Globe-pedaller arrives in Qatar

Qatar has become the 59th country Argentinean adventurer Pablo Garcia has visited after an ambitious 71,798-km nine-year journey by bicycle in an attempt to circumnavigate the world to spread the message of peace and friendship.

Arriving here just a couple days ago, Pablo Garcia, 35, shared interesting anecdotes from his travels with the media during a press conference hosted yesterday by Doha Marriott Hotel, one of the sponsors for his Qatar stint.

“My travel started as a dream of wanting to see the world. I was curious to know what lies on the other side of the world — the people, their culture and traditions,” Garcia explained, during a brief tête-à-tête with media persons after showing a number of clips of his ‘Around the World by Bicycle’ project.

Having opted for tour guiding as a career, he demonstrated an unusual penchant for various cultures. He showed this in the clips of his travels to Africa and the Middle East. Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Uganda, Eritrea, and Ethiopia are just some of the African countries visited by him to figure prominently in his experiences, aside from Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan in the Middle East.

“A common trait among the people of Arab and Muslim countries is their hospitality,” he said, adding he would remember Qatar as a small country with a progressive city in the middle of the desert inhabited by very hospitable people. Among the places in Qatar he said he would remember are the Corniche and the Museum of Islamic Art.

He said he still had to complete around 50,000km in four years, passing through Asia and Australia, to finish his journey through 100 countries.

After the press conference, he showed his bicycle, his constant companion in his journey to different countries. Weighing 60 kilos with all his things, the bicycle features small flags of the countries he has been to, including a white flag symbolising peace.

“I choose to travel by bicycle because I see much more and get in touch with people differently,” Garcia quipped.

Despite the many challenges and dangers he has met along the way, he has never thought of quitting. “Once I conclude my journey, I would compile all the materials and transmit them to people,” he said.

Garcia’s local sponsors include Qatar National Hotels Company, Doha Marriott, Qatar Olympic Committee, Mitsubishi and Qatar Cycling Federation.

Original Article from: The Peninsula