Around the world on a Vespa

Scootering Magazine online

If sunny days and cool Summer breezes are making your feet itchy, or if the previous story of one woman's coast to coast scooter trek made you start dreaming of swapping road stories in a diner with Dean Moriarty, Japhy Rider, and good ole Sal Paradise ... then this story is for you.

After the Austrian border you came into ‘no man’s land’, out of some trees, and there was a piece of land that stretched sideways almost as far as you can see. In the distance there was a wire fence and a watchtower every so often, manned by three soldiers and a machine gun. In front of that was sandbagged emplacement with more soldiers and another machine gun. The road itself was narrow and cobbled. You rode down this road, passed the first sandbagged emplacement and smiled (!), and you then entered this 100-yard stretch with little signs either side of the road with skull and crossbones on them. It was a minefield! That was not a time to wobble, fall off, have a puncture, or even turn around to go back. You kept going!