Mahe woman kick-starts solo trip to Qatar in her SUV to watch World Cup

KOZHIKODE:  Malabar, which is known for its love for soccer, will witness hundreds flying from Kozhikode and Kannur to Qatar to watch the FIFA World Cup beginning next month. Najira Noushad (Naaji Noushi), a 33-year-old homemaker from Mahe, will also be among those watching football matches from the stadium gallery in Qatar. But Noushi won’t be taking a flight to Qatar, but will be travelling alone driving her favourite vehicle, Mahindra Thar, all the way from Kannur. 

With this trip, Noushi is trying to spread the message of “safety for women to travel anywhere around the world”. She also wishes to motivate other women to travel anywhere without hesitation. Noushi, an ardent traveller, YouTuber and vlogger, kickstarted her trip from Mahe on Tuesday. She calls her Thar ‘Olu’ (woman in local parlance). After driving till Mumbai via Coimbatore, she will reach Oman by ship. She will then travel by road in Thar, passing through countries including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Noushi claims to be the first woman from Kerala to travel across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations to watch the football world cup. Breaking all the barriers of a stereotype homemaker, Noushi urges others to come out of the shells carved around a woman by society that “still wishes to see her inside the four walls of a house”. In February, Noushi had made the headlines for her solo trip from Kuttanad to high-altitude Everest Base camp in Nepal. She embarked on this 50-day solo hitchhike trip highlighting the message “India is the safest country for any woman solo traveller.”

Noushi, who moved from Oman to Mahe with her husband and five-year-old child last year, decided to make use of her time in India by exploring the country. She chose to drive and travel alone without bothering anyone around her. 

“Travelling to Qatar in my Thar was a dream because I always wanted to be less dependent on others. Though I travel alone, my biggest support system is my husband and mother. My mother who takes care of my five-year-old child is indeed an inspiration. If not for her, I would never be able to do things independently,” she added.