It's the classic dream of the restless and intrepid: jumping in a car and embarking on a road trip across America. Well, Ali Alghfeli, 22, from Al Ain has gone one step further, as the political science and engineering student at the University of Washington is visiting all 50 US states in his 2014, UAE-registered pick-up truck.
"I have travelled a lot, but wanted to do this in a different way," he tells The National of his decision to embark on the adventure, which he's publicly documenting on Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat. "I thought about driving my own private car, my first car. I wanted to have this unique identity [for the trip]. I didn't want it to be any normal trip and rent a car. I don't like to take the conventional path."
It all started while Alghfeli was working in New York last summer, when he started planning his journey and had his Emirati vehicle shipped from Al Ain to Newark, New Jersey. His journey officially began on Monday, September 16. He started out by taking in the chaotic sights of Manhattan's Times Square before heading north to Maine, which borders Canada. There, he visited the oldest lighthouse in the country, before turning around and heading south to Miami, Florida, a trip of 2,575 kilometres. From there, he drove across the eastern south to Louisiana and Texas, then north through Colorado, Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Teton Mountains, followed by Montana, Idaho and Washington. It was "quite a long journey," he admits. "Around 12,000km." This meant he was on the road for three weeks straight, before he headed back to school for classes.
Alghfeli has visited 27 states so far, much of the journey soundtracked by Emirati crooner Mehad Hamad. He believes his car, a Toyota Land Cruiser he's named "Shaheen", is the only one of its kind in the US and, for that reason, in car-mad America, it gets him a lot of attention. It's an immediate conversation-opener, he says. "I just love the passion of people and how nice they are. They come over to look at the car when I stop for gas. We talk trucks, we talk cars."
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Read more: Toyota's 2020 Land Cruiser tears into the UAE – here's a look at the brand new model
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To drive legally around the States, he has a temporary licence registration, which allows him to keep the truck in the US for one year before he has to send it back to the UAE. His daily mileage varies, but tops out at around 800km a day on the longer stretches.
I want to know more about people and their pasts … Not a lot of people know much about Al Ain or Abu Dhabi, but from talking to people you hear that they're interested in hearing about the region
Americans drive a combined 5.2 trillion kilometres a year or 70 billion hours (almost 8,000 calendar years), so it's no surprise Alghfeli has met many interesting characters on the road so far. There was one trucker, Randy, who he met in Maryland and whose 1994 Kenworth truck has spent 3.54 million kilometres on the road – the equivalent of driving 88 times around the planet. In Mississippi, having pulled to the side of the road to take a photo, Alghfeli met a guy named Larry, who had stopped in his truck to chat. The pair ended up having lunch together.
“Once in Idaho, I went to grab a coffee [but then] two people from the coffee shop and I started talking for what ended up being an hour,” he says. At a traffic light in Times Square, he was stopped by people who came to talk to him about Abu Dhabi, as they recognised his licence plates.
Despite having spent more time behind the wheel in a few weeks than most of us do in an entire year, Alghfeli says he’s never been bored. He seeks out bears, elk, buffalo and hot springs in the wilderness, or talks to family or friends on the phone in the quiet hours. He also makes some pit stops, one of the most memorable being in Charleston, South Carolina, when he took in a demonstration on how life was for slaves in the region centuries ago.
Finding somewhere to sleep keeps it interesting, too. On occasion (once in snow-covered Yellowstone), he’s slept on the truck bed, but mostly he stays with friends and in motels. “In most places, the whole east coast actually, I’ve had someone let me crash at their place,” he says.
Clearly, for Alghfeli, it’s more about the journey than any of the destinations. “I don’t want to spend the whole time driving, I want to meet people,” he says determinedly. “I want to know more about people and their pasts … Not a lot of people know much about Al Ain or Abu Dhabi, but from talking to people, you hear that they’re interested in hearing about the region.”
He also picks up souvenirs along the way; when he meets someone, he gets them to put a sticker on his car, bearing the flag of their state. "I also thought about the idea of having them say 'welcome to [whichever state]' in UAE dialect and to record it. I never get bored of watching that video back." Anyone can watch his 32-minute compilation of the road trip so far on his channel on YouTube.
Through the pictures and videos he posts, he’s managed to start a global conversation. “A lot of people have contacted me who want to come here and do the same trip,” he says. “So, you have people in the UAE who want to come to the US and people here who want to know more about the UAE. There’s a lot of cultural exchange going on.”
It’s not all smooth sailing, though. Gas (or petrol) in the US is getting more expensive and the pick-up is not the most economical car on the road, so saving money and monitoring daily spend has been a challenge. Alghfeli says he would welcome sponsorship to help offset the cost of making the additional major journeys to Alaska and Hawaii.
He’s also had the pick-up towed once and forced into a handful of detours – once when trying to get to Wyoming, only to end up on an off-trail mountain route. On the bright side, he’s not yet been pulled over by any police, he adds.
While he’s currently taking a break to focus on his studies, his next plan is to head to the west coast, the Midwest and the more remote regions of the Northern Plains. He’s aiming to complete the trip by early next summer and ship the car home to the UAE from New Jersey, where it all began.
Before that happens, however, he’s determined to make new friends all over the country. “Most importantly, I’d just like to share the UAE culture.”
Follow Ali’s journey at www.instagram.com/ali_alghfeli
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
SHAITTAN
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DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners
Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Tim Paine (captain), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner
The biog
Hobbies: Writing and running
Favourite sport: beach volleyball
Favourite holiday destinations: Turkey and Puerto Rico
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less