Emile and Liliana Schmidt, a Swiss couple, have entered their names in the Guinness World Records for having accomplished 3 world records:
the longest journey with a single vehicle of 4 years and 323 days;
the greatest number of kilometers traveled with 743,000 km;
the greatest number of countries of 186 with a single vehicle.
Their journey began in 1984 and ended in 2019 aboard their 1982 Land Cruiser FJ60.
This stock F60 has only undergone minor practical modifications to make it more comfortable to ride in.
The Toyota Land Cruiser has been described as indestructible by some, but a grand journey like this will kill any vehicle. In 2006, with many signs of wear and tear appearing, the Schmids decided to restore it instead of scrapping it and replacing it with something newer. They managed to find a small workshop in the town of Miri on the island of Borneo, and completely rebuilt their beloved Land Cruiser, which they rightly describe as a member of the family.
A second damage in Angola in 2019 with a broken axle, but nothing dramatic for this die-hard couple with their FJ60, it was quickly repaired with the means at hand.
In the end, Emil and Liliana have faced many obstacles along the way, over the last 26 years, with 166 flat tires and consumed 31 batteries, 138 spark plugs, 22 air filters and 54 shock absorbers changed.
After these records that still remain unbeaten today, one might have thought that this couple would have settled down in one place for a well-deserved rest, but this extraordinary couple continues to travel the world in the same vehicle and intends to finish visiting the rest of the countries.
So, in 2019, at the age of 77 each, they took to the roads of the Andes again at an altitude of over 13,000 feet, to arrive in Abu Dhabi in 2024.
We can only wish them the longest possible journey.
