SAMSUN, Türkiye
A Turkish software developer and paragliding instructor, Kadir Mert, has completed an extraordinary 25,000-kilometer (15,500-mile) journey from Türkiye to Nepal and back to Türkiye in a converted school bus, fulfilling a “childhood dream” and reviving interest in the historic Silk Road route.
Mert, who spent four years transforming the scrap school bus into a 10-ton caravan capable of reaching speeds of up to 80 kilometers (49.7 miles) per hour, embarked on a three-month adventure with a friend in March 2023. Their journey took them through Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India before reaching their final destination, Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
Speaking to Anadolu upon his return to his hometown of Samsun in northern Türkiye, Mert shared the challenges and highlights of their expedition.
Mert said they received a warm welcome in many places, with locals offering hospitality and assistance.
“In Pakistan, to protect us from the Taliban in the desert, the government provided escorts to take us from town to town,” Mert said.
He said they experienced extraordinary kindness throughout their journey. In Pakistan, upon learning they were Turkish and Muslim, locals refused to let them pay for fuel and invited them into their homes, he said.
In India, the traveler said, they were welcomed into temples.
He stressed that the journey was not without its difficulties. In India, for example, the vehicle’s charging dynamo malfunctioned and required 15 people to push the bus, he said.
Mert also recalled spending days in India’s capital New Delhi, working with local craftsmen to repair the charging system.
In addition, despite initial concerns about traveling through Iran because of the vehicle’s American origin, he said they encountered no problems.
Mert expressed his excitement at completing his first long trip in the converted school bus and emphasized the countless memories made along the way.
