Dubai-based Malayali driver visits 13 countries in 4 years: How he does it without savings

Dubai: Those who keep postponing their dream to travel the world, citing a lack of money or time, should learn from Salam Amas, who works as a driver in Dubai. Salam, a native of Thanoor in Malappuram, is busy packing his bags for his next international trip. In an impressive feat, Salam has visited 13 countries and eight islands in the past four years. Salam, who has been working as a driver, proves that nothing should deter you from achieving your dreams.

Aadujeevitham in the desert
Like many others, Salam, a young man with four unmarried sisters, a small house for just 5.5 cents, and financial struggle, was forced to fly to the Gulf in 2002. He boarded the flight to Kuwait knowing that a terrible life awaited him in the sandy deserts. But all he wanted was a job to support his family. It was his relative Ophar who invited him to Kuwait. Salam, however, firmly believed that the Middle East, which has nurtured millions of Malayalis, wouldn’t abandon him.

Salam says that he could easily identify with the protagonist Najeeb in Benyamin’s celebrated novel Aadujeevitham. He was first employed as a shepherd in Abdali, a deserted region that shared borders with Iraq. For the first six months, his only communication with the outside world was the vehicle that brought drinking water every Friday. Later, he moved to the Saudi Arabian border of Sila, where he continued to work in the same capacity. He earned only 35 Kuwaiti dinars (around Rs 5500) as salary, which was not enough to send home.

It was his brother Muhammad Moosa who took care of the family then. Despite the hardships, Salam worked hard at the farm and learned to drive, too. He wanted to switch to a better job after obtaining his driving license. A Kuwaiti guest who arrived at the farm offered him a driver’s job with the permission of Salam’s sponsor. He worked as a driver in Kuwait for three years.

The country that changed Salam’s life
It was a relative who urged him to come to the UAE. Salam moved to the UAE in 2005 and started earning 1500 as a salary. He converted his Kuwaiti driving licence to a UAE licence. He worked at Ras Al Khor and as a valet in supermarkets. His relative Shereef helped him secure a job at the private company where he worked. Salam has been working at this company for the last 18 years. Salam and his brother married off their sisters, built a house and became financially stable. In 2021, Salam realised that his dream was to travel the world.

Expo 2020
The iconic Dubai Expo 2020 was held in 2021, luring millions of visitors from around the globe. While visiting the pavilions of various countries, Salam wished to visit those countries. He drove to GCC countries like Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. He visited 13 countries and eight islands in the last four years. Kenya, Tanzania, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Seychelles, Iran and islands like Kish, Kim, Mahe, Ledigu, Praslin, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro are some of his favourite destinations. Meanwhile, he is awaiting the visa to visit his next country.

With his incredible willpower and testing life experiences, Salam proves that even a common man can fulfil his dream of travelling the world. He says that you could travel on a budget even with a meagre salary if you plan well. But, most importantly, you should have the desire and determination to chase the dream. Salam plans his own trips to reduce the expenses and also because it is convenient for him.

Salam often travels in the company of his good friends Shaheer, Shareef, Younus, Abid, Shahjahan and Rishad. Salam says that trips to the Mikumi National Park in Tanzania and the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya were unforgettable. His mother Amina Beevi, wife Jasna and his children Ameel Aboobacker, Muhammad Yamin and Eid Arafat wholeheartedly support Salam’s dreams. Salam, meanwhile, hopes that he will be able to take his family too on a grand trip.

Salam has met many celebrities and eminent personalities while working as a driver. He met and enjoyed a meal with superstar Mohanlal when he was working at the supermarket. Salam believes that these are some exceptional experiences only an immigrant can enjoy.

How he manages expenses
Salam would laugh if you asked him about the expenses of all the trips until now. He says that one can’t travel if he/she is focused only on the expenses. Nevertheless, it would have cost at least 25,000 dirhams until now. Salam hardly keeps any account, nor does he have any savings. He works additional shifts to earn extra money, but he doesn’t find it troubling, as he does it for something he enjoys greatly. Salam considers the experiences he gains from his trips as his most valuable savings.