by Alice Scarsi
Two Italians plan to travel around the world in epic 100,000km journey in a campervan affectionately named ‘Vostok’
Sometimes restoring a beaten-up old vehicle is perfect therapy for getting away from it all. For a small few, however, getting away from it all becomes a literal desire, as two Italians who look set to travel 100,000 kilometres around the world in their once clapped out campervan have found out.
In 2012 Lorenzo Scaraggi and Peppino Guardapassi bought an old 1982 LT 28 VW Sven Hedin Volkswagen campervan, the restoration of which soon became a labour of love. Affectionately nicknaming the campervan ‘Vostok’ – to honour the first successful mission in space – both Lorenzo and Peppino developed a desire to set themselves their own personal mission and travel around the world.
Less than a year later, in 2013, the two friends were ready to take Vostok on a test ride. In September they left for their trip, which was self-named ‘Road to Cappadocia’ – a 5,000 kilometre (3,100 miles) journey through Greece and Turkey which would culminate upon their arrival in the heart of Anatolia, Asia Minor.
The flagship excursion wasn’t all plain sailing though, as Lorenzo explains to CaravanTimes.
“In Anatolia we had a problem with the handbrake.
“We went to a mechanic that only dealt with tractors. As we soon found out, he didn’t fix it properly, so after setting off to complete our journey, the problem returned. We were near Nigde (in the heart of Turkey), and we broke down again.”
Surprisingly though, and as fate would have it, Vostok decided to conk out beside a market stall selling soft drinks, which couldn’t have been a better place to break down as Lorenzo continues: “The owner was related to a Volkswagen mechanic that fixed not only the brakes but also our old clutch for only ?100. It’s instances such as this that make us realise that every cloud has a silver lining”.
Following their first expedition and having caught the travel bug, irrespective of brake issues, Lorenzo and Peppino set off once again in 2014 and took Vostok on a journey which saw them traverse through the asperities of the Sahara desert, dubbing their new expedition ‘Appointment in Marrakech’.
The two intrepid travellers now feel confident enough to take Vostok on a journey that will see them travel the world, culminating in a 100,000km (roughly 62,000 miles) round trip. As to where the confidence comes from to enable them to take on this mission, the answer is simple: Vostok.
“Vostok is hard to compete with,” Peppino begins. “We’ve since realised you can repair him without much effort thanks to the minimalistic mechanics that allow pretty much anybody to be able to fix him, and he travels for miles with the slowness and patience of an elephant.”
As if travelling around the world wasn’t difficult enough, to make it more fun they have decided against the use of GPS and will rely solely on maps and compass.
“We travel without the modern comforts in order to enjoy the journey more and embrace everything it allows,” continues Peppino. “We drive slowly, because Volstok goes at a ‘cruise speed’ of 80km/h without sweating it. We ultimately have to rely on Vostok to get us where we’re going, so it’s imperative we don’t abuse him and exceed what he’s capable of.”
Lorenzo confessed that what keeps them motivated, irrespective of expenses and difficulties faced along the way, is the same “sacred fire” that drives most adventurous travellers: “We consider ourselves nomads, driven by the necessity of just going. It’s something that’s in you, something that only other travellers and those with a desire for the great outdoors can understand,” he says.
“One can reach the other half of the world in a few hours without really getting in touch with their surroundings and the environment – we don’t want that. We always try to empathise with the places we see and the people we meet, to understand how they live, how they think and how they dream in lands where many will never go because we cut out the main low-cost routes.”
The trio of Lorenzo, Peppino and, of course, Vostok has become pretty famous in their native home of Italy and have garnered quite a following on Facebook, where people can view videos of their previous adventures as well as follow their progress. So far, the page which has attracted more than 4,000 ‘likes’ has also attracted the attention of various Italian mainstream media organisations, including RAI and prestigious newspaper title, Repubblica. A crowd funding campaign is also in the works in order to enable Lorenzo and Peppino to continue their travels and, in return for donations, contributors will receive special tour T-shirts amongst other goodies.
