Soccer-crazy Kerala woman to drive to Qatar to watch FIFA World Cup

For Naaji Noushi, a homemaker from Mahe -and mother of five, football and travel are two things she is crazy about.

So, taking a solo trip in her four-wheeler to watch the FIFA World Cup in Qatar was just a spontaneous decision Noushi, an avid traveller, YouTuber and vlogger.

And now she has commenced her journey to Qatar by driving a Mahindra Thar from here the other day. When Transport Minister Antony Raju flagged off the trip in the presence of village panchayat authorities, it was a dream come true for this soccer crazy woman who has always loved to take adventurous trips.

As per a report by PTI, Noushi and her Thar, which is fondly named "olu" (means woman in local parlance), after reaching Mumbai via Coimbatore would land in Oman by ship.

Noushi is expected to travel from there via road and would cover Arab countries including UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia before reaching Qatar, which is hosting the FIFA World Cup this time.

Noushi said it may be for the first time that a woman from Kerala was undertaking an Overlanding trip to the GCC nations and that too to watch the football world cup.

"My plan is to enter Qatar by December 10 and watch the finale. I am so excited about this trip. I am a hardcore Argentina fan and Lionel Messi...really want to see my favorite team lifting the cup," Noushi was quoted as saying.

She will continue her stay in Qatar till December 31.

Noushi said the trip was expected to be a complete van-life experience as all essential cooking articles were stocked in the vehicle. It is also planned to park the vehicle near toll plazas and petrol pumps and stay within it during the nights.

She said she has an Oman driving licence, which has already been converted into an international one.

"I am a person who has been dreaming to see an Indian team playing the FIFA World Cup. Through this innovative trip, I am trying to be a part of the gala by reaching there in an Indian-made vehicle," she said.

Noushi, who has completed her Plus-Two, married Noushad, an NRK, at a young age and became a mother at the age of 19.

Describing the family as the pillar of support, she said her husband and children were her actual cheerleaders and were encouraging her to travel more.

She already completed four travel series including an all-India trip to Ladakh and shared the photos and videos through her social media pages.