Comments on: The death of an Expedition, part two

By: Salha

Salha — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:54:06 +0000

Dear Mikael,

I just wanted to share this phrase ( not exact), that I saw the other day when I walked into one of the offices at the college I graduated from: ” Winners are the people who might fail , but never quit” . Coming from me, I failed several times in pursue of completing my education and faced many obstacles , but because of my presistance and paitence, I finally graduated after 8 years of trying to do so. There is a phrase from the Qura’an that says( i.e. means):”you might hate something , but it might be good for you” So it might be good for you in the long run that you did not go on this expedition this year, and fate has something more great and special hidden for!

Good Luck Mikael, and never give up your enthusiam, rejuvinate and come back to Oman!

Yours,
Short Tempered Buddy

By: Malik

Malik — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:52:03 +0000

Hi Mikael

Belated Happy birthday

Just read your blog of 10 February.

Arabian expedition will come to fruition Mikael. As most of your admirers have pointed out, stay calm and let it come to you.

I believe that the best things in life come to those who wait. Dont loose hope.

Your friend
Malik Al Hinai

By: CrossRoads Istanbul

CrossRoads Istanbul — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:54:01 +0000

I think the most difficult thing is the decision to act. However the easy thing is that you can act to control your life. Your page is like a world guide. I am decisive to visit yours as much as I can.

By: Arita Baaijens

Arita Baaijens — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 09:14:22 +0000

Very couragous of you to share your experiences with us! Time to sit back and revise the plan or come up with a new strategy. Maybe the following helps: your experience reminds me of the time when I tried to help The Friendship Caravan (expedition on camel) going right after 9/11, with the same purpose, but a different route (Hollywood-New York-Europe). I worked like crazy as did the founder of the initiative. We came a long way but the expedition as envisioned didn’t happen. It was impossible to win the trust of enough funders (although they liked the idea) and. In my opinion, it is better to start small and as you go along raise interest. That way people can see your plan in action, and join or not join on the basis of hard facts.
In my case, I learned from the experience that I am an explorer and I don’t like to be a manager of a big event. Because then you will always have to compromise in order to keep funders happy. Am sure you’ll come up with the best solution – if only you take time to find out what it really is that you want to do. All the best and happy birthday!

By: Robert Weener

Robert Weener — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:29:14 +0000

Sorry to hear that it has come to the point that you have to take a step back and retrench to Sweden. As we discussed before, maybe not so surprising given the cautious approach to “strangers” and their proposals, along with the current economic climate. However, you did not give up your bike journeys after the first flat tyre. I am sure the day for Expedition Arabia will come one day. You will be all the better prepared for it by having taken distance from the project for a while. In the meantime, who knows what other events will shape your future and allow you to look at this expedition from completely different perspectives. Good luck

By: Kamal

Kamal — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:09:27 +0000

I’m sure you’ll bounce back dude – I gotta leave a word of thanx out here too since I’ve definitely learned a lot from your insight – as my line of work have left me spending several months in total of 2009 in both Oman and Yemen! The varieted intel is much obliged.

By: Paula Constant

Paula Constant — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:03:37 +0000

Mikael – strength to you. One of the hardest and bravest things to do is to know when to walk away, and I admire you as much for recognising when it is time to do that, as I would if the expedition had come together.

Also…Africa is a disastrous mess right now. I don’t think I would be walking through Sahara there for any amount of money, all my friends in Mali, Niger and Mauritania are full of stories of mayhem and madness – and their comments are far more than the customary Arabic penchant for exaggeration! It is ugly and getting rapidly worse everywhere your route could go. So accept that this is not the time..and hope that another will come, Inshallah.

Paula

By: Ove, Svedala

Ove, Svedala — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:38:02 +0000

Oh man, this is so sad to hear.
But you have managed to do so many exciting trips in your life and in’shallah this will happen in the future.

Badain in’shalla….later, if allah will.

Best of luck with your future.