Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives #3

Caro from Germany: on motorbiking solo across Europe

Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives (OWEL) is a series that celebrates the unusual paths that women take – whether it’s a short diversion in their life’s journey, or a new route entirely. It’s about women who are sometimes brave, sometimes bold, often vulnerable, and usually curious… and their quest to create a life that reflects who they truly are.

---

Caro from Germany, on the ferry crossing from Germany to Switzerland.

Dear NE-One

In the summer of 2021, just as she finished writing her final university exams and only three days after passing her motorbike licence test, “Caro from Germany” climbed onto her Kawasaki 250 and headed off on what would become a 4500km solo trip around Europe. Just herself, and the open road. She didn’t tell her family about it – in fact, her parents still don’t know that she even owned a motorbike (which is why her full name isn’t included here – although she’s happy for me to share the photo above with you though, btw); only her boyfriend and a few friends knew where she was going, and how. “I kept it a secret because I didn’t want to hear anyone’s concerns,” Caro explains when we connect on Zoom. “I didn’t want anything to stop me from achieving this dream.”