Recently, a well-known traveler in Egypt completed an extraordinary journey that few dare to attempt. He chose not to take a plane and instead departed from Cairo, Egypt, relying solely on boats, trains, camels, hitchhiking, and other means to travel through 12 countries over a total of 274 days, covering more than 46,000 kilometers, and ultimately reaching his dream destination, Japan.
According to media reports, the traveler’s name is Omar Nok. As he journeyed across Asia, he documented his unique overland journey through his lens. At just 30 years old, he has attracted over 750,000 followers on Instagram due to this adventurous trip, becoming a somewhat famous internet celebrity explorer.
Nok set off from Safaga Port on the Red Sea coast of Cairo, choosing to first board a cargo ship heading to Saudi Arabia. In an interview in Tokyo, he mentioned that he has always dreamt of visiting Japan since childhood but did not want to miss any part of the journey. Hence, he decided to travel slowly, admiring the beautiful scenery along the way and experiencing the diverse cultures.
“I chose Japan as my endpoint because it is the farthest Asian country from Egypt that I could think of. I have undertaken similar adventurous trips in Europe and America but had never been to any place in the East before,” Nok explained.
He admitted that initially, stepping into unfamiliar territories made him quite nervous, especially when visiting Central Asian countries where the language barrier was significant and tourists were scarce. Taking the first step was indeed challenging, but with the support and encouragement of his father, he mustered the courage to board the ship, and the nervousness quickly vanished.
During his journey, Nok hitchhiked to Mecca, the first holy city of Islam, played sandboarding on dunes in Iran, crossed the mountainous regions of Tajikistan in another adventurer’s vehicle, and even rode horses and camels in the regions of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, passing through vast grasslands and deserts.
Last month, he arrived in the southwestern Japanese city of Fukuoka by ferry and then traveled northeast, capturing moments and scenes along the way, finally reaching Tokyo on November 7, completing this 274-day journey covering a distance of 46,239 kilometers. In comparison, a direct flight from Cairo to Tokyo only takes 12 hours.
Nok had previous experience working as a financial analyst at Amazon in Germany and Luxembourg. He funded this journey with his savings and practiced frugality along the way, spending only about $25 per day.
Throughout the entire journey, he never encountered any dangerous situations as there were always kind strangers willing to help wherever he went. This message resonated strongly among his followers, bringing a glimmer of hope to the current tumultuous world.
“I will wander around like a local and continuously accept the help of the locals,” Nok said. “People often hear about the dark side of various countries, but I believe everyone yearns to see the positive and sunny side of these countries.”
Editor: Han Yu#