Long journey ahead: Rahim will embark on a long journey by riding his vintage Vespa.
MELAKA: Six elderly vintage scooter enthusiasts will embark on a 3,000km road trip across Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia to promote world peace.
They will be led by villager Rahim Amat from Pulau Sebang here, who has an additional aim of promoting the coming Visit Melaka Year 2024 campaign.
The group, all aged above 70, will begin their two-week journey on Dec 26 from Alor Gajah.
“We will meet and interact with folk in the cities, towns and villages in our bid to promote a better and more peaceful world,” Rahim, a Vespa scooter lover, said in an interview.
During the journey, he said, the group would also promote Melaka’s rich heritage, culture and its famed cuisines.
“Melaka has lots to offer to tourists, such as the Portuguese Settlement and age-old structures,” added the father of 18 who got his first Vespa scooter in 1973.
Since then, he has continued to keep the tradition of preserving the Italian-manufactured vehicles with his family, who are all also fans of the iconic scooter.
Rahim said he learned to speak Tamil during his childhood by mingling with the Indian community in Pulau Sebang.
“The good thing is besides Tamil, some of the villagers also have a good command of English,” he added.
In 2013, Rahim rode his scooter to Iran to meet vintage Vespa lovers.
During his two-month trip then, Rahim was accompanied by family members on five Vespa scooters.
Rahim said he spent most of his time in south India back then as he was able to speak the Tamil language.
“Vespa was a status symbol for local bike aficionados in the 1970s and not many could afford to own the scooter then,” he added.
