IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ZAYED … AMERICAN ADVENTURER EMBARKS ON DESERT TREK
▶ Same journey made by a young Sheikh Zayed in 1926 inspires US-born lover of Emirati culture
An American adventurer has set off on a 10-day trek across the Abu Dhabi desert in memory of Sheikh Zayed’s “life achievements and love for humanity”.
Mike Metzger, 34, plans to cover the 170 kilometres with two camels he bought after arriving in the UAE three years ago.
Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, made a similar journey as a young boy with his family in 1926.
“I bought the camels because I love the heritage of this country, the traditional skills and the traditional life that used to be much more prevalent here,” Mr Metzger said.
“I will be sleeping in the desert, walking camels and riding camels, taking breaks, eating very simple food – dates, bread, milk, fruit and potatoes. It’s my small tribute to Sheikh Zayed.”
Originally from Massachusetts, he moved to the UAE to study Emirati culture.
He now runs agricultural workshops and teaches desert survival techniques for organisations including Abu Dhabi’s Department of Tourism and Culture. He plans to travel about 20km a day before arriving in Al Ain.
Mr Metzger said his route would not entirely match Sheikh Zayed’s because of roads and other modern developments.
“The route I’m taking is pretty much the only route that bypasses most of the major highways and keeps me in the desert the whole way, without having to run into any oil and gas fields or more restricted areas,” he said.
“So it’s basically just the most open, safest route that I have been able to plot. I’ll carry about four days of food and water on the camel. Sheikh Zayed’s 1926 trip was a summer voyage and I wanted to embark on this journey as close to summer as possible.
“It was also a very small caravan, just Zayed, his mother and a few others. It highlights Zayed’s bravery at such a young age.”
Mr Metzger has trekked from the UAE to Yemen and sailed from south India to Oman.
He left Abu Dhabi on Friday wearing the traditional kandura and intends to reach Al Ain by October 15.
Mr Metzger will ride on one of his camels and use the other for cargo. Satnav will keep him on course and friends will drop off supplies at arranged points.
“I will have two stops where I meet my backup team to get food and water,” he said. “I have a tent but when it gets windy it gets quite difficult to maintain.
“Camping out in the desert is fine. I’ve seen snakes and beetles but I haven’t seen scorpions. I’m taking medicine, sting repellent and electrolytes for dehydration.
“As an expat, I feel we take so much of this country for granted. We have such vast opportunities to live here in peace, in safety and prosperity.
“If you boil it all down, it was because of Sheikh Zayed’s vision, because of his completely selfless life of giving back, not only to his people but to everyone. He poured his heart, blood and resources into every single human being who stepped foot in the UAE.”
Mr Metzger said he would hold a brief ceremony with poetry and stories on his arrival in Al Ain.
Mike Metzger, 34, plans to cover the 170km with two camels he bought three years ago