Where are you from?

We’re both from the UK. Mike grew up in London city center, & Kate a small town near Cambridge.

When did you start your interest in exploration?

You could say our experiences were pretty polarized.

Mike grew up surrounded by adventure. Florida trips fishing for Tarpon, drives through Alligator Alley, his dad returning from Mexico with massive shark jaws and fish tails that ended up mounted on his bedroom wall alongside a world map. If that wasn't subconscious programming, we don't know what is.

For Kate, it started with postcards. Her grandma was a travel journalist back when that meant venturing to places like Kashmir with no internet, no Instagram and barely any solo female travellers. Even as Kate grew up, those postcards kept arriving: Bavarian ladies in traditional dress, flamingos clustered on a distant lake and many many bull rings. This sparked a dream that involved seeing these places with her own eyes (apart from the bull rings.)

What is a brief understanding of your background story up until you started seeking adventure?

Honestly? Pretty textbook and boring. The usual route of college, then university. Mike studied computer science and Kate geography. We followed the script: Mike sold his soul to corporate London, coding for a finTech company (learning full stack development that would prove useful later). Kate taught primary school, a passion she still carries and hopes to weave back into her life someday.

Mike squeezed in adventure where he could, volunteering to teach American kids football (soccer), then a two-month solo trip through the States that taught him exactly what a bad hostel looks like.

But there was always this niggle. We'd watch vanlife videos online, scrolling through other people's adventures. With some persuasion, Kate quit her job and we bought a Mercedes Sprinter to convert. Our parents were... let's say concerned we weren't taking the traditional path.

We edged ourselves in slowly, Mike worked full-time from the van for a year from Norway while Kate launched a travel blog. Turns out, that commitment was one of the best decisions we ever made. The blog now allows us to do the crazy stuff we never dreamed possible before, like kayaking with humpback whales...coming soon.

What special skills do you have to help with your explorations?

In the beginning none! 

We were completely useless (with overlanding and travel), but after every adventure you learn something new and keep expanding your knowledge base. From mechanical basics to 12v electrical systems, Mike’s completely self taught and still figuring it out as we go.

Kate is the writer and with perseverance has built up our travel blog allowing us to work with some amazing adventure tourism companies. Kate is also the budget tracker and head of the small day-to-day decisions which allows us to stay on the road, while Mike finds the big adventures and looks at the bigger picture. 

What we learnt was that basically anyone can do this shit….just put your mind to it. Having the right mindset is everything. 

Where have you explored so far?

We still can’t believe we’ve been so lucky to explore so much of the world. Here’s our adventures so far broken into chapters.

Chapter 1: The Sprinter Van 

- Scotland 

- Netherlands 

- Germany 

- Denmark 

- Norway 

- Sweden 

- France 

This was a bit of a juggle with the Schengen zone (we’re only allowed three months in the EU) but we made it work. We did a shake down trip in Scotland and broke down a lot! We can only thank Derek the mechanic for getting us on the ferry to The Netherlands in time. We did however end up driving around Norway with no handbrake for 2 months… one downside of your van being overweight… whoops. 

We quickly realised we still felt restricted by Mike working a 9-5 and we wanted more freedom and more adventure. That’s why in 2024 he quit and we went backpacking.

Chapter 2: Backpacking South East Asia 

- Philippines 

- Malaysia (Borneo)

- Indonesia 

- Thailand

This was our first taste of living out a bag and we loved it. We soon realised our style of travel was slow, 2 months in each place to really connect with the area and see it properly. This went hand in hand with the blog as we felt like we could really recommend a place (or not). 

Some highlights from our time in Asia include hiking Mount Rinjani, eating our weight’s worth in Pad Thai, seeing wild Orangutans, snorkelling with Manta Rays and being driven down the Kinabatangan river. 

Chapter 3: Sri Lanka by Tuktuk

We were going to head home after Thailand but Mike decided it was time to uplevel the blog. That’s how we ended up working with Tuktuk rental. We drove around the jewel of the Indian Ocean for two months. Past elephants, through cyclones and even into a terrorist attack… let me explain more. 

We arrived in Arugam Bay with a large military presence. It wasn’t until afterwards we realised there was an attempted attack on a nearby synagogue. The US embassy advised everyone to leave the area after the incident. We decided to stay, as everyone else had already left and the threat seemed over (all the military also left). We had the best surf all to ourselves and met the most lovely people. 

Chapter 4: The Pan American Highway 

Our most recent chapter started in 2025. We are currently driving from Ushuaia up to Alaska. We’ve only just got started exploring the Carretera Austral down Chile before reaching Ushuaia. We’re finally heading Northbound and excited to share the rest of our journey. 

- Chile 

- Argentina 

- The whole of the Americas to come!!

What is a brief understanding of your adventures so far?

From backpacking to Vanlife to now car camping we have tried a few different ways of travelling, all focused on budget adventures. Overall we travel on a budget with the goal of spending our money on adventures. 

We call them our ‘Rocking Chair Stories,’ what we will be sharing when we’re old and grey. We then try and not sweat any of the small stuff. 

We started with the converted sprinter. We went all in, shower, office, garage, toilet, oven… the works! This did however cause a few problems with the handbrake as explained above. All lessons learnt though and one day we’d love to build another. 

In the van we felt quite restricted still by a 9-5 so packed it in, drove home, sold the van and booked a one way ticket to Asia.

So what did we do? We Backpacked through sweaty rainforest seeing wild orangutans, snorkelled with turtles, hiked Rinjani 3,726m peak, saw Komodo dragons and so much more. Then we were ready to go home but Mike booked a flight to Sri Lanka instead.

That’s where we drove the tuktuk for two months and we realised we missed elements of the van. The freedom it gave us and access to more remote parts of the tourist route.

That led us to the PanAm and buying a car in Chile. Now we seek authentic experiences, wildlife, off-road adventures and true cultural immersion. 

What are the top three destinations you hope to explore next, and why?

There’s so much of the world to see, so we’ve picked three destinations from our current adventure driving the Pan American Highway, one from each North, Central & South America.  

Alaska - Grizzlies fishing for salmon in the wild. Need we say more?

Costa Rica - The perfect combo: wildlife in the morning, surf in the afternoon

Bolivia - Death Road and driving into the Amazon 

Where would you recommend others visit?

Sri Lanka, but only in a tuktuk! We haven’t experienced anywhere else where wildlife and humanity are so intertwined, elephants just metres from the towns and monkeys everywhere.

If you don't fancy driving a tuktuk then we don't blame you! Instead we’d recommend Norway in shoulder season. It’s super busy in summer but we visited in September and were greeted with autumn colours and barely anyone. Just be prepared as we got stuck in a snow storm. -6°C and no gas for heating was not a great combo!

How do you primarily travel on your adventures today?

We're currently driving a 2007 4Runner we bought in Chile, converted into a car camping setup with off-grid electrics.

It's pretty minimalistic compared to the Sprinter, but here's the thing, overland and budget don't usually go in the same sentence. This setup proves they can. We've stripped it down to what we actually need, which means more money for adventures.

Plus, a 4Runner can go places a Sprinter never could. We're now looking for off-road routes, remote wildlife, and authentic experiences.

What are five pieces of equipment that you always travel with?

We turned up in Santiago with not much… so here’s five things we prioritised bringing from home. Of course there's plenty of overlanding gear on our wish list, but it's either not essential or not in the budget yet.

1. - Fishing gear - Not a necessity, but a want. Mike loves to fish and doing our hobbies on the road is one way of making it a lifestyle, not just a holiday.
2. - Laptops - From running a travel blog and coding an app (PanAm Explorer) these are non-negotiable for us.
3. - Water Filter- We still love our LifeStraw and bring them on all our travels.
4. - Starlink Mini - Not only do we use this for work, but staying connected to back home.
5. - Shovel - We don’t have a toilet in the car…  

What inspires you to explore more?

Expanding our comfort zones. That’s the goal of every adventure we take on.

We’re inspired by the idea of who we’ll become through these experiences. You see it all the time with long-term travellers and Travel YouTubers: the shift in perspective, resilience, and attitude to life from when they first started. We feel that change in real time. Week one of car camping is hard. Week two it rains nonstop and feels even harder. Then suddenly, in week three, the rain stops and we’re back in the same conditions as week one, but this time it feels easy. Nothing changed except us.

Meeting people around the world plays a huge role too. Seeing how different cultures live, what they value, and how little you actually need to be happy makes us more grounded and grateful. 

How do you engage with others?

Mostly through a mix of Instagram, in-person connections on the road, and our own app, PanAm Explorer.

When we were backpacking, meeting people felt effortless. Hostels, group tours, shared buses, you name it we were always meeting people. But vanlife was a totally different story. Driving through places like Norway in freezing temperatures, we suddenly felt quite isolated. There weren’t many people our age, and spontaneous social moments were rare.

That experience is what sparked PanAm Explorer. We wanted a way for overland and long-term travellers to find each other along the Pan American Highway. Whether that’s for a coffee, sharing a campsite, swapping advice, or teaming up for an adventure.

It’s built from our own frustrations on the road and designed to make slow, independent travel feel a little less lonely.

Why is it important to embrace global cultures?

We try to spend at least 2 months in each country because slow travel shows you what’s real. By spending longer in each country, you move past tourist highlights and start to understand how people actually live. You quickly realise that beneath different traditions and languages, we’re all pretty much the same. Cultures are what make places unique, and embracing them is how you learn, connect, and travel with purpose.

What are your goals when you explore?

To expand our comfort zones and grow. Make rocking chair memories. Meet new people and gain new perspectives. 

What are some challenges you have experienced?

We say “Choose Your Hard”. Every style of travel has its own problems. In a campervan, our handbrake constantly failed because of the weight - we basically lived in garages. Backpacking brought a different challenge: burnout from relying on others for food, transport, and shelter while trying to stick to a budget. And car camping? Honestly, it sucks at times.

But that’s the point. We’ve learned that no matter what path you choose, there will always be challenges. You just have to choose your hard. Right now, that hard is car camping. We have no rooftop tent, a minimal setup, and we’re doing it on a tight budget. 

It’s uncomfortable, but it’s pushing us the most, and that’s exactly why we chose it. 

What has been your most meaningful moment so far?

Visiting a truly remote village in the Philippines with Mike’s best mate, Henry. He grew up in the Philippines then moved to London, and for his nan’s 80th birthday we all went to celebrate. It wasn’t a place that sees tourists, we were there as family. 

We shared homemade food (even saw the pig being slaughtered in the backyard), sang karaoke until sunrise, drank homemade wine, and learned what life really looks like there. We found out his nan sleeps on the floor with cardboard around the mattress to stop cockroaches and frogs in the night, it was as local and raw as it gets. 

The highlight was dancing to Country Roads with his 80-year-old nan.

How has exploration changed you?

It’s changed our perspective, attitude, and gratitude towards life for the better. When you travel like this, the small problems people stress about back home like a late train or bad weather stop feeling so important. Exploration shows you new ways of living and helps you focus on what you can actually control.

On the flip side, travel can sometimes create pressure to constantly one-up the last adventure -  a bigger fish, a higher mountain, a more extreme experience. That mindset can make it harder to appreciate the simple moments, like a short hike without a big viewpoint. 

You can only do something for the first time once - we love this saying! 

It’s an incredibly privileged problem, and something we have to check ourselves on.

What is the number one lesson that you have learnt through your exploration?

You don't need much to start. We don't have the fancy pop top or perfect setup that costs a fortune. So many people take years of planning and spend years of salary getting the perfect rig to ship over to start the PanAm. But we don't think that's what they'll remember, it's the adventures and memories that stick.

We’ve had the bigger builds, like the Sprinter, and now we have less than ever. And honestly, the adventure has gotten even better! 

How do you explore locally?

Honestly, not very well. Around London we’ve explored plenty of local pubs, Mike being half Irish and half English. We did manage trips to Dartmoor for wild camping, the Peak District, and the Lake District, but in general England isn’t the easiest place for budget exploration and wild-camping. Access is limited, and even a patch of grass can come at a high price.

That’s partly why we took the van north and focused on Scotland instead. The freedom to wild camp, explore remote landscapes, and move at our own pace suited us far better.

What does the explmore mantra mean to you?

“Explore more of the world, engage with others, and embrace global cultures”

Get out there and actually do it. Focus on the path/solutions and not the problems, be open minded to what you see and cherish moments with like-minded people. That's how we live everyday. 

What advice would you give to others who are seeking life changing adventure?

Start small and expand your comfort zone bit by bit. At first that might be as simple as taking a solo trip, camping for the first time, or doing something that scares you a little. You don’t need loads of money or the perfect setup; the most important part is actually getting out there.

Focus on creating rocking-chair memories and don’t sweat the small stuff. Choose your hard, every path in life has challenges and commit to the one that helps you grow. And above all, never stop learning or pushing your comfort zone.

See you from somewhere along the Pan-American Highway

K&M