If you happen to see a bike carrying Indian registration plate and flags of Oman and India swaying in the wind, rest assured, a man is on a mission to spread the message of friendship, camaraderie and bonding between peoples of different countries.
Sharath Kumar Shiri, a passionate biker and a campaigner of 'Say No to Drugs' back in Karnataka, is on a Gulf Tour spreading the message of friendship and has been touring Oman since Thursday on his way to Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
During his long journey which began in Mangalore, India, on February 11 through Goa, Mumbai, the UAE, the Sultanate of Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, he has been staying with friends or relatives who are scattered everywhere.
"Only in places where I don't have friends or cousins, I stay in hotels. After living in Oman for more than two decades, I have earned friends for lifetime," Sharath says.
Since he could not secure a visa at the Pakistan border, he had to travel back to Mumbai from where he transported his bike to Dubai, and resumed his journey from there. He had secured a worldwide bike transportation licence from Mumbai prior to his journey.
As an erstwhile Oman-resident, Sharath feels this journey is a tribute to his long sojourn in Muscat, and this is a token of gratitude to Oman-India relations and is amazed to see how the two countries complement each other.
"My short-term plans are to travel to Saudi Arabia next week from where I will head to Bahrain, then Kuwait, Qatar, and then Iran and Iraq before I visit the Wagah border enroute Karnataka," he adds.
Sharath is planning a European journey soon where he is planning to visit EU countries and UK and the US which, according to him, is one of the biggest dreams of his life.
Sharath shared a message to the youth on travel. "My message is that travel can teach plenty of lessons and it will transform oneself. When you travel with friends, you walk more, but travelling alone one would gain wisdom as well."
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