naajinoushi_solo_momtraveller
(Picture: @naajinoushi_solo_momtraveller)Before arriving in Qatar earlier this month, 34 year old Najira Naushadi shipped her jeep from Mumbai via Coimbatore and travelled through the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait for one man and one man only: Lionel Messi. She covered over 30,000km to see the Argentine footballer play in the World Cup.
Following Argentina’s historic win against France yesterday, we reflect on our pre-World Cup interview with Najira Naushadi: the solo mum, vlogger and Messi superfan - who must be just as thrilled as the man himself.
Why do you travel alone?
This is my fourth travel series. I have a message to tell the whole world: I want to prove that any lady, any woman, any girl can travel with their passion and with their dreams.
What about your kids?
My mama takes care of my children. She and my husband are the biggest pillars of my strength and give me courage to travel alone.
What’s your daily routine as a ‘vanlifer’?
Day by day I use my Jeep as my tiny home — it’s called Ollu (slang for woman.) I have a kitchen, bed and a tent inside. I cook rice, biryani and chicken with masala on the road, and the villagers give me chai.
What’s your go-to snack on the road?
I don’t always have the best food; as a traveller I can eat anything, it really doesn’t matter. I had a potato paratha aloo bhaja, made by a Punjabi mother. It was very good and the taste is one of love!
Speaking of love, when did your obsession with Lionel Messi start?
I remember watching Messi’s first Fifa in 2006 when I was 17. Messi had long hair and a beautiful face — a handsome boy. Seeing him play touched my heart. I watched every single one of his matches after.
And what do you think of people who say Ronaldo is better than Messi?
Messi is my life, there is only one year difference between him and me: he is 23 June 1987 and I am the 24 July 1988. I am a die-hard fan but after Messi, I choose Ronaldo!
Even after the Pepsi scandal?
[Laughs] That’s just Ronaldo! He is my second because Messi will always be the No 1 footballer in the world. They are both very hard-working. We can face and defeat any problem; this is what we learn from Messi and Ronaldo.
So besides daydreaming of footie players, how do you stay entertained?
I try to meet different types of people and find new cultures and places, that’s my entertainment.
What’s on your road-trip playlist?
‘Hayya Hayya’, the Fifa World Cup 2022 song! That’s like me, always moving higher. It’s my favourite song, giving me motivation.
