“I want to push myself to the limit, and this is what happens when you travel…When you travel, you appreciate what you’re doing. You get caught up in this traveling mode of, ‘Why not? Why can’t I go and do this?’

You start to get brave. You start to come out of your shell much more. That’s the beauty of traveling.”

– Aqeel Karim

Aqeel Karim (@muzzaabroad) is an avid and adventurous world-explorer pushing the boundaries of travel in the muslim community.

In 2017 he embarked on a 250-day solo trip to 22 countries throughout India, South America, Central America and Europe. Going “with the flow” for most of his travels, Aqeel highlights his incredible stories, adventures and insights from over 8 months abroad.

He spent the bulk of his time in South America despite knowing little to nothing about the area before arriving. Now, South America is no longer a foreign land.

Exploring all throughout the country. Attending intense football matches. Hiking multi-day treks on a whim. Befriending locals and other travelers. Dodging selfie sticks at Christ the Redeemer. Aqeel’s stories from South America and beyond might cause you to spontaneously book a trip after listening.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Overall, Aqeel is an outstanding advocate for travel with lessons we can all learn from. His mindset and outlook towards life is infectious. How he faced setbacks, uncertainty on the road, and challenges in keeping his faith strong can help anyone embarking on their own journey.

 

Some of the things Aqeel and I discuss include:

* How to make 250+ days of travel a reality

* Promoting travel in the muslim community

* Easy ways to meet people on the road

* Implementing values learned abroad into your life back home

* Travel philosophies

* Value of travel vs. price of travel

Scroll down for links and show notes…

Thank you for listening and enjoy!

 

QUESTION OF THE EPISODE: What’s the longest stretch of time you have traveled for? By the end of your trip, were you ready to go home or did you want to keep traveling?

Please leave your answer in the comments.

 

Want to hear from more travelers?

* Lars Feste – Learn about Iceland, necessary conditions to see the Northern Lights, and the power of saying “No.”

* Theo Moon – Get inspired to follow your passions, live life to the fullest, and add “adventure sparks” into your routine.

* Ryoji Yoshimura – Learn about couchsurfing and lessons from taking a gap to travel. Ryoji is a couchsurfing veteran, having hosted over 40 travelers since 2015.

 

Show Notes and Links

Connect with Aqeel – Instagram | YouTube

* What is the “Year of the Traveller?” [4:30]

* Turning negative situations into positives. [7:35]

* Bus post example

* How do you make 250+ days of travel a reality? [9:55]

* Planning when being a “go with the flow” type of person. [13:50]

* Choosing South America despite knowing nothing about it. [17:00]

* Mindset going into experiences with so much uncertainty. [20:00]