Where are you right now?

M+C: In Buenos Aires.

And what is it like after more than five months?

M: It’s quite crazy, all these things that we have experienced in the last months. Travelling is still fun. But after so many months you sometimes think about what comes next, how it will be at home. But we’re definitely not done.

C: It’s an incredible opportunity we have right now. The many, many impressions and great experiences: wonderful. But we travel even slower now. When we enter a new country, we book accommodation for four or five days to sort things out, sleep in and see how the wind blows. It’s still nice to travel to new countries, learn new things, meet new people. And just try yourself out again. In New Zealand we rented a camper for the first time, here in Buenos Aires we attended a Tango argentino course. It’s great that you can take something special and beautiful with you from any country.

Do you write a diary besides the blog? Or how do you remember everything that happens and what you experience?

C: You don’t remember the details. I can say that already. That’s why I dictate a diary with a smartphone app. That is annoying, and I am always behind schedule, on the other hand we will be happy about it later. We didn’t want to take a real book with us, because this is additional luggage and can get lost.

Do you still get along with each other?

C: Yes, amazingly. (laughs) There are days, especially on travel days, when you have slept at the airport, have many hours of bus behind you, are overtired and knocked out, where the other just gets on your nerves. With his or her quirks. In Auckland, after four days in bus, plane and taxi, we had a real low point together. But we’re almost 24/7 together. I think you can only do that with a few people. Most of your travel partners you want to kill after a while (laughs). Well and we do something separately sometimes. I spent a day here in Buenos Aires alone. But the next day we explored the city together again, and that was nicer than the day before alone.

M: Yes, we still get along well. Amazing, considering we do almost everything together. Sharing a room all the time. That makes me very happy. It’d be bad if it wasn’t like this. (laughs)

What do you eat now?

M + C: In New Zealand we cooked every day. Dining out wasn’t an option. Well, we do that again now. Here in Buenos Aires, steaks and empanadas are mandatory. In the camper in New Zealand we alternately had noodles, rice and pancakes. And yet we tried to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. And the New Zealanders also know how to make ciabatta rolls. Now we eat cornflakes or muesli in the morning, and in the evening, we go out for dinner.

Did you lose or gain weight?

M + C: Clearly lose weight. Especially in India and Indonesia. Now, when we cook, the weight slowly goes up again.

Have you beaten traveler’s diarrhea by now? Collected more diseases?

M + C: Diarrhea is defeated. It’s gone the moment you enter a hygienically clean country. Here in Buenos Aires you can drink the tap water like in New Zealand.

What about the days when you don’t want to travel anymore, are they still there?

M: Yes, they still exist. But in New Zealand we wanted to travel further every day. Because it’s simply too beautiful. In Buenos Aires we took our time again and took a break from travelling. And very quickly you also get anticipation for the next goal.

C: Yes, of course. They didn’t exist in New Zealand. But I definitely had a post-New Zealand depression here in Buenos Aires for the first few days. The weather was uncomfortable, and I have been to Latin America many times. Of course each country is very different, Venezuela, Paraguay, Brazil, completely different. But this whooooooo, I’m in Latin America, I can learn Spanish, try out new food, I didn’t have it that much anymore. I don’t want this to sound cocky, but I’ve been coming and going to Latin America for 17 years. You know a little how it is everywhere, even if you’ve never been there before. For Matthias South America is still a blank slate, I relive the discoveries with him. For myself, I’m looking for challenges or new things I haven’t tried or done yet.

Are you satisfied with your blog? Have you made any changes?

M: Yes, I’m very happy that everything works how we’ve set up the blog, how we write the articles on the laptop. But we made a change: Our journey no longer fits on a world map. I needed a 3D globe. (laughs)

C: I like our blog. Of course the text is too long for the working people, but that’s why we have the pictures at the beginning. And now here in Latin America I am considering adding a Spanish translation. I can still learn something by that. And the biggest change, of course: our sexy globe.

How many photos did you take already? And how do you save the photos?

M: We took about 1,000 photos per month and used several large SD cards that we back up on the laptop. And if the internet is very good, we upload the photos to my parents’ NAS.

Have you bought something new to wear or are they still the same clothes from the beginning?

C: I once bought a T-shirt and a beach top. And new ski gloves in New Zealand. The old ones I had given away in the Himalayas.

M: I once bought myself a pair of shorts.

Have you gained new insights on the journey?

M: We learned a lot about culture and nature. And what is also a new insight: Hairdressers work differently in each country. In some cases, wash first, then cut. In some cases, cut first, then wash. Some with scissors, others more with a hair clipper. In the end, it’s always different than you think (grin). And there are sooo nice people all over the world to help you.

C: Yes, first of all: a trekking skirt where I can’t kick my backpack into the Tuktuk or make a big jump is wacky and doesn’t deserve the name trekking skirt. Secondly, the contact lens solution that we use in Germany can be found all over the world. A realization for myself? When we only ate vegetarian food in India, I felt really good. I’ve been trying to eat less meat ever since. Matthias has been doing this in Germany for quite some time. And yoga, yes, that sounds very esoteric now. But that has always been a good compensation, and I enjoy having time for it while travelling. And: Our planet is magnificent. The nature and wildlife that each country has to offer are unique. And unfortunately, so is their destruction.

You don’t feel guilty about the CO2?

M + C: Yes, we do. But we check every single flight with the CO2 calculator and then compensate via Atmosfair. It’s at least something.

What does all this fun cost?

M: You don’t talk about money. Or: The money comes out of the wall with the slot. Conny laughs. We have been a little over budget, but that was to be expected. But not too much to worry about.

C: I’m still traveling from tax returns. I haven’t touched my savings yet. But to give you a number: The aim is always to find accommodation under 20 euros.

Do you have any material losses?

M + C: Yes, a lot. One pair of sunglasses gone, another pair of sunglasses broken, two camera lens caps lost, a pair of nail scissors handed in at the Indian check-in, a pair of white trousers that didn’t want to get clean anymore, Matthias’ phone survived the Indian toilet only two months longer, Conny’s travel towel and the charging cable for the laptop we left somewhere in Indonesia. And the yoga mat is still in the camper. That sounds like a lot, but when you consider that we are constantly repacking and moving, then it’s actually reasonable.

Where did you laugh out loud last?

C: When we ended up in a Maori dance performance. We were completely out of place. And one dancer took it very seriously. I had a laughing fit and had to cry because I couldn’t help laughing. And in Buenos Aires I had a laughing fit because of Matthias’ hairstyle. He went to the Indonesian hairdresser and looked like he had a pot on his head. I was overtired from jetlag and couldn’t stop laughing. I think I calmed down after ten minutes.

M: The camper life is a very funny one. Actually, there’s always something to laugh about with Conny. In Buenos Aires I often laugh afterwards, when people say something to me in Spanish and I understand completely nothing.

Were there other embarrassing situations?

M: I try to avoid such situations as much as possible, and so far I have succeeded. (laughs)

C: Yes, we had to extend our accommodation here in Buenos Aires one day because we had hoped to couchsurf. Then it didn’t work out, I had to extend another day, they had to reorder the cleaning lady and had a lot of stress. That was awkward.

What do you miss?

C: It remains what it was. My family and friends. I’d like to see them again now. But Skyping, e-mails and so forth make it easier. And sports. It was just too cold in New Zealand. We’ve been hiking a lot. Now in Buenos Aires I can do yoga again. And climbing, I’ll look forward to it when I get back. But, yeah, the longer we’re gone, the greater the homesickness.

M: Do something together with friends or family. In a group, that would be nice.

What sucks?

M: In Indonesia it was the heat, the sweating. In New Zealand, the cold nose sticking out of your sleeping bag. And in Buenos Aires, the Argentines have such a slurry accent.

C: In New Zealand this putting on and taking off dozens of layers of clothes. Going to the toilet from the sleeping bag. Annoying! And this recurrent skin infection on my nose. Actually, I’d have to see if this is such an evil hospital germ that I’d have to treat differently. But as long as we’re traveling, we don’t have the logistics. I will check that when we get back.

What was the best experience so far?

C: Oh my god I can’t say that. There were far too many of them. In Iran the people, Qeshm Island, in India the Himalayas. Whoa, magic. In Indonesia it was Komodo. And New Zealand. Whew. I don’t know. The whole country is a color explosion.

M: For me it’s the Himalayas. The first view of the highest mountains.

Where are you going next after Buenos Aires next?

M+C: Today we will leave for northern Argentina by land and then take the bus to Bolivia.

Are you coming back to Germany? And if so, when?

M: Yes. I’m counting on it this year.

C: Yes. I’d say before Christmas. But who knows what else will happen?