As a 16-year-old girl in the early XX century circled the globe by car
In 1922, the 16-year-old canadian Aloha Vandervell went on an adventurous expedition through the world by car Ford Model‑T became the first woman to circumnavigate. For ten years she ran 611 thousand miles and visited over 80 countries.
Aloha Vandervell, she Idris Galicia Welch was born in 1906, in Canada. She is interested in travelling in childhood, after reading a few of adventure books for boys. In the First world war the girl's stepfather joined the British army, and his mother and sister behind him moved from Canada to Europe, they visited the UK and Belgium and stayed in France. To tame hooligan character Idris, the mother put her in the monastery guest house.
In 1922, the girl saw in the Paris Herald newspaper ad: "Smart, beautiful and breeches — world tour for the lucky young women. Join the expedition!".
The ad was placed Walter Vandervell (his real name is Valerian Johannes Peczynski), a Polish immigrant, the adventurer and inventor, who called himself the captain. Vandervell with the support of the automotive company Ford organized a round-the-world expedition to promote the idea of World police — pacifist structure, which would be arrested dictators and was not allowed to start wars. Vandervell have already had a team of journalist, photographer, mechanic and a Secretary in the person of his wife, but the cameraman of the expedition was in the hospital, and had to find a replacement for him through the Newspapers. Advertising considerations it was decided to invite a woman.
After reading the announcement, 16-year-old Idris then the overnight train came to Paris from the convent school in nice. She told the captain that childhood dream of distant lands and nomadic life, and lied that he can handle the camera. Vandervell admired adventurous girl, but still sent her away: too she was young.
However, the announcement no one else responded, and Idris was insistent: she taxi caught the car with travelers, scandal, and in the end it had to take, though the captain's wife was furious. In the beginning of the expedition Idris received the alias Vandervell Aloha (Aloha — a Hawaiian word which means "breath of life" and use for greeting and farewell).
In the first trip, the team has traveled to 43 countries on four continents: they saw post-war France and Germany, Turkey, Egypt, Afghanistan, Palestine, India, East Africa, Indochina, and Siberia, where the Commissar of the red army made Aloha in honor generals.
In the way she really learned how to operate a camera — she made films on the run, she showed the film, arranged screenings after the lectures by Walter, sold the tickets and did the bookkeeping. She also served as an interpreter, a driver and a Secretary.
A few months later, the expedition spent in India, they met with locals and admiring the sights.
Aloha from Egyptian pyramids in the early 1920‑ies. On this trip, captain cheated on his wife with Alochol, Mrs Vandervell left the expedition and returned to America.
In the journey around Africa Aloha coming on Board the ship, standing on his famous car.
The ship's crew during the first voyage around the world.
Local residents posing Aloha while sitting in a taxi.
Aloha on the Indian motorcycle during the first trip to Europe.
Aloha with Soviet soldiers.
Aloha.
Expedition to Japan.
Plan first trip.
In the journey to the U.S. 18-year-old Aloha with 29-year-old Walter were married.
A trip around the world praised the newlyweds in their honor was held balls, they were photographed Hollywood celebrities such as Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. The couple had two children, Valerie and Neil, but their love of adventure has not disappeared. They presented a documentary about his first world tour and met again in the road in South America.
In the Amazon jungle seaplane of Wonderwillow broke, and Walter had to go for the necessary part, leaving a wife with which belonged to the Bororo Indians and another member of the expedition. Aloha friends with the natives and took the first film about a tribe called "the Flight to which belonged to the Bororo of the stone age".
In 1932, in California Vandervell killed, but Aloha continued to travel. In the early 1930‑ies, she married operator Walter Baker. Together with him she traveled the world, made films and wrote about their experiences — now her works are exhibited in museums around the world. Vandervell died in California in 1996, when she was 90 years old. This brave woman, which is called the female version of Indiana Jones dedicated website Alohawanderwell.com.
Keywords: History | Travel | Cars | Women | Adventure | Around the world | Historical photos