I-MUSCAT, e-Oman – KuFranz Terzer, umkhweli webhayisekile wase-Austrian, ukusondeza kwiindawo ezingachazwanga ngumdlalo wabantwana. Ukugubungela i-9,000 kms kwisithuthuthu seHonda yedwa kwisithuba seeveki ezintandathu e-Oman, uFranz usabonakala emtsha. Lo mntu ukhaliphileyo waqala kwindawo yakhe yokuzalwa ebizwa ngokuba yiPottenstein kumazantsi eOstriya, yaye kwiiveki ezimbini zokuqala wagubungela iSlovenia, iCroatia, iBosnia, iSerbia, iMacedonia neGrisi ngaphambi kokungena eTurkey. Ukusuka eTurkey, uFranz wangena eIran, UAE, kwaye ekugqibeleni eOman.
Encoma inxalenye yokugqibela yohambo lwakhe ngebhayisekile, uFranz wathi: “Eneneni ibingamava ahlukileyo ngokwawo, njengoko izithethe nonqulo zenza lo mmandla wahluke. Ndaba namava okuqala kwinyani yendalo yonke yokuba ama-Arabhu adume ngobubele obunobubele. Ukuhambahamba ngesithuthuthu, ndifunda ngezithethe ndize ndizame ukudibana nabantu abaninzi abandamkela ngoncumo.”
Eshukunyiswe yi-mystique yase-Iran wongeze wathi: “Iindawo zase-Iran ziyamangalisa. I-Isfahan iqhayisa ngezona zikhumbuzo zibalaseleyo kunye nezakhiwo. IShiraz yenye indawo ethandeka ngokwenkcubeko. Ezi zixeko zintle zikuhambisa kwixesha elidlulileyo. "
Ebalisa amava athile uFranz wathi: “Abantu baseIran abapheleli nje ekuboniseni umoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe, bazama ukuthetha nani, phezu kwayo nje imiqobo yolwimi. Endibona ndiqhuba kwiimvula ezinkulu, omnye umnini wevenkile yokutyela wandinika indawo yokuhlala. Oku kwahluke ngokupheleleyo koko abantu baseNtshona bebenokukwenza, njengoko becinga ukuba iingxaki zomntu ngamnye zifanele zizicombulule ngokwabo.”
Kwafuneka akhwele enqanaweni ukuze afike eSharjah esuka eBander Abbas eIran. UFranz wangena eMusandum e-Oman wabuyela e-UAE kwakhona emva koko wangena e-Oman. Uthi wamangaliswa kukubona intaphane yeentaba zaseOman kunye nokuqhuba nangona umhlaba uyinto eyonwabisayo kwaye inomdla. Uthe ube nexesha elimnandi lokutyhutyha eWadi Bani Awf. UFranz wathi: “Ukukhwela umnqantsa kwisithuthuthu esingu-600cc yenye yezinto ezivuyisayo. Ngesinye isihlandlo isithuthuthu sam sakhubeka, kodwa ngethamsanqa [andizange ndibe namanxeba angako, kodwa ndafumana imikrwelo embalwa engalweni yam.”
Ngoxa wayephezu kwentaba eOman, wayesokola ukufumana indawo yokulala, njengoko uFranz engakhweli ebusuku. Ukhumbula oku: “Ezinye iintsapho zaseBangladesh zazinobubele ngokwaneleyo ukundithatha ndasa kwityotyombe lazo zaza zandinika indawo yokuhlala nokutya. Abantu abamangalisayo kulo mmandla wehlabathi, njengokuba iimeko ezinjalo [zinqabile] eNtshona.”
UFranz ukhwele malunga ne-650 kms kwindawo eyolulayo kwaye wayelala ngeeyure zasebusuku. Sele ekhe waluthabatha ukhenketho oluninzi olunjalo ngaphambili, olufana nolo lokugqibela ukuya eMorocco.
Isicwangciso sakhe sokuqala yayikukukhwela umva ngendlela enye, kodwa ngoku ubushushu bokubhaka bunyuka mihla le, uye wayilahla ingcamango yeengcebiso zabahlobo kwaye uya kubhabha aye e-Austria ngosuku okanye ezimbini.
INTO ONOKUYITHATHA KWELI NQAKU:
- His original plan was to ride back through the same route, but now with the baking heat rising every day, he has dropped the idea on friends' advice and will fly to Austria in a day or two.
- While on top a mountain in Oman, he was struggling to find a place to sleep, as Franz does not ride at night.
- He says that he was amazed at the mountainous topography of Oman and driving though the terrain is a delightful and adventurous experience.
