Finally , Cam gets the decent bed . Wayne takes the bunks . I get another double . These gentlemen are generous , and great travelling companions . Gregarious and funny , wise and filled with stories , charming . Later in Russell , to find some dinner , I am slowly rolling down the street at the rear of the Duke of Marlborough , questing for an open restaurant . It is the second Bedisloe Cup test in Sydney tonight , and the drunks are on the streets already . One belligerent chaps steps in front of me waving a Steinlager bottle , telling me to “ F ** k off out of the way , you a ** ehole ”. As I am at least ten feet from him , and travelling at walking pace , I am no threat . I keep riding slowly and then spot a Thai Restaurant . That ’ ll do ! I turn around and drive back , but Mr Belligerent has by now stashed his bottle in the trash and is spoiling for a fight , lurches back towards me , and again screams abuse , “ Get a real bike ya f ** cking loser !”. Before I ’ m aware of it , my inner Linwood High School bogan-boy rises like a gorgon , and I shout back . Stupid , sure , but for some reason I was seriously irritated . I loudly invite him to go and do something sexual to himself , and name him as a non-male sexual organ . Not my finest
hour . Suddenly the idiot is shrieking at me like a ten year old , “ Come here and say that !”. Good god , really ? I drive slowly back , meet the boys and agree that Thai is the order of the day . We park in the hotel park , off the street , so the bikes don ’ t get vandalised by my infuriated antagonist . Cam asks gently , “ What was all that about ?”. Bugger , I was hoping they hadn ’ t seen me respond like a dick . I apologise for escalating the situation , and it is forgotten . But it leaves a sour taste in my mouth for some time . To be fair , the Vespa is a real bike , and has been a massive success story worldwide , for many decades ; it is a style icon , a movie star and the choice of millions . I am proud to ride a Vespa , and especially one as cool as the British racing green version I have been given to review . It really shouldn ’ t have got to me , but I wanted to go and punch this dork in the face for being such an arse . And I really believed those days were well behind me . I plead fatigue . Dinner , and great conversation , and the knowledge that tomorrow we were going home , brought back ease , laughter and equilibrium .
KIWI RIDER 51