According to news sources, a Saudi Football fan who set out on a 55-day journey to trek from the Kingdom to Qatar in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2022 has arrived in Doha.
On October 30, Abdullah al-Sulmi, 33, finished the 1,600-kilometer journey to Qatar, where he will watch World Cup games beginning on November 20.
Al-Sulmi stated in an interview with Al Arabiya that the accomplishment wasn’t without its difficulties, which included enduring sweltering temperatures and navigating difficult desert terrains.
Al-Sulmi, who left Jeddah with just a backpack, claimed that he was well-prepared before setting out on his journey, especially in terms of safety. He added that he had a tracking device connected to his brother’s phone as well as the phones of a few friends.
Al-Sulmi, a five-year trekker, said just before arriving in Qatar on Saudi television’s Al Ekhbariya that the nicest part of his journey was the friendly greeting he received from the Saudi people.
“The Saudi people have been so hospitable, encouraging… honestly, the best part about my journey is this warm welcome,” he said.
Al-Sulmi described his arrival in Qatar as the realization of a dream, saying that his success was due not only to his dedication but also to the support of others who had encouraged him along the way.
“I have my ups and downs, but when I hear people welcome me and say they will follow up on my journey and support me, I feel encouraged and I keep going,” he told France 24 while on his way to Qatar.
“After arriving here, I think to myself, what have I done? That is impossible. But [you know], when I first embarked on this journey, all I thought about was arriving to Doha and arriving for the World Cup, and thank God for that because [it made me] overcome all the challenges of [the journey]” he told Oman’s al-Wisal radio station after arriving in Qatar.
