Opinion | Your Say
A road trip off the beaten path
Our reader meets two German high school graduates making a 17,000km discovery voyage through the Arab world in an old van.
- By Nasim Yazdani, Gulf News Reader
- Published: 23:31 May 27, 2009
- Image Credit: Devadasan/Gulf News
- Darion Schroder (left) and Cornelius Horner who are on a trip from Germany give an interview to community reporter Nasim Yazdani.
Our reader meets two German high school graduates making a 17,000km discovery voyage through the Arab world in an old van.
While driving down Dubai Marina, past Jumeirah Beach Residence, I noticed a strange sight - an old van on the road with a foreign licence plate. What I found even more interesting was the fact that there was a sign on the rear windshield that read: "Germany to Dubai 17,000km".
I stopped by the traffic light and saw two young German boys in the van. Rolling down my window, I asked them if they really had travelled all the way from Germany. I found this so interesting, I asked them to stop by my building, which was a few blocks away and talked to them about their trip.
Twenty years old and best friends since first grade, Cornelius Hörner and Dario Schröder worked for six months in Germany to save up for their journey.
Recent high school graduates, the boys were eager to see the world like the rest of their classmates, but were also keen to do something different. Hörner said: "We didn't want to go to the usual places& we were very interested in the Arab world."
They set off from Freiburg in the south-west of Germany and decided to travel for five months through countries such as Palestine, Egypt, UAE, Romania and Hungary.
Their next stop is Iran and they are touring the UAE while waiting for their visas to be approved.
Schröder said: "In many ways, this [trip] was the perfect thing to do. I think everyone should do something like this at least once - it opens your mind and lets you see worlds you never knew."
It took them one year to plan the journey. Equipping their car with a solar panel and using maps to plot their trip, the boys said they depend on each other as they travel.
Schröder said: "I would recommend people our age to take up a challenge like this, but I should warn you - it can also be very difficult! Sometimes things happen that you cannot control, but for the rest, you have to be prepared."
With months on the road, do they ever get sick of each other and fight? Hörner laughed: "We've been best friends for over 14 years and we've developed a lot of patience!"
While Hörner is the designated driver because of his love for driving, Schröder said he preferred watching the scenes from his window and taking photographs.
Watching them explore the world, I truly appreciate their initiative and hope they receive support from all those who come their way. I would like people to show them true Arab hospitality and give them a glimpse of our culture. The boys told me they have already met very friendly, accommodating people in the region and found that to be beautiful. In an age where "Dubai-bashing" has cast a shadow on the city, it really makes me happy to meet these boys who came all the way from Germany to see this wonderful city and country.
Their story was a refreshing change. I believe it is important for young people to see the world like Dario and Cornelius are doing!
The reader is a Dubai-based entrepreneur.
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