Reina (whose real name is Silvia) and Paco (Francisco), aged 70 and 72, have covered 83,000 km in a motorhome over three years. They spoke about their travels in an interview with the YouTube channel Pibitos Viajeros. The couple describe themselves as occasional travellers: they set off on long trips every three or four months, and their longest lasted seven to eight months.
Routes and vehicle
- A tour of South America: 25,000 km, from the Pacific coast through the Caribbean Sea, then down the Amazon to the Atlantic (five days on the water) and back to Argentina.
- Vehicle: a 2021 Peugeot Boxer 2.2 diesel, already converted into a camper van; the couple made several changes during their first trip.
- First trip: from Ushuaia to La Quiaca.
The idea of travelling by motorhome came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the couple looked for a safer way to holiday. Reina had also long dreamed of travelling in retirement. "We haven't bought our life, and the day is today," she said. She advised that if the wish is there, people should go ahead with it rather than wait for the ideal moment. The couple say they have made friendships for life on their travels. The interview followed a meeting in Valeria del Mar: the channel's creators saw the motorhome in a supermarket car park and contacted the couple through an Instagram account displayed on it.
Over three years the couple made three long trips lasting between five and eight months. The motorhome has a kitchen, a shower with a water heater and a small 3 kg washing machine that washes and spins. Water is stored in two tanks: about 80 litres for general use and a separate 40-litre tank for drinking water, each with its own pump. Paco also lists USB and USB-C ports, a ventilation system and a separate air conditioner for the living area among the upgrades. Reina sews curtains, makes macramé and creates decorative items, and the couple have adapted the furniture and storage to the way they travel.