Dominique Ritchie quit her medical career, spent a year and a half converting a van into a camper and in April began a solo trip along the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina. The route is about 30,000 km long, passes through 14 to 15 countries and is interrupted only at the Panama–Colombia border, where vehicles are usually shipped around the Darién Gap. The camper is fully gas-free, with a 900 Ah battery bank, 600 W of roof solar panels and a diesel heater for cold weather; Ritchie travels with her dog Sora and has already crossed Mexico. In the Netherlands, converting a van into a camper requires RDW approval, including a fixed sleeping place, cooking facilities and a table with seats.
