Masirah - The Island in Oman
The Shaheen Trip Across 50 American States
One of our favorite stories about crossing lands indefinitely is Ali Al Ghfeli’s tour around the states of America. With a curiosity to meet the different communities that exist on the west side of the world, this Al Ain born national decided to ship his truck (which happens to be the stereotypical farmers car in the deserts of Abu Dhabi) to New Jersey to begin his tour of the 50 states. The photo below displays the merging of culture, city norms and how far one can go in discovery.
A photo of Ali’s arrival to Times Square, New York.
We asked Ali how he had planned to do his trip to which he said, “The main purpose of my trip was not numbers. It wasn’t about how many kilometers I drove or how many states I passed. It was about the people. I wanted to take back roads, meet locals, hear their stories, go to places they recommend.”.
“I’ve been traveling and backpacking in my breaks throughout college but never did a road trip. I’ve decided that this would be the right time to do it and I didn’t want to do it in a traditional way. So I had the car quickly outfitted and shipped to New Jersey to arrive as soon as I ended my internship. My dream to pass through the fifty states was happening every day.”
Is this something you would do back home? What was your past-time where you came from?
"I didn’t have the time before to do this back home, since I went abroad to study immediately after high school. I know there is a lot to explore in the UAE and in the neighbouring countries, and I have plans to do so once I come back.”
This story is a quick depiction of how the wander has taken us far, into alleyways we have never seen and across communities we may never meet. Somehow, we manage to live through the stories of those that venture far and it fills a puzzle piece into our ideologies about the world. Allow this story to take you through this mans goal to see the world - in his own way.
As Ali aims to complete the remaining states in time to come, we will be living through his stories on instagram and YouTube.
For updates on Ali’s travels, subscribe to our mailing list on www.wander.ae/subscribe.
The Camel Whisperer
Ever since I moved to this part of the world, its vast deserts have captivated me. I have had the chance to travel through them by car countless times, scale high dunes and cross through big bowls. I have slept on the bare sand under the stars around a fire, I had to surrender to its strength and dig out the car. The desert’s grains always found their way back to my apartment and even across oceans all the way to Germany. Never would I tire of the endless views of rolling dunes, winds sweeping across and forming sharp edges or soft waves. The silence of the desert can put the rest of the world and the city’s noise on mute and plays its own beautiful song.
The idea to cross these lands on the back of a camel for fourteen days seems daunting to many, uncomfortable and crazy to most. Yet, for me, a trip of such sort was the perfect escape. With a group of ten to fifteen riders, depending on the day, and several support cars to assist with navigation, medical cases, and with capturing the journey, we set out under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Heritage Centre. The Camel Trek has turned into an annual event, with this year being the 6th edition with a new and longer route than previous years.
The days started with the call to prayer, we rose early, from our thick sleeping bags, to roll them up, and to store them with the rest of our few belongings on the back of a trailer. After a hot cup of tea or coffee by the fire, accompanied by Arabic chatter, it was time to go and prepare the camels for the day’s trek. I usually carried some dates for my camel and spent some extra time next to him. I wanted to express my gratefulness and appreciation for him, for carrying me day in and day out with a sense of determination and pure endurance and patience.
We rode between seven and eleven hours per day, depending on how challenging the terrain was. We rode as a caravan most of the time, often in silence, one camel trailing behind another. A few times, I had the pleasure of being the first camel, which then demanded more attention to direction and pace. As a passenger on the camel bus, I didn’t have to think and decide much. I just had to ride, take care of my camel, look out for the others. For hours, all there was to see, was sand dune after sand dune - zero reference points apart from the height and heat of the sun to take a guess at the time that had passed. Even though we rode in December, the sun was burning, yet there was no escape from the rays and only a few days on which the sky was overcast, resulting in sticky humidity beneath the clouds.
Often, I thought of the nomads who did not endure a journey of such kind to find peace or to escape their reality. Their travels were full of uncertainty, scarcity of lifes essentials and danger.
I was on a journey to rid myself of comfort, and distraction, to let myself discover something new about myself. I experienced a true sense of just being. My mind was only filled with observations of the now, there was no before and no after, just now.
Perhaps we embark on wandering to find that now. We wander without most of our belongings, we seek places with little association, we observe nature and its beauty, and we calm our thoughts and our constantly racing mind to arrive in that very moment of now.
Linda Krockenberger is an avid Wanderer that has found her place among the hills of the United Arab Emirates. Having explored more lands the most, her story holds true to our philosophy of existence.
Find out about her next adventures on her instagram.
Overlanding in Morocco
Morocco, located in the Northern region of Africa sitting on the West side of the continent, is a dreamy manifestation of the cross culture history of this land. In a moment, you are lingering in oriental patterns and then experience the perspectives of the Berber culture to then quickly be overcome by a blend of European, Arab, Jewish and west African blends. Its name is derived from its geographical placement on the west.
“Al Maghrib” translates to “Al Gharb” meaning West or where the sun sets in Arabic.
Home to the grand Atlas mountain range, the scale of this land infuses enchantment and deep exposure to culture and history and miraculous visuals of where the desert meets the ocean. Who crossed these lands, one asks, and how does it make you feel to witness nature’s movement in one of the most beautiful gems of the world.
Kamal Cherif, an avid explorer shared with us his discoveries in his homeland and travel experiences from the Atlantic to the Atlas to the Sahara. In his own words he says, “We have the most colorful country in the world due to the light. Every region has its own light and that’s what fascinates me, no filter needed!”. As someone that chose to relocate his life from the bustling economic life in Casablanca to Ifrane, a city in the Mid-Atlas at 1700m, he believes that this offers his kids a better lifestyle of wandering leaving behind overpopulation and embedding sheer discovery. “Morocco is a liberal country yet it still maintains its tradition. We have been the crossroad of civilizations for millenniums. Everyone is welcome. Each region has it’s own culture and Islam is the cement that binds us all together.”
When asked what locations he was most fond of, his response expressed an undying love for all regions in his country, “It’s like choosing between the fingers on your hand,” he says. “From the Mediterranean coast to the Atlantic to the Atlas to the Sahara, it’s very hard. But I would say its the Atlantic Sahara where the desert meets the ocean.”
“It’s like choosing between the fingers on your hand. From the Mediterranean coast to the Atlantic to the Atlas to the Sahara.”
Above: capturing an overlanding experience in the mountains in the suburbs of Morocco
With an average of 12,000km of overlanding distance, a backdrop of the Atlas for three-quarters of the country and a whole load of serendipity - the large number of travelers that have frequented the Atlas chain have made it a relatively safe environment to explore. The most respected traveler, Ibn Battuta, originated from Tangier, Morocco which lies on the strait of Gibraltar. Tangier played a crucial part in trade with Europe hence the influence on culture. Their travels have opened to the world oriental designs, tribal reforms and a mystical society.
“We set out on a fishing trip south towards the Algerian border once in a remote place, setting up camp in an abandoned oasis under the starlight. As we were enjoying the calm night in silence, a flash appeared that lit the entire sky and surroundings. So bright, the meteorite split the sky paving its way only to crash a few kilometers away from us. It was sensational, a mesmerizing experience for sure.”
Above: a photo of Kamal and his daughter whom he wills to build a life of adventure and wanderlust for.
To cross lands indefinitely, through cultures and societies. Forever bridging our passion for the outdoors and creating stories to write our history. Wandering will keep us together as one.
Follow the adventures of our most favorite Moroccan Wanderer on Instagram
Storytelling by Kamal Cherif
Documentation by the Wander team
