We were forced to make a decision when we reached Panama, the southernmost country in Central America. The Pan-American Highway passes through the Darién Gap, a dense, lawless jungle between Central and South America.  To continue with our journey we reluctantly decided to transport the van in a container and ship it through the canal from the port of Colón, Panama to Guayaquil, Ecuador. The voyage took three days.
—Amanda and Rich Ligato