Cii Radio| Ayesha Ismail| 03 October 2016| 01 Muharram 1438
Manama: A Spaniard who had vowed to walk from France to Makkah to perform Umrah has left Kuwait and entered Saudi Arabia.
Ishaq has reportedly walked for more than 9,000 kilometres since he left the French capital Paris, the start of his journey, about five months and a half ago.
He said that he expected to arrive in Makkah within 50 days based on scientific calculations, Kuwaiti daily Al Rai reported on Sunday.
Ishaq said that the main challenges he had encountered were related to crossing the high mountains.
The report did not specify which countries he passed through on his journey.
At one time, he had to face a snow storm and he had to hide inside his small tent. The weather was so cold that he could not feel his hands or feet.
Ishaq budgeted 5,000 Euros for his trip (approximately 10 Euros a day) for his trip. He reportedly refused to take money from people he encountered on his journey.
In August, a Chinese Muslim arrived in Makkah after pedaling more than 8.500 kilometres from his home in Xinjiang, in northwest China, to perform Haj.
In 2014, a group of Malaysians rode their bicycles from Kuala Lumpur to Madinah in western Saudi Arabia.
The 12 men left from the Malaysian capital and made their way on eight motorbikes and a small van across 12 countries with stops in 53 cities.
The group said the two-month ride was mostly smooth and that the only serious problems they encountered were at the borders of the countries they crossed.
Source – Gulf news