AussieEspañol on Aussie news
Ryan's adventure tuk tuk'ing the America's (Bolivia to Alaska, via Ushuaia) on 10 News Australia
I first stumbled upon Ryan on social media in 2022 when he cycled, it must be said with little preparation, the length of New Zealand but lost track of him after that.
I re-discovered his AussieEspañol YouTube channel about six months into his South American travels, watched the back catalogue, and have been a Patreon supporter since Dec 2023.
The 10 News item has a brief summary of his adventures to date but misses, probably due to his modesty, one aspect of his travels I love. He's been the recipient of some incredible help and generosity, from on the road repairs to hosting, from people—often with little themselves—all around South America, but also pays it forward.
Ryan minimises his expenses and uses surplus Patreon income to fund 'random acts of kindness' for people he meets along the way. I still remember 'the Fernando haircut' in remote Argentina and, back in Bolivia after his accident, helping the dog refuge Patti was adopted from with food and installation of safe power & water utilities.
What's also impressed me is watching, literally week by week, him grow as a person and as a content creator as the trip progresses. It's a one man, one dog, one Tuk Tuk operation: no support vehicles, no 'social media team' or 'outsourced editing', and no fear of sharing the ups and downs of solo travel.
Ryan today is not the same guy I started watching in New Zealand, to be honest wondering if he'd survive that! As the trip has progressed, he's matured, still adventurous but calculated, with lots of input from those he meets and followers with local knowledge informing his choices.
His content has also become so much more polished, superb videography and complex editing, but still personal sharing the challenges (physical, financial and mental) and joys of his epic adventure.
If I have any criticism of the 10 News item it didn't really convey that side of him, but I guess 'dangerous and bizarre' gets them more clicks.
AussieEspañol
Ryan's website, YouTube (and other social accounts), document the trip from day one in March 2023, buying a used tuk tuk (S1,EP01), adopting Patti (S1, EP05) and ~30,000km of adventures around South America to date. Give it a watch, a follow, and support him if you can!
