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They have traveled over 5,700 km in two weeks and become friends on their journey to the Fifa World Cup
KVT Ashraf and his family set off in their family car to watch the Fifa World Cup. Photos: Included
Football and travel are two things KVT Ashraf are most passionate about. And for the past 23 days, the Keralite and his family have been on their way to reach Qatar to watch matches of the ongoing Fifa World Cup.
The family patriarch, who was traveling from Kerala, India, said he decided to embark on the road trip so the family would have time to bond. “The last month has been incredible,” said KVT Ashraf. “We spent the whole time talking, teasing and enjoying each other’s company. Sometimes we forget to turn on the music because we’re so busy talking.”
Ashraf, his wife Shahanas, his son Abdulla Ibnu Ashraf and his nephew Mohammad Faraz left the southern Indian city of Kannur in their Toyota Innova on October 30. After traveling around India for over two weeks, the family arrived in Dubai last week. where Ashraf’s daughter Aksana Beegam and her husband Irfan joined them.
KVT Ashraf and his family are waved away from his hometown
From the United Arab Emirates, the family travels through Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi before reaching Qatar. There they will stay with Faraz’s parents who live in Qatar.
Arriving in Dubai in a Kerala-registered right-hand drive vehicle, they were stopped at several locations by football fans. “One day we were at a roundabout when an Arab started flashing his lights,” said Abdulla. “When we stopped he asked us if we were going to Qatar and had a long chat with us. It was an amazing experience. We met so many people and became friends with them. So many came to take photos with us.”
The family have booked tickets to see Germany vs Costa Rice on December 1st. “We hope to get tickets for the quarterfinals and semifinals as well,” said Irfan.
planning phase
“I’ve always been a football fan,” said 56-year-old Ashraf. “When we heard that the 2022 World Cup was going to be held in Qatar, I decided that we had to watch it live.”
On this trip through India, the family takes a breather
Originally, the family had planned to fly to Qatar. “We booked the game tickets well in advance of the tournament,” said Abdulla, an entrepreneur. “My father started talking about going to Qatar by road. At first I didn’t take him seriously, but then I started thinking about it as the days went by. So I spent the next few weeks researching and getting all the necessary permits.”
The original plan was to run the entire length on the road. “However, it soon became clear that obtaining permits for Pakistan would be a problem,” Ashraf said. “So we decided to travel to Mumbai and send the car to Jebel Ali.”
Before leaving, the family got the car painted and pasted for the trip. “We also had all the machines checked and made the necessary repairs,” says Faraz.
The trip
For the family, traveling around India was smooth and easy. “People were very nice to us and we enjoyed our trip,” said Shahanas. She was responsible for snacks. “I always like to wear nuts and dried fruits,” she said. “Also, I love trying the local fruits wherever we stop. That was the highlight of my trip.”
The family traveled approximately 150 miles in one day, staying in hotels and rental apartments throughout their trip. Since arriving in the UAE last week, they have made it their mission to visit and see the sights of each emirate. “The whole point of the trip was to visit famous places that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise,” Ashraf said. “So we drove to Jebel Jais, saw the Burj Khalifa and drove our car across the country.”
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It’s not the first time for Abdulla to go on a long journey in his car. “I’ve traveled 18 states in India in this car,” he said. However, his father complained that Abdulla always traveled with his friends. “As soon as his vacation comes, he sets off with his friends,” Ashraf complained jokingly. “This time I asked him to come with us so we could spend some time together.”
