Unique | Journey influencer couple on horror India gang rape and Taliban interrogation

The victims, 28-year-old Fernanda and her Spanish husband, 63-year-old Vicente, who was hit a number of occasions within the head with a helmet, are actually again in Spain.

They haven’t beforehand spoken to the press concerning the assault, which happened whereas they have been tenting in Dumka district, an space of hills and unique forest famed for its temples and hill resorts not removed from the Bangladeshi border, in northeast India.

Now, they’ve damaged their silence in an introspective interview with the Publish about their epic motorcycle journey, which has taken them via 67 international locations over six years, and has included being interrogated by the Taliban and that fateful evening in India when their world got here crashing down.

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I’ve adopted your Instagram web page @vueltaalmundoenmoto (“all over the world on a motorcycle”) for years. How and the place did your journey start?

Fernanda: “Vicente had been using motorbikes most of his life however I had by no means even been on one earlier than we met in Brazil, in 2015. Once we moved to Spain, he took me on a number of brief motorcycle journeys on the again of his bike, after which a month-long journey to Nordkapp, a cape on the northern tip of Norway the place the Atlantic and Arctic oceans meet.

“After that I used to be hooked and determined I wished to journey all over the world on motorbikes.”

Vicente: “I already knew Fernanda wished to journey all over the world however when she stated let’s do it on two motorbikes, it was a shock. I stated no at first, however then I understood what she stated about the way it will get boring being on the again of a motorbike all day.

“Quickly I got here round. However first she needed to get her motorcycle license.”

Fernanda: “We wished to do Africa first however as I had no expertise using a giant motorcycle, we thought it was safer to start out in Europe. Totally loaded, it weighs 300kg [660lb] with all my baggage. I’m solely 58kg however I’ve needed to study to elevate it on my own and discovered to journey on actually unhealthy roads. After six years on the street, I fall far much less typically.”

You’ve gotten ridden via international locations akin to Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. Have you ever ever had any issues with unfriendly locals or been robbed earlier than?

Vicente: “We had solely been robbed as soon as, by pickpockets in Barcelona [Spain]. In Central Asia and the Center East, we are able to park our motorbikes on the streets and nobody ever touches our stuff. In Europe, you possibly can’t try this. The whole lot would get stolen.”

I believe everybody on this planet expects me to say ‘Don’t go to India,’ however life is way extra sophisticated than that

Have you ever ever had bother with authorities?

Fernanda: “Afghanistan was fairly sophisticated as a result of I used to be the primary lady to enter the nation on a motorcycle because the Taliban took over. They aren’t used to seeing girls driving, so the entire expertise was fairly weird.”

Vicente: “The factor about Afghanistan is that there aren’t any embassies and the police, properly, the police are Taliban.”

Fernanda: “We entered Afghanistan after dusk as a result of it took so lengthy to get via the Iranian border. Usually we don’t journey at evening however we had no selection.

“We have been on the freeway to the primary metropolis, Herat, when a Taliban patrol stopped us. They got here at us with all these weapons, AK-47s pointing at us, we have been actually scared, and once they noticed I used to be a girl they referred to as each Taliban within the space to see.”

Vicente: “Not considered one of them spoke English; most Taliban can’t even learn, however we might perceive they have been saying, ‘A lady is using a motorcycle!’ They might not consider it.

“However as soon as we acquired to the station, we managed to discover a translator and satisfied them we have been pleasant, using all over the world on our motorbikes, they usually introduced us tea and bread. The whole lot turned out wonderful.”

Some folks say you shouldn’t journey to Afghanistan in order to not legitimise the Taliban and their restrictions upon girls. However you went all the identical?

Vicente: “Sure, many individuals wished us to inform the Taliban, ‘Don’t do that, don’t try this,’ and I noticed issues there I didn’t like. I even needed to put a Taliban flag on my bike.

“It’s not as a result of I agree with their insurance policies however whenever you go to a spot like Afghanistan, you’ll want to adapt if you wish to get out of there in good condition. You need to attempt to perceive their mind-set, to stroll a mile of their footwear.

“What would you be like in case you had been raised in Afghanistan? As a result of on the finish of the day, the way in which we’re raised circumstances our ideas and character.”

What has been the spotlight of your six-year journey?

Fernanda: “I’ve many, and I’ve many favorite roads and routes. I actually love the Arabic international locations for his or her meals, particularly Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The Turkish persons are so beneficiant.”

Vicente: “For me, the spotlight must be Iran. There have been so many lovely websites and the Iranian folks have been spectacular.”

Nobody ever informed them that what they deliberate to do was fallacious or concerning the penalties

Now, about India. The evening you have been attacked, you have been tenting out within the open, removed from any city. Trying again, do you suppose any of the selections you made put yourselves at risk?

Fernanda: “What you’ll want to perceive about India is that it’s a super-populated nation, with folks in all places. They’re very inquisitive about the way in which we journey with our motorbikes, and we entice a number of consideration.

“Each time we cease, lots of people crowd round us and generally it turns into inconvenient as a result of we need to be alone. I need privateness after I go to the bathroom. This is the reason we regularly search for locations the place there aren’t any folks, to arrange our tent.”

Vicente: “We at all times camped on this approach, in search of empty areas so we might take out the drone and take some photographs with out a whole bunch of individuals us. And the place the place we camped that evening wasn’t distant, we had seen a number of farmers strolling from their fields earlier within the day and it was solely 500 metres or 600 metres from a freeway.

“We selected a spot to arrange our tent behind some huge boulders so nobody might see us. We wished to relaxation after an extended day on the street.”

What’s your recommendation for girls contemplating travelling to India? Keep away?

Fernanda: “I believe everybody on this planet expects me to say ‘Don’t go to India,’ however life is way extra sophisticated than that. What occurred to me in India might have occurred anyplace else. Not so way back, a pair travelling in Belize, in Central America, the identical factor [allegedly] occurred to them.

“My recommendation to girls is to get out of the home, journey and accomplish that with out concern. If you’ll camp, it needs to be in a spot not too removed from the street the place you possibly can simply name for assist and have a sign to your telephone.”

Vicente: “The issue with India is that it’s so huge, and there are lots of locations the place colleges haven’t reached but and persons are nonetheless dwelling remoted from the skin world.

“The boys who attacked us, I doubt any of them ever went to high school for a day of their lives. Nobody ever informed them that what they deliberate to do was fallacious or concerning the penalties. We have been most likely the primary foreigners they ever met.”

Do you’ll want to return to India to testify in court docket?

Vicente: “We don’t know but. If we’ve to, we are going to, however maybe it may be achieved utilizing a video name.”

There’s been loads of blame handed round on social media in India concerning the hazard males pose to girls. However some have additionally advised you bear accountability for being such avid risk-takers. What’s your response?

Fernanda: “I perceive how some folks would possibly attain that conclusion. You already know, society convinces us to reside a technique, to go to work, to have two youngsters, to remain in our circle. So when an individual exits their circle, they’re thought-about risk-takers.

“Sure, I left the home, and sure, I took dangers, however I don’t remorse it. I don’t remorse going to India. I don’t remorse something about our journey.

“Possibly if we had simply gone one other approach or stayed in a lodge, this by no means would have occurred. However utilizing the identical logic, possibly one thing worse would have occurred and I wouldn’t be alive.

“Accidents can occur anyplace, even inside the security of your own home.”

Does this incident mark the tip of your street journey?

Fernanda: “In no way; we’re simply taking a break in Spain. We don’t know when however we’re certain we are going to proceed. We’ve already began planning.”

Vicente: “Our motorbikes are actually in Nepal, so after we get again to them, we need to journey as much as Tibet, via China, Laos and Cambodia, spend three or 4 months in Thailand, then head all the way down to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.

“We’ll return via Japan, Korea, Russia, Mongolia after which all of the ‘Stans’ in Central Asia, come again to Europe for some time after which do all of Africa.

“The plan is to maintain using for the remainder of our lives.”