In the eighth month of their global expedition, Mohammad Aamir and Fatima Zahra, also known as Shin Pa Sung in Korea, find themselves camping in Oman, en route to the African continent.
Aamir, of Pakistani origin and settled in South Korea, and Fatima, a native of South Korea, left behind their agricultural roots to live out their dreams in a camping van named Balela. Park Hyeon Min corresponds to Aamir's Korean name, while Shin Hwa Seon is the Korean name for Fatima.
Aamir explained, "We are in our fifties, but that has only made us execute our dream plan quicker." The first step was acquiring their Korean-made van, valued at over RO 40,000.
Under the glow of the full moon, their van rested by the seashore as we stumbled upon their journey. Without hesitation, the couple restarted their vehicle, meeting us on the main street in Al Khuwair.
Hailing from the Daegu area in South Korea, where they worked in agriculture and livestock, they have been on the road for eight months. Daegu, known as the 'Apple City' for its fruit production, contrasts with the lands of dates and frankincense they currently traverse.
Having resided in South Korea for 33 years, Aamir is fluent in the Korean language. "In Korea, agriculture is a very good business," he noted. "My family, business, and everything are in South Korea. We have travelled to countries before, but always by air. This time, we are going by road."
Their journey commenced in South Korea, steering through Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Georgia, Turkiye, and now Oman. Their roadmap includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Africa, Russia, and finally back home in South Korea.
The van proudly displays flag stickers from every country visited, along with notes and signatures from the people they've encountered. Equipped with a kitchen, television lounge, bedroom, bathroom, and a solar panel on top, their van is a mobile haven.
Beyond cooking fresh meals, they savour the local cuisines, embracing invites along the way. "Throughout our journey, we've encountered friendly people who shower us with affection and gifts, from water to mementos," Aamir reflected.
"We've truly relished Omani hospitality. While parked outside, a generous Omani family warmly invited us into their home for a delightful meal. Another kind-hearted Omani gentleman inquired about our van, and to our surprise, he returned from his house bearing two bottles of honey. Even an expatriate family offered water for our van. We're immensely grateful for these gestures," shared Aamir.
While challenges like a near-tipping tire puncture arose, the couple miraculously emerged unscathed, save for delays in obtaining spare parts. They cherish both the wilderness and urban landscapes, documenting their adventures in videos narrated in Urdu, Korean, and English, shared under the title ‘World Tour My Camping Van Balela.’
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