With no choice, Daud and his friends braved the freezing night to fix the snow chains themselves. And just as their hope began to waver, a group of locals appeared.
“We were fortunate because a group of locals, four or five of them, came over, stopped and helped us,” the grandfather of four shared with FMT Lifestyle.
Through gestures and smiles, the kind strangers lifted the car and secured the chains. The journey resumed, a testament to the kindness of strangers and the unpredictable joys of road travel.
“Most of the people I met along the way were nice, they were very friendly, very helpful. The world is actually a nice place,” he added.
This was just one of many unforgettable moments during Daud’s dream adventure: a globe-trotting, 24,000km overland journey spanning 20 countries in 80 days this year.
Starting Sept 15, 2024 and ending Dec 3 the same year, Daud and his friends drove through Thailand, China, Kazakhstan, Albania, Germany, France, and more.
“I had always imagined myself with my car parked in front of the Olympic stadium in Athens, and of course the Eiffel Tower. This was something that I wanted to do,” Daud reflected, his eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of a dream fulfilled.
The founder of Swichtec Power Systems and father of three described his travels as “a kind of satisfaction – something that you have been holding on to and trying to do, and once you achieve it, just a bit of relief.”
“I’m very happy that we managed to do it at this age. That’s something quite satisfying,” he added.
Daud’s love for exploration began when he was a child in Segamat, Johor. Fascinated by tales of adventure, he was especially inspired by his late uncle, a pioneer classic car collector, who participated in the legendary London-Sydney Marathon, a car rally from the UK to Australia.
“I followed his story and I thought it was something I would like to do. That’s where the interest started,” Daud shared, recalling how his uncle’s car collection, including Fiats and Mercedes, ignited his passion for rallying.
After meeting like-minded friends in 2020, he spent four years of meticulous planning before finally embarking on his adventure. From snowy mountains to vibrant cities, it was a journey of discovery, not just of places but of people and cultures.
“By road, you are closer to the locals, you can understand their lifestyle, their culture … I tend to like that kind of thing,” he explained.
However, in Laos, Daud and his companions were denied entry, forcing them to re-route. At the Kazakhstan-Russia border, their visas were declared invalid, leaving them stranded.
“We had set our minds that if any worse thing happened, we’d arrange for our car to be shipped back, then we continue by either renting a car or going by public transport,” he said, adding that cancelling the trip was never an option.
After all, for Daud, this journey represented much more than a road trip. It was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream, realised at an age when many were slowing down.
But for him, retirement was never seen as an end – it was an opportunity to do everything he didn’t have the time for while building a business and raising a family.
“For me, retirement is a time that you complete unfinished jobs. Whatever you wanted to do when you’re young, your dreams or whatever, that is a good time. Just go for it, do it,” he advised others.
With this incredible journey behind him, Daud isn’t slowing down. Whether it’s his next overland adventure or simply cherishing life at home, one thing is clear: his adventurous spirit remains untamed. And if the next chapter involves his beloved Mercedes, all the better.