Marina Piro knew she wanted to travel the world, but there was one problem: she couldn’t bare to leave her beloved rescue dog Odie behind.
So Piro, who was born in Italy and later moved to the UK, came up with a genius solution.
The dedicated dog owner converted a van into the perfect pet-friendly vehicle-cum-home for the pair to travel in.
The van, which she’s since named Pam, is equipped with a bed, kitchenette and LED lights to keep cosy at nighttime.
Piro, who’s in her mid-twenties, was a complete novice at restoration when she bought Pam, so she spent two months researching techniques before embarking on her project.
She said the complete restoration of the five-door 2001 Renault Kangoo cost around £500.
“The main reason why I chose to be travelling by van was that I wanted to have Odie with me. A van seemed the most viable option,” she wrote on her blog.
“Too many bus, train, plane companies do not accept dogs, not to mention the difficulties you might have to find a suitable accommodation.”
Piro added that travelling with with a canine companion has its challenges, as she’ll often find hairs in the van and worries about leaving Odie outside shops when she has to pick up supplies.
But overall she’s loved every minute of her adventure and has no plans to return to the UK any time soon.
“I am incredibly happy to be able to travel with Odie and I wouldn’t change it for all the freedom in the world,” she said.
H/T: Boredpanda
