After 22 long years, the Zapp family has finally returned home to Argentina, putting to an end their historic trip around the world. Their journey across the globe is the stuff of legends, traveling across five continents and 102 countries on board their 1928 Graham-Paige jalopy, driving a total of 362,000 kilometres (225,000 miles) in the process.
News outfit AFP caught up with the Zapps just before their arrival at the Obelisk on Sunday, the famous monument in Buenos Aires that was also the starting point of their one-of-a-kind trip. Herman and Candelaria Zapp were both emotional as they reminisced about their journey that started back on January 25, 2000.
Herman said "I have very mixed feelings. We are ending a dream, or fulfilling a dream." He asked the question "What will come now?" with the journey about to end, adding that there are thousands of changes and thousands of options for them to choose from. One of those options, according to the 53-year-old patriarch, is for the family to sail around the world.
Candelaria Zapp discovered the beauty in humanity
Candelaria, who was just 29 when the trip started and is now 51, said that her best discovery during the 22-year journey was the people that they met along the way. She said that "people are wonderful" and "humanity is incredible."
Herman and Candelaria's idea of a round-the world journey was hatched during the couple's backpacking trip in Alaska in the United States. They have been married for six years already at that time, with both of them having good jobs. They had just built a house and were planning to have children soon.
Their future in Argentina was secure but the Zapps decided to have an adventure of a lifetime instead. The plan to travel around the world started to take shape when they were offered a 1928 model of an American automobile called Graham-Paige. According to Candelaria, the car's engine was bad and the paint job looked terrible and worse of all the vehicle would not even start.
Zapp's journey won't happen without 1928 Graham-Paige car
Herman echoed that sentiment, listing more bad features of the vintage model. He said the car's seats are not great as well as its muffler. Herman added that the car does not have air conditioning and the 1928 Graham-Paige is a vehicle that you need to keep your eye on. Despite all of these bad features and the car not looking comfortable, Herman said this 1928 car was for him a 'marvelous' vehicle.
Herman said the Graham-Paige was "good in cities, in mud and on sand." Such was the car's durability that they only went through eight sets of tyres in the 22 years that they used the vehicle for their travels. The Zapps only needed to do major engine work on it twice during that span.
The car witnessed the family grow with the arrival of four Zapp children. The oldest Pampa, who is now 19 years old, was born in the United States. Tehue, who is now 16, was born in Argentina. Paloma, now 14, was born in Canada while the youngest Wallaby, who is now 12, was born in Australia.
