Hi, my name is Ali and I created this website to write about subjects I’m passionate about.  It’s an eclectic mix but is mainly focused on Vespa and Lambretta scooters, travel experiences and street art.

Ali Richards sitting on a street art Lambretta at the top of Brading Down on the isle of wight.

My scooter life

I’ve been riding scooters since I was 16 and since then have travelled to all corners of the UK, and beyond, to meet up with like-minded souls.  I really love photography and writing so before Facebook and blogs were even a thing I used to upload photos and write-ups of scooter rallies I attended via my website, bluevespa.com.

Then Facebook became the way I shared photos but, having become disillusioned with it as a sociable way of life, I thought I’d resurrect the heart of bluevespa.com but develop a website to share other things that I get excited about.  I love looking at scooters and there are so many different styles, which are all featured in my scooter pages which you can read here.

Travel adventures

Since turning 50, and becoming a freelancer, I can now take more time off work to go on adventures with my family.  The first of these was a fantastic trip to Toronto, Niagara and New York in the summer of 2017, and we then visited California in April 2018.  I want to share my travelling tips so that others can make the most of such a trip, whether it’s to a far-flung location or somewhere closer to where I live on the south coast of the UK.

Pink Collette Miller wings at Melrose Avenue Los Angeles
In LA, Easter 2018, at the Collette Miller wings on Melrose Ave

Street Art

I have become obessed with street art, a passion which started in Brighton which has a vibrant scene with some awesome artists.  I seek out graffiti locations wherever I travel, and have written about it from trips to Toronto, San Francisco and Shoreditch.   I even had a piece painted in my honour, a set of angel wings in Brighton, which was an incredible surprise.

Ali Richards standing in front of the pink and purple wings sprayed by Sean Lyons, aka Glimmertwin32
My very own angel wings, which my lovely friend Jo arranged for Glimmertwin32 to paint for me

Cancer

Something I didn’t expect to be writing about when I started this website is cancer, but having been diagnosed in 2018 I wanted to share my experiences to demystify what happens during treatment.  I don’t want it to be a taboo subject as it will affect half of us throughout our lives.  Although there will only be a small number of posts, the tales of my cancer diagnosis, surgery, chemo and beyond will hopefully inspire and inform others who have had a similar experience, or know someone who has.

Partnerships

The site includes affiliate links, for which I may receive a small commission, which support the running costs of the website.  I only link to sites which I have used myself and would be happy to recommend.    It is at no cost to you and the price you pay is the same as everyone else, unless I can negotiate a discount!

Unless otherwise mentioned, all of the products I review are bought by me, and my reviews are completely honest and unbiased.

If you’d like to work with me then visit my Work With Me page to see what we can achieve together!  I’ve also recently set up my own business building websites for others, Summerley Digital.  My transition has been featured on this website here.

Thanks for reading

Ali

PS The reason it’s called ‘Diary of a Detour’ is that I am in the Midhurst Detours Scooter Club, so am therefore a ‘Detour’.  It is also quite relevant for the travelling adventures I am currently arranging, many of them requiring a detour due to natural disasters and poor planning!