Travel around the world in an ambulance: a pair of veterinarians started an unusual trip around the world

Two veterinarians travel the world in an eBay ambulance with their dog. This may sound like the premise of an interesting movie, according to CNN.

Photo: IStock

British couple Lawrence Dodi and Rachel Nixon are on a global journey of over 50 countries for about a year in an attempt to set the Guinness World Record for the longest journey in an ambulance.

The couple, who hit the road in October 2021, are drawing a lot of attention as they travel from country to country in a former ambulance, a white Land Rover Defender with green and fluorescent yellow stripes.

“We were never called for medical attention,” says Dodi, pointing out that the ambulance does not really look like the ambulances used in the places they passed.

“But people often look at us. In traffic, everyone is looking at you,” he says.

Ambulance for your aquarium

Dodie and Nixon, both veterinarians, were looking for a vehicle that could be converted into a camper van and travel the world when Nixon accidentally stumbled upon an ambulance on eBay back in 2018.

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“The original plan was not to buy an ambulance or try to set a world record or anything like that,” explains Dodi.

“We were looking for a functional vehicle to travel with and we fell in love with the ambulance and its looks,” he says.

After they bought a car that still had all the parts and fixtures of an ambulance along with a stretcher, Nixon stumbled upon an article about a group that was trying to set a record for the longest distance driven by a fire truck.

When she discovered that no one had officially tried it in an ambulance, the couple contacted Guinness World Records to ask if they could try.

Nixon and Dodi were told that they would have to meet a list of specifications, such as ensuring that the car retained the ability to function as an ambulance (even if it would not be used as an ambulance) and that it still looked like an ambulance. help.

They say they took this into account when designing the interior layout and were able to stick to the recommendations, while still leaving room for a stove and fridge "and all the other things you might associate with a van."

In the many months since they left the UK, the pair have traveled some 24 kilometers and traveled to 000 countries, including Armenia and Bosnia, with Nixon acting as "chief driver".

companion dog

Although they have already covered the minimum distance of 20 kilometers originally set by Guinness World Records, they are "going to keep going and try to set the highest possible score."

Taking along her Springer Spaniel Peggy Sue, who has an EU pet passport as well as the required rabies vaccinations and blood tests required for animals traveling in Europe, has always been part of the plan.

“She may be 10, but she thinks she’s two,” says Dodie. “She can walk all day, and if she has to sit in the van all day, she can do it.” So in terms of our outdoor activities, it wasn’t a major issue.”

Although they had to miss several events where dogs were banned and some countries are less dog-friendly than others, Dodie and Nixon have absolutely no regrets about taking Peggy with them.

“I think it probably brought us more opportunities,” says Dodi, noting that Peggy was something of a magnet for people.

Dodie and Nixon, who shared their travels on their online blog, originally planned for the trip to be a "real world tour" that would take them through Central Asia to Russia and then send an ambulance to North America.

However, due to various factors such as the war in Ukraine, the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, nationwide protests taking place in Iran, and the fact that some borders in Central Asia are still closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, they were forced to change your route.

The couple now plan to return to the UK early next year before sending an ambulance to Halifax in Canada and driving the Pan-American Highway, the longest road in the world, to Argentina. Their final destination will be Liverpool, a football team from Montevideo, Uruguay, with the same name as their hometown team in the UK.

Raising awareness

They are currently unsure if they will take Peggy to South America with them and are considering leaving her in the UK with her family when they return briefly early next year.

"I think if we don't take her, we'll miss her so much," Dodi says, before explaining that Peggy struggled with the heat at some points in the trip and they're worried about how she'll handle in South America.
"But equally, we don't want to expose her to something she won't like," he says.

Although Dodi and Nixon originally planned to take two years to complete the assignment, they have since extended it by another six to twelve months.

The couple have raised funds for two charities: Anthony Nolan, a British charity that connects people with blood cancer with volunteer donors, and Vet Life, an independent charity that provides emotional, financial and psychological support to the veterinary community.

According to a 2020 study by Merck Animal Health in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Association, veterinarians are 2,7 times more likely to die by suicide than the average person.

Dodie and Nixon say they have both lost colleagues and friends in the industry to suicide and are seeking to draw attention to the issue.

While they have explored some incredible places, including the highest peaks in Kosovo, Montenegro and Armenia, they say the people they met along the way and the experiences they had were the most memorable.

Dodi recalls the night they were driving around Georgia looking for a place to stay and ended up being invited to the home of a local who was having a birthday party.

“We were treated like honored guests,” he says. “The next day we were placed in a bedroom and served breakfast.”
The couple say several locals sent them dinner invitations as they toured Turkey and attended various barbecues.

“The world is full of very nice people,” says Dodie. “It really warmed our hearts.”

Although their lives are somewhat put on hold as they continue their journey, they look to the future and say they plan to return to the UK and settle down once they have completed this assignment.

“Eventually the money will run out,” says Nixon, explaining that they have set themselves a daily budget of about $26 and plan to find temporary work when they are in the UK.

“At some point, we need to think about moving back and starting a family,” adds Dodi.

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They are currently very happy, enjoying the freedom to travel the world together and making connections with other travelers along the way.

“We met so many people who had such fantastic journeys,” says Dodie. “There's always someone who does it longer, goes to more places and does it in some weird way, which always makes you jealous. And you think, 'If only I could do it like that.'

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