, and meals are often enjoyed on the roof - allowing them to enjoy the scenic views along the way.
Obviously, much planning is required to embark on a trip of this magnitude. What about vehicle insurance? Or visas to enter all these countries? What happens if you need medical attention? These questions and more were things the couple needed to consider and find solutions for prior to the trip. Foresight, preparation, planning - it all goes a long way, but there are always unknown situations along the way. Perhaps that adds to the excitement of such an adventure.
If you’d like to follow the adventures of Alisa and Daniel, search YouTube and Instagram for Kuno and Us.
