FROM SINGAPORE TO EUROPE ON A SCOOTER

If you’re going to travel the world, would you do it on two wheels? We meet a gutsy and inspiring woman who’s exploring the globe as a scooterista. By ARETHA LOH

“My name is Juvena Huang. I’m your typical 28-yearold Singaporean millennial with an insatiable desire to see the world – except that I’m doing it all alone on my Vespa scooter (named Ebony Rogue).

“Right about now, I’m riding along the dusty roads of Iran. I started my journey in May 2015 and have covered seven countries so far: Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Iran. My plan is to go all the way to Europe.

“Am I out of my mind to take off solo on this adventure? Possibly. But as a late friend, Lawrence Tan, once told me: ‘It’s about the rider, not the bike.’

“I met Lawrence through mutual friends in 2008. He was a young man of mettle who was always up for a challenge and adventure. I rarely – if ever – heard him utter the word ‘impossible’. Case in point: The motortouring enthusiast took his mother from Singapore to northern Thailand on a Suzuki DR-Z400SM bike in 2008 – she rode pillion all the way.

“He was planning a trip to the border of China in 2009 with a friend, but died in a road accident one week before they were supposed to set off. He was only 28 years old. The irony was that he wasn’t on a bike, but was in a van accident. His sudden passing was a startling reminder of life’s brevity and uncertainty, which never left my heart.

“Most of all, what happened to him made me question what I wanted to do with my life, and the answer was PAKISTAN – In Passu, in front of the famous Passu Cathedral peak. a combination of my two passions – travelling and riding. The idea of seeing the world on a scooter came up during a casual conversation about Lawrence in 2010, and I’m going on this unique journey partly to honour him.

“So after half a year of bumping tyres and kerbs, and repeating circuit tests in Singapore, I got my Class 2B licence and my very rst Vespa. It only cost me $2,000 and came with a sixyear COE and new paintwork.

“Becoming a motorcyclist opened the doors of a new community to me. I met fellow riders who became good friends and who introduced me to other activities, like dirt biking. But as I’m 1.56m tall, everyone told me back then that the KTM 200 dirt bike was too big for me to manoeuvre.

Becoming a scooterista