From Al Ain to America: why one Emirati student is taking his UAE-registered Land Cruiser around all 50 US states


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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?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. 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?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. 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