Around the world on a Vespa

Around the world on a Vespa scooter
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INDEX (to be updated)

• Uruguay
• This is how much it cost us to travel around South America for 1024 days

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- The route -

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- Our story -​

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Hello folks!
We are Alexandra & Stergios, a couple from Greece traveling around the world on a Vespa PX200. Our story started in Greece in 2013. At that time, we didn’t know each other. Different reasons made us leave the country, but we had something in common: the socioeconomic crisis which affected our lives and suffocated us.
We first met by coincidence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and soon after that, we started a “test-ride” two-up in South Africa and Lesotho. The Vespa made it and we discovered that we make a good team. So from that day back in December 2014, we’ve been traveling together. Our RTW journey is a lifetime project and we promised not to stop until we’ve been to every corner of our planet.


- The vehicle -

Our vehicle is a 2003 Vespa PX200, 2 stroke, one cylinder, air-cooled, 200 cc’s.
Simple engine, simple to maintain, simple to fix.

Kitsos our Vespa​

- The plan -

The plan is as simple as it gets: A journey all around the world!

In October 2013, I (Stergios) started from Greece, traveled to Italy and from there to Morocco (by boat). From November 2013 to January 2015, I crossed through Africa going to Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Lesotho.

After a “test ride”, 2-up with Alexandra through South Africa and Lesotho, we continued together to South America. From January 2015 to March 2016, we traveled in South America. We crossed through Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Brazil.

Our next goal is to continue traveling in South America and in Central America and from there, to the United States and Canada. Alaska will be the finishing point for the trip in the Americas. Asia and Oceania will be next and maybe one day we’ll be back to Africa, from where everything started…


- Budget / Funding the trip -

Stergios: When I decided to leave Greece and set off for my RTW trip, I was almost broke. So what I did was to work for one summer as a seasonal waiter in a Greek island and sell everything that could be sold from the stuff I had (my bicycle, my other motorbike, my extra motorcycle gear, some clothes, my mobile phone etc). I was lucky because when I started counting my budget, I found out that a scholarship I had been granted from my school was finally credited to my account, as well as the severance pay owed to me when I was made redundant. So, I had managed to start my trip with less than 10,000€ in my pocket. When Alexandra joined me, her main source of funding the trip was the savings she had for her PhD.

During the preparation of the trip, some people (through the businesses they run) who liked my idea of traveling RTW, supported it by providing me with useful gear: spare-parts, cameras, helmet. More supporters came along the way, who provided us with camping gear and a tent when ours had started to fall apart. Moreover, we should mention the donations made by people who appreciated the work on our blog and our videos, or simply the concept of our trip. The part of our trip that started on the 2nd of January 2019 is also self-funded – we worked hard the last two years – but we also have the support of some brands/companies that provided us with new gear and of course, all our friends from around the world who support us by making donations.

Initially, the only “work” on the road was to update the blog with new stories and publish videos and pictures on our social media accounts. Gradually, we realized that traveling, shooting videos / pictures and writing are the things we love most, so we decided to dedicate ourselves to all the above and take things more seriously. Being able to make a living from what you love is for us one of the most important things to be happy. It is a difficult road we chose, but hasn’t every road its difficulties?

- These are some of our favourite photos -​

Let's take a swim in the ocean (South Africa)




Drinking some local beer in Cape Agulhas (South Africa)




Lome Beach (Togo)




Enjoying the view (Lesotho)




Traditional means of transport (Sahara Desert, Morocco)




Traveling by “taxi” (Congo)




On the highway from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi (D.R.Congo)




“Love attack” on the road to Abuja (Nigeria)




Locals helping push the Vespa (D.R.Congo)




In the jungle of Cameroon




On the highway from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi (D.R.Congo)




Petrol station (Burkina Faso)




Flat tyre on the road to Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)




River-crossing with “Congolese Lines” (D.R.Congo)




Morning coffee (Namibia)




Children looking at the Vespa (Congo)



Crossing the Strait of Magellan (Chile)



Million star hotel (Uyuni Salar, Bolivia)



Lost in Uyuni Salar (Bolivia)



La Ruta del Che (Bolivia)



Ruta 40 (Argentina)



Even the Vespa has its own room (Argentina)



Mano del Desierto (Atacama Desert, Chile)



Inca trails (Choquequirao, Peru)



Drinking and chatting in the woods (Chile)



Making new friends (Peru)



Freezing cold, strong winds and lack of oxygen (Andes, Peru)



Mount Fitz Roy (Argentina)



Stories around the fireplace (Chile)



Family photo (Chile)



Cooking dinner (Chile)



Repairing the clutch (Paraguay)



Carretera Austral (Chile)



Wild camping in the Peruvian mountains



We'll probably need some insect repellent (Peru)



5,000 meters above sea level (Bolivia)



View to the volcanoes (Bolivia)



Discovering the small villages by the Pacific Ocean (Peru)
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- And some of our favourite videos -

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Cheers,
Stergios & Alex (& Kitsos)

Great Start !!!!!!

I lived in West Africa in the 70's.....Great people !!!!!


Looking forward to more....Alan

Thanks!!
People in West Africa are really great, indeed!!
I' ve got the best memories from there!!!

Nice trip so far Stergios. Are you planning to Come to Canada if you do you have a place to stay and a Garage with tools for your vespa.

Kalo taxidi

Μπράβο καρντασι τρελλανε τους ολους

wOOw such dedication....! Your photography is simply BRILLIANT....!


Best wishes;
Peter
Central Scotland

Thank you very much for your comment and for your offer! Yes, Canada is in my plans. I don't know when, but be sure I'll let you know.

Thank you!!

wow.
unbelievable photos.
much appreciated.

I had a Vespa like this one from 82 till 2000. Clocked 100.000km on it and all that was done was every year spark plug change and oil change. Fantastic bike to travel with, I envy you.

Great pictures!

And I love Vespa!

WOW! What a journey,I'll be following along,super pics

You are Mad........:eek1
I like it
Great photos, thanks for sharing your cRaZy Adventure

Simply amazing. I look forward to more!

Great photos - cold beer and tools when you get this far Stergios.

καλο δρομο αδερφε!!!

This is an amazing life experience...
Hope u enjoy every moment of your travel...
Thanks for posting and give us the chance to "travel with you" with your beautiful photos...

(κερναω παγωμενη μπυρα στη Χαλκιδικη οταν επιστρεψεις...)

Im in

Great ride report so far!

I've done a lot of touring on old 2 stroke Vespas over the years and it's good to see others continuing to do epic trips on these great machines.

I'm in!

Awesome I'm looking forward to more.