It’s very likely that few people in Dauphin are aware that we have been recently visited by a well-traveled couple from Hannover, Germany. Dauphin was a chance stop on a journey for, Ingrid and Herbert Klages, that began in the Port of Hamburg, Germany when they loaded their Fiat RV onto a freighter bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina. The journey has continued to include a tour of Brazil and Argentina, as well as, a trip to the southern tip of South America, known in German as Feuerland (Fire Land). As if that were not enough the trip turned north to include the Western route from Chile north through South America to Central America, Mexico and Baja California. Their travels also included time spent in California, before continuing on up to Vancouver Island and the beautiful city of Victoria. Nowhere near finished, they left the awe inspiring real estate behind for the wilds of the British Columbia interior and Alaska, finishing their trek north at the Arctic Circle, before turning around and heading south. Their return leg brought them to Dauphin, on Thursday night, Sept 20th, as they prepared to return home via Halifax where they will load their RV for passage to Hamburg.
Highlights of their tour have included the wonders of South America, the natural majesty of Patagonia and the frontier country of inlets and waterways of southern Chile. The great altitude changes from the Gaucho plains of Argentina to Lake Titicaca in the Andes Mountains. They were challenged by the humidity of Mexico and the oppressive heat of 55ºC in Death Valley, California, when their air conditioner gave out, but they persevered retrofitting their camper with fans to cool their living space. Quite impressive is the fact that since they left the ship in Buenos Aires they have depended on this small living space, at times completely. Their trip began on July 22, 2006 and nearly 18 months will have passed by the time they return home by boat from Halifax.
They have not traveled alone, as for most of the journey they have been accompanied by up to 5 other couples from Germany, each couple in their own RV. Included in their group has also been a German doctor vacationing with them. At times members of the group have put their trust in a portable defibrillator, as members of their group have suffered from heart troubles. All of the members of the group are retirees or of that age and have realized a lifelong dream by participating in this trip. However, this is not their first great journey; other trips have included travels from Moscow to China on the Trans-Siberian Railway and RV journeys in Northern Africa.
When asked what impressed them in their travels, they responded that they were shocked by the grandiose creations in Las Vegas and the “only-in-America” use of water in the desert. Also, the number adopt-a-highway projects struck them as odd, since in Germany it’s generally thought, that in return for high taxes the government should maintain the roadways. The sight of abandoned farms caused them to speculate about the lives of hopeful immigrants who came to Canada and all that is left are the weathered wooden buildings. In addition, they found that Canadian driver’s often drive aggressively even when compared to our American neighbors, perhaps contributed to by what seemed to them to be a conspicuous lack of “Mountie” presence on Canadian highways, also missing have been the wildlife that they hoped to see, particularly moose. It was hoped that a trip through Riding Mountain might solve that, if not a side trip to Lake Audy to see the buffalo might be a good substitute.
For all of their preconceived notions, they have had their share of disappointments but they have also found many wonderful surprises along the way and the return home from their journey-of-a-lifetime with many wonderful memories and souvenirs for their 6 children, 12 grandchildren and many friends tracking their travels from home via the Internet.
Information and pictures from their can be found at www.panamericana06.de (in German)
