Indian expatriate and overlander V Krishna Das embarked on a solo journey across Saudi Arabia this month, clocking 3,800km in five-and-a-half days, in his 2007 Toyota Fortuner, further fuelling his passion for travel and cars.
The 38-year-old business development manager explored Abha, Wadi Lajab, the Black Mountain and Al Soudah, which includes the country’s highest peak Jabal Soudah at 3,015 metres above sea level.
Overlanding or four-wheel-drive touring is described by advocates as a way of ‘self-reliant overland travel to remote destinations’ where the journey alone is the principal goal.
Mr Das, who has been living in Bahrain for 17 years, started overlanding in 2014, when he and his friend covered eight countries in the region over six days in a Mitsubishi Pajero. Since then, he has switched to travelling alone as he feels it helps him connect with his surroundings better.
“For me, travel isn’t just about ticking off destinations but about the invaluable lessons and meaningful connections I create,” the adventure enthusiast from Umm Al Hassam told the GDN. “Of all the mountains I have visited on my travels, I’ve never seen anything like the Black Mountain. I reached there at sunset and the view was fantastic. Most mountains, you can count the peaks but this one stretched infinitely, connecting with the sky.”
The mechanical engineer and award-winning photographer, who loves to capture wildlife, reminisced his experience interacting with the ‘friendly’ and ‘helpful’ locals.
“You see very few women outdoors, mostly men and children. As part of their traditional attire, the men wear flowers on their head and carry a pistol and the teenaged boys a dagger at their waist.
“The restaurants have a homely vibe, with food being cooked in pressure cookers and floor-style seating,” he said.
Outlanding brings with it challenges as well, like the time Mr Das was descending the Black Mountain and his brakes failed!
“I kept hitting the brakes to control the speed on my way down and the brake oil temperature rose leading to the brakes failing. I set the car in parking mode first. Luckily, it’s cold out there so the temperature fell faster than normal. I made a call to some friends and fixed the issue. I have all the resources and oils stocked in my car for these types of situations.”
The self-taught solo traveller has learned how to set up his car for overlanding thanks to the experience he has gained over the years. His last adventure was in December 2024, when he set out in his DI turbo engine Bolero, from his hometown in Palakkad, Kerala, to the southernmost tip of India – Kanyakumari – exploring iconic spots like Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Munnar and Idduki Dam along the way, clocking up to 5,000km in 14 days. Before that, he explored places in and around Chennai, where he grew up, over six days.
The avid traveller went on his first trip to Sri Lanka in 2010 and has since visited 17 countries, including Yemen, Türkiye, Malaysia and Thailand, which are recorded on his YouTube channel @Das_VK_Vlogs, having more than 5,000 subscribers.
Mr Das, who lives with wife Soja and children, Veena, eight, and Advaith, three, who attend The Asian School, hopes to take his family to some of the destinations that he has visited.
“I really miss my family (when I travel). Last time I was in Saudi, my little girl made a drawing of ‘daddy driving a car and camping’. I am very close to my kids. In fact, I did not visit a couple of places that I had planned to on my last trip so I could return home early.
“I believe travelling is an investment and I plan my trips by clubbing public holidays. I hope to drive to Jordan next year during Eid and will head to Qatar next month during the long Labour Day weekend,” he said.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
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