After visiting more than 100 countries on five continents aboard a 1928 automobile, the Zapp family returned on Sunday morning to the Obelisk of Buenos Aires from where 22 years ago they had left with the dream of traveling the world.
“We feel our hearts full, we have a dream come true and the fortune to share it”Hernán Zapp stated that he had started the journey together with Candelaria on January 25, 2000 and now they have returned with four teenage children, born in different countries.
The traveling family was received around 11 o’clock by dozens of people at the Obelisk, on a sunny Sunday, with Argentine flags and applause.
The six members of the family arrived at the Buenos Aires center aboard the Graham-Paige, 1928, with which they made the trip that extended for more than 300,000 kilometers.
Minutes after arrival, Candelaria declared before the media: “We would never have imagined, when we left here, to come back 22 years later with children and with everything we experienced.”
And her husband added: “When we went out there were two of us because nobody believed us, but how nice it is that we can share all this. They sheltered us in all parts of the world as if we were family”.
“We have a wonderful world, we have to go to know it”Hernan stressed.
the crossing
Hernán and Candelaria began the trip when they had been married for six years, with the initial intention of reaching Alaska, but then they continued through the rest of the world and fulfilled their desire to have children along the way.
In general, the Zapp stayed in more than 2,000 homes that received them and Candelaria stressed that “humanity is incredible” and that “many helped us just for being part of a dream.”
During the crossing Hernán contracted malaria; he also crossed Asia when there was avian flu, Africa with Ebola, and Central America with dengue.
During their journey, the Zapps also they were received by Argentine personalities such as Lionel Messi or Pope Francis, to whom they gave their book “Catch your dreams”.
“The idea was to travel to 20 countries and we ended up traveling to more than 100. We fulfilled two dreams: to know the world that God gave us and to be able to start a family,” Herman said excitedly.
“The idea was to visit 20 countries and we ended up visiting more than 100. We fulfilled two dreams: that of discovering the world that God gave us and being able to form a family”
Candelaria said that, during the journey, she was a “strict teacher of her children” and that, with the conclusion of the trip, they will enter an educational institution to continue their training.
“The boys love to travel, they had a great time and in this new stage they will also have a great time. In the Obelisk one stage ends and another begins. The adventure of living in Argentina continues, a beautiful adventure,” Candelaria remarked.
