By Maryam Khalfan
In a historic and cheerful moment, the team of Omani Adventurers who are attempting to challenge the country roads by travelling from Muscat to Dar es Saalam have set off on the first leg of their journey. The team was honourably seen off by their relatives and friends on Thursday as they set off in their multi-coloured convoy of four-wheel drives of yellow, white and grey vehicles.
On the first leg of their journey, the optimistic team of adventurers are committed to stop over in Saudi Arabia today to perform Umra before proceeding on the expedition. This team comprise of seven matured and brilliant men including Majid bin Abdullah al Amboori, Masoud bin Hamad al Mahrazi, Hamoud bin Said al Marhoobi, Yahya Ahmed al Esry, Said Mohammed al Maawali, Fahad bin Salim al Habsi and Ali bin Abdul Wahab al Zadjali.
In a farewell note, Majid al Amburi, the Team Leader of this well organised Omani adventurers said: “We are all geared to set off in line to travel around and explore nature by road from Muscat to Dar-es-Saalam. We are indeed grateful for the moral support and encouragement of our relatives, friends and enthusiasts and sponsors, who have in their inimitable ways supported us to achieve our ambition.
We are also pleased by the support of Al Saffa chicken company, which has offered to undertake the responsibility of offering us with complimentary meals throughout the journey from Muscat to Dar-es-Saalam.
The team is also indebted for the moral support and encouragement of the Tanzanian government, which has assured of facilitating easy access at the entry points. They have also offered to facilitate for the group to tour some of the tourist destinations in the country like the national reserve parks and other attractions with the support of the Tanzanian Tourism Board and Zanzibar Tourist Commission.”
“The team is also optimistic that their journey will in one way or another promote the tourism potential of the respective countries of visit and bond people of different traditions and ethnicity,” he told Observer. The challenge to explore through the country roads is aimed at meeting the lifetime aspirations of the adventurers to trace their roots and to explore the magnificent views of open countryside by travelling on road.
The endeavour is also designed at maintaining the cultural legacy of Omanis as pioneers in exploration. The country roads will take these Omani Adventurers on a return journey on paved and jagged roads of some 20,000 km.
Throughout their travel, the adventurers will stop over at each country. Attention will be given to call at important tourist places like national parks, old towns, museums and monuments. The adventures will also interact with people of all countries they are going through. In the East African countries, the team will also visit some places where historically, the existence of people of Omani ethnicity is still prevalent.
Some of the team members are reputed professionals in their own field — an aircraft engineer, an automobile engineer, a medical personnel and others are adventurous nature loving people. The trip is also the first-of-its-kind to be organised by a group of Omani explorers who have put more efforts in kind and mind to make their aspirations to travel to Dar es Salaam by road to become a reality.
Throughout their trip, the team will keep in touch with their loved ones and enlighten them and keep them updated on their progress, successes and challenges during their journey.