Father, son embark on world tour on 50-year-old Vespa

An Italian-born Australian man is fulfilling a longtime dream of traveling around the world on a 50-year-old Vespa with his 11-year-old son.

Mario Gabrieli, 54, and his son Leonardo began their journey from Sydney on Jan. 5 under a project they named “I Due Caschi,” meaning “The Two Helmets.”

Gabrieli, who was born in the Italian city of Trieste and has lived in Australia for more than two decades, said he wanted his son to experience different countries, cultures, religions, landscapes and histories.

Following sea crossings by ferry and ship, the pair continued overland from Indonesia, traveling through several countries in Southeast and Central Asia.

Despite long hours on the road and numerous technical problems with their vintage scooter, the father and son have continued their journey with help from people they met along the way.

After traveling through Azerbaijan and Georgia, they entered Türkiye and reached the northern city of Samsun following a stop in Trabzon.

“Samsun is a wonderful city,” Gabrieli told reporters, adding that their journey is expected to last 10 months.

“I wanted to take Leonardo from our home in Australia to Trieste, where I was born. I thought traveling by Vespa would be a good way for him to experience the world,” he said.

Leonardo said his favorite part of the trip was traveling along the Pamir Highway in Central Asia.

The pair were hosted by the Atakum Sailing Sports Club, where Leonardo also joined young athletes for a short sailing trip.

They are expected to continue through Amasya, Cappadocia and Antalya before leaving Türkiye, eventually reaching Trieste after completing a route of nearly 40,000 kilometers.