Behind the wheel with… Levison Wood

Words: Danny Scott

Most memorable road trip?
In 2010, just after I left the Army, a few mates and I bought two Toyota Land Cruisers from eBay, turned them into ambulances and drove them to Malawi, where we donated them to a children’s hospital. The Land Cruiser is about the only car that could cover those 10,000 miles without too much hassle. We did get stuck a couple of times in the Sahara and we were arrested in Sudan, but it was an incredible two months. It was the road trip that made me decide to do this for a living. 

Where’s the number one place on your bucket list? 
Although I’ve spent a lot of time in Asia and Africa, I’m working up to something big in South America either this year or next year. I went to Brazil recently on a bit of a recce, but I’ll be aiming for the west coast – countries I’ve never been to like Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and having a proper look at the Andes.

What’s your ultimate driving song? 
There are times, especially if you’re finding your way out of a tight spot, when you need silence and a clear head. But if you’re covering serious miles on four wheels and you want to keep your spirits up, you can’t beat a 1970s/80s rock anthem like Blondie’s ‘Atomic’ or Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’. 

What’s your most dramatic road trip story?
My mate Chris and I were driving through a national park in Kenya. Chris needed a toilet break, so I had a five-minute doze in the passenger seat. Somewhere in my semi-consciousness, I heard rustling and assumed Chris had come back. I opened my eyes, looked across and saw an adult male baboon sitting in the driver’s seat with both hands on the wheel. He’d climbed in through the sunroof, and I flew out the same way. I’m not kidding – it was as if I was in an ejector seat. You do not want to get into a scuffle with a baboon! 

What’s your dream car? And where in the world would you most want to drive it?
I’ve been lucky enough to own several ‘dream’ cars: an Aston Martin Vantage, a couple of vintage Porsches. I’ve obviously been through most of those top of the range off-road vehicles, but I’d like to get my hands on an Ineos Grenadier. Where would I drive it? Maybe it could accompany me to the Andes!

Are you a good traveller?
Ha ha! Well, it’s a bit late to find out that I’m not a good traveller. Ever since, I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to see what’s over the horizon. For my gap year after uni, I hitchhiked from Grantham Services on the A1 all the way to India, travelling along the old Silk Road. Sleeping rough in places like Russia and Chechnya, surviving on food that people gave me. It was dangerous at times, but brilliant!

What’s been your craziest travel experience to date?
I was in the Himalayas, in Nepal, going through a mountain pass and I decided to take a taxi. It was pitch-black nighttime and the brakes failed. We went over the side, a 400ft drop, rolled ten times, came to a stop, started rolling again and came to rest by the river, where we waited three days to be rescued. I was pretty sure I was going to die, but I only broke my arm and a couple of ribs. The poor taxi driver broke both legs, his back and his neck. 

What are your three packing essentials and why?
I always document my trips, so my Leica SL3 camera is a constant companion. An emergency, clean white linen shirt in case somebody invites me for a posh dinner. And solar panels for charging batteries when you’re miles from the nearest power supply. When I was travelling across the Sahara, I had three camels covered in solar panels... they looked like something out of Star Wars. 

Levison Wood’s UK tour, Walking the World: A Life of Exploration and Adventure, kicks off in Lytham on 5 May and finishes 27 May in Worthing. For tickets and more information visit nothird.co.uk.