Couple who quit jobs to drive from Alaska to Argentina lose half their savings

A bold couple who set off on a year-long drive from Alaska to Argentina are pressing on with their adventure despite losing half of their £40,000 budget in just the first six weeks. Matt Saunders, 27, and Rachel Kelly, 25, have encountered "insane" wildlife and Mexican cartels while traversing the Pan-American Highway – an epic 18,600-mile route linking the Americas.

The intrepid duo from Oxted, who started dating after matching on Tinder four years ago and now consider themselves "best friends", had been saving meticulously for their journey. Matt saved alone for a year before Rachel joined him, and together they saved for another four years to gather enough money for their travels.

They planned every detail of their trip, including having a truck and camper ready for their departure in June this year. However, they faced early setbacks when their original camper broke down before starting, and engine issues with their truck led to unexpected costs for a new transmission and camper.

Currently in Mexico, after crossing the border on October 10, they've dealt with "fake checkpoints" believed to be operated by cartels and even spent a night in a Home Depot car park in their 1997 Dodge Ram and Northland camper, heeding advice against nighttime travel.

Matt and Rachel, previously Clapham-based adventurers, have their sights set on reaching Argentina, undeterred by a dwindling budget and the daunting trek through the Darien Gap – a notorious jungle on the Colombia-Panama border infamous for criminal activity. They've rallied support via a GoFundMe page and are capturing hearts with their travelogue on Instagram, boasting over 80,000 followers.

Speaking to PA Real Life, Rachel expressed her determination: "I'm getting to Argentina even if it leaves zero pounds in my bank account," adding, "We know we want to make it regardless of what happens, even if we're not doing all the things we thought we were going to be able to do."

Matt shared his initial trepidations: "It was a bit scary for us leaving London, especially as it has taken so long to plan and save. You've got to seize the moment and just go out and do it."

The couple's love story began on Tinder in 2020, both hailing from Oxted, and they quickly became "best friends". Prior to their epic expedition, Matt made his living as a quantity surveyor and Rachel worked in sales.

For Matt, the dream to explore the Pan-American Highway dates back to his youth. "The plan was to take a year off to do the trip and it was the best way for us to tick off all the places we wanted to see in one go," he said, outlining their journey.

After deciding to embark on the journey together and raising £40,000, they quit their jobs and left for Canada on June 4 this year. They stayed with Matt's brother, Tom, in Canmore, Alberta, who provided them with a truck and camper.

Matt stated: "We spent a lot of money on the camper, around £2,500, doing it up and making sure it was good to go, and we had loads of checks done on the truck."

The couple officially began their trip on June 20, heading towards Tuktoyaktuk at Canada's northernmost point. However, as they travelled south through Dawson City in Yukon, Canada, their camper "completely broke" – its roof collapsed.

Further disaster struck in Alaska when their truck's transmission "blew up" while they were visiting a mechanic in the remote town of Valdez. The couple had to pay out $7,000 dollars (£5,390) to fix their transmission, which took three weeks to complete.

Matt said: "Our transmission blew up on the garage floor. It was in the middle of nowhere, it's quite a small little town and it's only got one mechanic. Most people there just run their car into the ground so we had to pay to get it fixed. Fortunately our mechanic was very kind and he gave us his spare house to live in and gave us a spare car."

The couple continued south to Vancouver, hoping to repair their collapsed camper roof, but were told by a mechanic that it was a "complete write-off". They had to spend another £5,000 on a new camper to continue their trip.

Matt spoke about their financial challenges: "We've been saving for five years and spent half our budget in the first six weeks, which wasn't ideal. We spent £15,000 in one month and we had a budget of £3,000 a month – it was definitely a kick in the teeth."

Rachel expressed their changed plans due to the budget overrun: "We were planning on having all these fun experiences, like scuba diving, learning how to surf, but we just can't afford that anymore."

As a response to their early troubles, the couple began an Instagram account to share their experiences, quickly garnering around 80,000 followers. With their followers' encouragement, they started a GoFundMe page, which has raised over £1,300.

Rachel explained the decision for the fundraising page: "We were in such a situation where people were asking us how they could donate money to help and the only thing we could think of was GoFundMe,".

Despite the initial difficulties, the couple has found joy in their journey across the US. They have traversed through 10 states and taken in the sights of 17 national parks.

Rachel detailed their adventure with enthusiasm: "It's so beautiful, one minute you're in a desert, half an hour later you're in the mountains, then you're by the sea," adding that "Meeting all the people is amazing and the wildlife has been insane as well."

Matt shared his excitement about the adventurous nature of their trip, describing some of the more daring hikes they've done: "I wanted to do a few dangerous hikes so we did Half Dome in Yosemite, Angels Landing in Zion National Park and I went down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon."

Currently in Mexico, the adventurous duo shared a peculiar experience of spending a night in a Home Depot car park to avoid the risks associated with night-time travel. "On the way through, there were probably about four or five checkpoints and we've been warned that some are not official checkpoints, they're basically the cartel dressed up as policemen," Matt detailed.

As they anticipate the next phase of their journey, Matt and Rachel are preparing for a substantial cost: a $7,000 (£5,390) fee to bypass the Darien Gap by boat. This infamous area at the Colombia-Panama border is untraversable due to its hazardous terrain and the danger of gang violence.

Despite the hurdles, they remain steadfast in their mission. "It's when you're out of your comfort zone where you learn the most about the world and the people in it," Rachel said, "You don't learn that sitting at a desk in London."