(CNN) — Two veterinarians driving all over the world in an ambulance with their canine in tow may sound just like the premise of a film.
However it’s very a lot the fact for UK couple Lawrence Dodi and Rachel Nixon, who’re at the moment a few 12 months into a world journey throughout greater than 50 nations in a bid to set the Guinness World File for the longest journey in an ambulance.
The pair, who set off in October 2021, have been attracting fairly a little bit of consideration as they transfer from nation to nation within the former non-public ambulance, a white Land Rover Defender with inexperienced and fluorescent yellow stripes, which was beforehand used at equine occasions.
“We have by no means had anybody strategy us for medical help,” says Dodi, mentioning that the ambulance would not actually appear to be the emergency automobiles utilized in any of the locations they have been driving via.
“However we get numerous stares. In site visitors, everybody’s you.”
Ambulance problem
UK couple Lawrence Dodi and Rachel Nixon try to set the Guinness World File for the ‘Longest Journey in an Ambulance’.
Lawrence Dodi
Dodi and Nixon, who’re each veterinarians, have been in search of a car to transform right into a camper van and journey the world in, when Nixon occurred to stumble throughout the ambulance on eBay again in 2018.
“The preliminary plan wasn’t to purchase an ambulance or attempt to set a world document or something like that,” explains Dodi.
“We have been in search of a practical car to go touring in and we fell in love with the ambulance and the aesthetics.”
After they bought the car, which nonetheless had the entire fittings and fixtures of an ambulance inside together with a stretcher, Nixon got here throughout an article a few group who have been attempting to set a document for the longest distance pushed in a hearth truck.
When she found that nobody appeared to have formally tried this in an ambulance, the couple contacted Guinness World File to ask if they may give it a attempt.
Nixon and Dodi have been informed that they’d want to fulfill a listing of specs, resembling guaranteeing that the car retained the aptitude to perform as an ambulance (though it would not be used as an emergency car,) and that it nonetheless resembled an ambulance externally.
They are saying they took this on board whereas designing the inside format, and have been in a position to preserve to the rules, whereas nonetheless having room for a cooker and a fridge “and all the opposite stuff you would affiliate with a camper van.”
Within the many months since they left the UK, the pair have pushed round 24,000 kilometers (practically 15,000 miles), and traveled to 24 nations, together with Armenia and Bosnia, with Nixon appearing as “chief driver.”
Canine companion
Nixon occurred to stumble throughout an inventory for the ambulance again in 2018 when the pair have been looking for a van to journey in.
Lawrence Dodi
Though they’ve already accomplished the minimal distance of 20,000 kilometers initially set by Guinness World File, they’re “going to maintain going and attempt to set the best determine doable.”
Taking alongside their springer spaniel Peggy Sue, who has an EU pet passport, in addition to the mandatory rabies vaccination and blood check required for animals to journey inside Europe, was at all times a part of the plan, and the pair say she’s been “dwelling her greatest life” throughout their time on the highway.
“She could be 10, however she thinks she’s two,” says Dodi. “She will be able to hike all day, and if she wants to sit down within the van all day, she will be able to do this. So by way of us doing our outside pursuits, it is not been a serious downside.”
Whereas they’ve needed to skip just a few actions the place canine weren’t permitted, and a few nations have been much less canine pleasant than others, Dodi and Nixon have completely no regrets about taking Peggy with them.
“I feel it is most likely introduced us extra alternatives,” says Dodi, noting that Peggy has been one thing of a individuals magnet.
Nonetheless, attributable to numerous elements, such because the battle in Ukraine, a battle between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the nationwide protests occurring in Iran, and the truth that some borders in Central Asia are nonetheless closed attributable to Covid-19 restrictions, they have been compelled to alter their route.
The couple at the moment are planning to journey again to the UK early subsequent 12 months, earlier than delivery the ambulance to Halifax in Canada, and driving the PanAmerican Freeway, the longest drivable highway on the earth, to the underside of Argentina. Their last vacation spot will likely be Liverpool FC — a soccer workforce in Montevideo, Uruguay with the identical title as their hometown workforce within the UK.
Elevating consciousness
At current, they’re not sure whether or not they’ll be bringing Peggy to South America with them, and are contemplating leaving her within the UK with household after they briefly return early subsequent 12 months.
“I feel if we do not take her we’ll miss her rather a lot,” says Dodi, earlier than explaining that Peggy has struggled with the warmth at some factors of the journey and so they’re involved about how she’ll handle in South America.
“However equally, we do not wish to put her via something she’s not gonna be proud of.”
Though Dodi and Nixon had initially deliberate to spend two years finishing the problem, they’ve since prolonged this by one other six to 12 months.
Dodi and Nixon say they’ve each misplaced colleagues and mates within the business to suicide and are eager to lift consciousness on this situation.
Making reminiscences
The set off from the Albert Dock in Liverpool again in October 2021.
Sarah Eddon
Though they’ve explored some unbelievable websites, together with the best peaks in Kosovo, Montenegro and Armenia, they are saying it is the individuals they’ve met alongside the best way and the experiences they’ve had which have stood out essentially the most.
Dodi recollects an evening after they have been driving round Georgia in search of a spot to remain in a single day and ended up being invited to the house of a neighborhood, who occurred to be having a birthday celebration.
“We have been handled like honored company,” he says. “They put us up in a bed room the next day and served us breakfast.”
The couple say that a variety of locals have prolonged dinner invites to them whereas they have been driving round Turkey and so they’ve attended numerous barbecues.
“The world is filled with very beautiful individuals,” says Dodi. “It is actually warmed our hearts to see that it is not some scary, horrible place.”
Whereas their lives are considerably on maintain as they proceed their journey, they have been seeking to the longer term, and say they plan to return to the UK and quiet down as soon as they’ve accomplished this problem.
“The cash will finally run out,” says Nixon, explaining that they’ve set themselves a £30 (round $26) a day funds and plan to choose up non permanent work after they’re within the UK, the place the ambulance is booked for its MOT, a compulsory check to make sure that the car is roadworthy, in February.
“We’d like to consider going again and having a household in some unspecified time in the future,” provides Dodi.
In the interim, they’re very fortunately having fun with the liberty of having the ability to journey the world collectively and making connections with different vacationers alongside the best way.
“We have met so many individuals doing such improbable journeys,” says Dodi. “There’s at all times somebody doing it for longer, going to extra locations and doing it in some weirder means, that at all times makes you envious. And also you suppose ‘If solely I might do it like that.'”
