Welcome to a new Rahhalah blog series where we celebrate our travelers and get a small glimpse into the post- adventure impact on their lives.
For our first edition of the Adventurer of the Month series, we spoke to Nowal Al Jenaibi, a full time mom and part time Marketing Senior Officer who chose to rise to the challenge of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa and also volunteered in the local orphanages of Kathmandu, Nepal with her equally adventurous son.
Why did you choose Mount Kilimanjaro and Kathmandu?
Mt. Kili, It’s been a dream of mine to go to Africa and it did not disappoint. Till this day, I talk immensely about my experience, how it made me feel, the extreme challenge you put your mind through before the physical challenge, the dream views and landscape and lastly, the guides’ spirits. Three years later and I am still in contact with them, they are extraordinary uplifting people. As for Kathmandu, it’s been a different experience for my son and I. Our sole purpose was to see how we can help earthquake victims. We visited a lot of heritage sites, met a few interesting people, went to a couple of orphanages and did a lot of hiking. Some places remind you to be grateful for the blessings you have and it can hit you hard to realize how people can have little but so much happiness. I hope to visit Nepal again this year.
Do you have a favorite memory from your trip?
It’s hard to choose just one memory, Mt. Kili, is all full of good memories, the singing, the teasing, the tears, the very slow steps, its pure happy memories. As for Kathmandu, it’s the joy you bring to others, it was a spiritual experience.
Were there any obstacles you had to deal with on your trip? If so, how did you overcome them?
Responsibility. Knowing where you’re going, doing your own research, trusting people, making choices, understanding their culture and communication.
Did you learn anything about yourself from this trip or did it have any kind of personal impact on you?
I would like to be part of a humanitarian organization and expose my family to it more, this is an obligation on all of us to make the world a better place. If you can pay kindness forward, why not do it?
Would you recommend this trip to others?
Definitely. From both trips, I find myself more adaptable to unique situations, I am more open to discussing matters out of my comfort zone. In a way, my faith is stronger. In my personal life, it’s made me re-prioritize the important things in life.
Do you have any advice for future travelers going to this destination/ trip?
Going alone is not always a bad thing, it’s not going to be as hard as you think. When you go on those trips, it’s for you, your soul not for the sake of just going to another country on your bucket list. You’ll make friends, you’ll contemplate on how the universe works, why things happen the way they do and you’ll miss your family but that’s all worth the while because you’ll learn to appreciate everything more. And sometime, some places are just better with family or friends. It depends on what you’re looking for.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us Nowal! Make sure you follow her on Instagram for her next adventure.
