238- Inspiration

Written by Asa Björklund for Overland Journal Magazine, United States. Spring issue, 2013.

Most people define a traveler as somebody who sees the world and eventually returns home. But what if the world became your home? Pablo Rey, of Argentina, and Anna Callau, of Spain, have been on the road for 13 years, and their “home” is a Mitsubishi Delica/L300 4WD van, affectionately named The Cockroach.

Pablo defines his previous existence as “a workaholic advertising writer“. “Then, my brain made CRUNCHHH, between other weird noises, and we decided to leave.” Departing their base in Spain, they turned south, through the Middle East, and to the southern tip of Africa. They hitched a ride to Argentina, South America, on a fishing vessel, where they spent the past seven years en route to Alaska. During that time Pablo had an epiphany: People in the West care too much about money. “In a world where sooner or later we will die, the most important asset should be time. Arabs and Latin Americans are good at this,” Pablo reflected while remembering his old life. “Our education usually impels us to stick to a straight lifeline: to study, get married, get a mortgage, have children, and work during the rest of our lives, as automats of a production line. We’ve been inoculated by the sinister ‘Arbeit macht frei’ slogan, Work will set you free, but without the Nazi paraphernalia.

Few travelers have embraced time as well as Pablo and Anna. They do, however, miss friends from home. Pablo says, “After some time, all the mountains, waterfalls, beaches, and zebras, while nice, repeat until they start to became… boring. People, instead, are the color of a trip. People are always different, a surprise that leaves a trace on you.” To assist their shoestring budget and chronicle their adventures, they have published several books. Available in English is The Book of Independence.

pagina de overland journal

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READ MORE PABLO AND ANNA REAL TRAVEL STORIES IN THIS LINK

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The Book of Independence, written by Pablo Rey

Get The Book of Independence in Amazon or Kindle.
ISBN 13 978-1482769951

Follow the latest adventures of the real Pablo and Anna on Instagram Instagram, Facebook and Youtube @viajeros4x4x4

“The Book of Independence works its magic like a bellows on the embers of wanderlust, inspiring us to break away from the norm, to slow down and smell the proverbial roses… or cow or elephant dung. It’s not about what you’ll do after you retire, it’s about what you do before you die.”
Chris Collard, Chief Editor, Overland Journal Magazine

 

Pablo Rey (Buenos Aires) and Anna Callau (Barcelona) also known as #viajeros4x4x4, have been overlanding the world non stop since 2000 on a 4WD Delica van. They mastered the art of solving problems (breakdowns and police harassment, between them) in far away places, while enjoying their nomadic lifestyle.

They’ve been 3 years driving through Middle East and Africa, between Cairo and Cape Town; 7 years all around South America, and 7 years going to every corner of Central and North America. They crossed the Southern Atlantic Ocean in a fishing vessel, descended an Amazon river in a 6 log wooden raft, and walked with a swiss knife between elephants in wild Africa. On the last two years they started to travel by foot (Pyrenees mountains coast to coast, two months) and motorbike (Asia), with the smallest lugagge possible.

Pablo has written three books in Spanish (one translated in English), many articles to magazines like Overland Journal and Lonely Planet and both are in the short list of the most respected latino overlanders.

¿When will the journey end? It doesn’t end, the journey is life itself.

2 thoughts on “238- Inspiration

  1. Hola Anna y Pablo: Es verdad que a ustedes el mundo se convirtio en vuestra casa.A ustedes no les tendrian ni que pedir pasaporte cuando pasan una frontera ?… pues estan en su casa.Su nacionalidad es “Ciudadanos del mundo”?.. Saludos Juan y Graciela

  2. Hola amigos,

    Según la foto, andan por Canadá. Espero que estén bien! Un día de estos, si tienen tiempo, habría que ir más allá al sureste. ¡Sí! llega hasta aca el camino… hay diezel para la cucaracha y caipirinha para sus papás.
    Saludos de Nath, Charlotte, Eve y Rejuan XXXX

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