Some stories begin with a motorcycle rental.

Others begin with a conversation you could never have imagined.

Georg and Alexandra's story definitely belongs to the second category.

When Georg first contacted me from Germany to organise their trip to Valencia, he had two very clear priorities. The first was that they wanted to spend several days exploring the Valencian Community by motorcycle. The second—perhaps even more important—was finding a bike on which Alexandra would feel completely comfortable.

She wasn't very tall and wanted to be able to place both feet firmly on the ground every time she stopped.

So I did something that, in my opinion, is an essential part of the job, even if customers rarely get to see it: comparing technical specifications, checking seat heights and weighing up different options until I found the right motorcycles for both of them.

In the end, Alexandra chose a Kawasaki Z650, while Georg went for a Yamaha MT-07.

Everything was ready.

Or so we thought.

An Unusual Sunday

Their arrival happened to coincide with a rather special Sunday for us.

That morning, I had gone for a ride with Richard—another customer whose own story deserves a chapter of its own. Our route finished at the country house of one of Floren's close friends, where a group of local bikers had already gathered after finishing their own ride.

They were preparing a genuine Valencian torrà: grilled meat, traditional sausages, cold beer and every intention of spending the rest of the day together.

Meanwhile, Floren had gone to the airport to pick up other customers, take them to their hotel and then join us at the house.

Without really planning it, we had ended up organising a truly international bikers' gathering.

When Georg told me they would be arriving that very Sunday, I didn't have to think twice.

As we say in Spain, "where ten people can eat, twelve can eat too."

So I simply asked him:

"Would you like to join us for a bikers' BBQ?"

His answer came immediately.

"Absolutely!"

They took the metro to Llíria, the station closest to the BBQ, and we agreed that I would pick them up there. So, when the time came, I got in the car and drove to the station.

What happened next still makes me laugh today.

"We've definitely been scammed..."

Llíria metro station has a... rather unique personality.

It's the end of the line.

When you step off the train, that's it.

Nothing else.

Just a lonely station surrounded by rather unattractive apartment blocks.

And, to be honest, it's probably not the picture most people have in mind after travelling all the way from Germany to start their holidays in Spain.

Some time later, laughing about it, Georg confessed what he had whispered to Alexandra the moment they stepped onto the platform and looked around.

"We've definitely been scammed..."

Honestly, I couldn't blame them.

They had booked everything online.

They had never met us in person.

Nowadays we hear so many stories about internet scams that it's only natural for that thought to cross your mind for a few seconds. They certainly weren't the first customers who had admitted feeling that way.

Everything changed the moment I called out their names from the other side of the platform.

The relief on their faces was immediate.

Even now, I still smile whenever I think about it.

A Torrà, a Few Beers... and the Beginning of a Friendship

By the time we arrived at the house, lunch was already well underway.

But one thing I've learned over the years is that, among bikers, nobody is ever left without something to eat.

We had saved grilled meat, local sausages and, of course, plenty of cold beer for our new German friends.

Within minutes, they were sitting around the table chatting with a group of Valencians—and an Englishman—they had only just met.

That's one of the things I've always loved about the motorcycle world.

It doesn't matter where you come from.

It doesn't matter what language you speak.

Sooner or later, everyone ends up talking about journeys, roads, motorcycles... and life.

During that long after-lunch conversation, a question suddenly came to mind.

"So... what made you choose Valencia?"

I could never have imagined the answer.

The Most Original Gift I've Ever Heard Of

Georg smiled.

He told me that he always tried to surprise Alexandra with unusual gifts.

He wasn't interested in buying expensive things.

He was looking for memories.

Experiences.

Stories.

The two of them loved activities that get your adrenaline pumping. They had done bungee jumping, white-water rafting, abseiling down the sides of buildings and countless other adventures.

But one day, while visiting some friends, something completely unexpected happened.

Their host offered them a few oranges.

As they tasted them, he casually said:

"They come from my own orange tree... in Valencia."

That single sentence instantly caught Georg's attention.

His friend explained that there was a company in Valencia that allowed people to adopt their own orange tree. You could choose its name, receive regular photos as it grew, have its oranges delivered directly to your home... and, on top of that, travel to Valencia to "meet" your tree in person.

Georg thought it was a brilliant idea.

So he decided it would become one of the most original gifts he could ever give Alexandra.

As they were telling me the story, they took out their phone and showed me the pictures.

There they were.

Standing beside their orange tree.

Hugging it.

With smiles that needed no translation.

I have to admit that, at that very moment, two thoughts crossed my mind.

The first was that I had nothing but admiration for the person who had come up with such an ingenious business idea.

The second was that I had just met a couple who understood something many people forget.

The best gifts don't always come wrapped in a box.

Sometimes...

they grow roots.

Discovering Valencia Their Own Way

That afternoon ended with laughter, great conversations and the promise that we'd see each other again before they returned to Germany.

Floren later drove them to their hotel and, from the following morning onwards, their motorcycle adventure truly began.

Before they arrived, I had designed a route especially for them. I wanted them to experience some of my favourite roads, riding through Dos Aguas before finishing in El Palmar, where a proper Valencian paella is the perfect ending to any day spent on two wheels.

I even remember including photos of some rather unusual speed bumps in Balcón de Montroy—one of those little surprises that can catch you off guard if you don't know they're there.

For the rest of their stay, however, they preferred to travel entirely at their own pace.

And I thought that was perfect.

Every day they sent me new photos: winding roads, beautiful landscapes, spontaneous stops and little places they had discovered almost by accident.

It was obvious they were enjoying exactly the kind of journey they had come looking for.

The Mystery of the Balcony

There is one small detail that still makes me smile, even today.

While I was organising their trip, Georg kept insisting on one particular requirement for the hotels he had asked me to book.

The room had to have a balcony.

Nothing else really mattered.

But it absolutely had to have a balcony.

He mentioned it so many times that I eventually went to the hotel myself just to make sure the room I had booked really did have one.

To this day, I still don't know why.

And I never asked.

Perhaps they simply enjoyed ending each day sitting outside together, remembering everything they had experienced on the road.

Perhaps they liked raising a glass beneath the stars.

Or perhaps there was another reason known only to the two of them.

And, honestly...

I think I prefer not knowing.

Some stories are more beautiful when they keep a little mystery.

Until the Next Harvest

When it was time to say goodbye, Georg thanked me for everything and, with a smile, said something I've never forgotten.

"We'll be back."

He didn't say they would come back for the motorcycles.

He didn't even mention the routes.

They would come back...

when they wanted to hug their orange tree again.

And I remember thinking that it was probably the best excuse in the world to return to Valencia.

Some people travel to tick destinations off a list.

Others travel to collect memories.

And then there are Georg and Alexandra.

Two wonderful people who crossed Europe to hug an orange tree they had given a name, explored the Valencian Community on two wheels and reminded me that the greatest journeys are never measured in kilometres.

They're measured by the stories that keep making you smile long after you've switched off the engine.

Back Home, This Is What They Wrote

Read Alexandra and Georg's Google review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐