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Bahraini adventurer Dr Saqer Al Khalifa has successfully completed his journey from Bahrain to Europe in just five days in a truck he transformed into a luxurious camper.
After covering thousands of kilometres in his 2500 Ram Power Wagon and encountering some unexpected setbacks along the route, he is now preparing for his next adventure of competing in the Maratona dles Dolomites on Sunday, with plans to set off on his final trip for Ironman Switzerland on August 24.
Dr Al Khalifa, a well-known figure in the kingdom’s sporting community, travelled to Saudi Arabia, before making his way to Kuwait, Iraq, Türkiye, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and France.
Speaking to the GDN from Corvara, Italy, he shared that the toughest challenge he faced was in Türkiye, where he and his friend Ebrahim Touq were held at the border for eight hours.
Just entered Türkiye, pointing to Syria
“I did a lot of research beforehand about the route and knew this border would be a bit difficult, but I didn’t expect to be held for this long,” said the 45-year-old.
“When you enter the country they spray your car with a disinfectant, and then you have to wait in this massive line to enter the border.
“Every car has to go through an x-ray machine so they can properly check the vehicle, but the problem is there is only one machine and thousands of cars, and each car takes 15 minutes, so it is a long wait.”
Selfie in the mountains
Border officials also asked him to unload his entire camper home, which features a king-sized bed, sitting area, fully-equipped kitchen with a BD700 four-in-one microwave oven, toilet, air conditioning and TV, among other things.
“I have a lot of stuff in here because it is my home, so I thought it was a ridiculous ask,” he said, adding that he pleaded with border officials not to empty out the fridge which stores his insulin.”
The American University of Bahrain adjunct professor was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2013.
“I received just enough medicine to be able to travel for two months, so it was crucial that I keep my medication in the fridge where it could be stored in the correct temperature, which they eventually let me do so.”
Dr Al Khalifa, who holds a PhD in political science from Claremont Graduate University in California, stated that after being let go, they were behind schedule, so they decided to drive from 5am to 9pm for five days.
“It wasn’t too bad,” he said, adding that he and his friend took turns driving and were also able to enjoy the scenery and rest.
When they arrived in Italy, they had no set plan, so they pulled into a hotel parking lot to ask if they could park their camper for a while, when a staff member recommended a beautiful campsite just a few hundred metres away.
“We drove up and were absolutely amazed with how great this site was,” he said, pointing out the stunning views that made the location all the more special.
“It is truly beautiful and it makes the entire trip completely worth it. I plan to rest here before I participate in the Maratona dles Dolomites on Sunday.”
Dr Al Khalifa’s camper home parked at the campsite in Corvara, Italy
The event is an annual one-day road bicycle race that takes place in the Italian Dolomites. It is a Granfondo event, meaning that it is open to amateur cyclists and it is known for its challenging routes through gorgeous mountain scenery.
It typically features three route options, with the longest being a 138km course with 4,230 metres of elevation gain.
“I feel over the moon that I completed the trip from Bahrain to Italy, and I am really looking forward to enjoying the scenery here and making my way to Switzerland to compete in Ironman next month.
“It was really interesting to see how the borders changed through each country, and I did not see the changes as quickly as I thought.”
He mentioned that he had not expected Slovenia to be as beautiful as it was.
“We hear a lot about the countries surrounding Slovenia, but never Slovenia,” he said, adding that he was also surprised to see how close the borders of Türkiye and Syria were to one another.
“Overall, I am really happy that I took on this challenge because I believe it is important to live your life while you are still young.
“People work their entire life, and wait until they are old to chase their dreams, and I hope I can inspire some people to start now.”
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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